With Fluidra launching its new Jandy VersaTemp Heat/Chill Pump lineup, this year is off to an innovative start. The VersaTemp’s intention is to provide solutions for pool professionals or owners who seek the dual benefits of pool heating and cooling.
All units in the VersaTemp lineup come standard as both heat and cool models, which is typically an optional feature, says Terry Doyle, product manager of heating for Fluidra.
“With VersaTemp, we designed a product that makes water temperature work for the pool owner,” Doyle says. “They want it hot, warm or cool; VersaTemp provides a method to maintain any temperature, high or low, to suit the desired preferences of the pool owner.”
Doyle adds that Fluidra learned that customers wanted quiet operation and the ability to control the temperature of their pool water. Fluidra’s answer came in the form of these VersaTemp single-phase pumps, each of which works on 230V/60Hz:
- JRT2000R, with 103,000 BTUS and 6.4 COP heater/chiller
- JRT2500R, with 116,000 BTUS and 6.5 COP heater/chiller
- JRT3000R, with 130,000 BTUS and 5.8 COP heater/chiller
For Fluidra, this resulted in a widely applicable offering for the extensive geographic range of its professionals and consumers. Being able to heat or cool allows homeowners to chill the water to a more comfortable temperature during hot months — highly beneficial in areas like Arizona, where pool water is warmed by the sun all day, Doyle says. “But the real advantage is when you use a heat pump in cooler climates,” he adds, “where you can encounter icing up the evaporator coil.”
VersaTemp utilizes hot gas defrost (reversing the heat flow and pulling heat from the water to warm the coil) when necessary to keep ice off the coil and to allow heating in cooler temperatures.
The user interface for the VersaTemp mirrors the existing Jandy JE Heat Pumps, which remains intuitive in the eyes of Fluidra. The heating and cooling features can also be manipulated using a Jandy AquaLink RS pool automation system.
“We know that pool owners ultimately want convenience,” Doyle says. “We’ve utilized our patented pool automation technologies to allow them to control whether the VersaTemp is on heat or chill. This way, pool owners do not need to go near their heat pump to switch the unit from heat to chill; it can be done through the RS system.”
Another feature of the VersaTemp was crafted in response to user feedback: How quietly the unit runs. The Jandy VersaTemp Heat/Chill pump uses a combination of special components that allow for quiet operation, Doyle says, which it calls Sound Shield technology. This technology consists of a swept-wing blade design that decreases turbulence as the blades spin, along with a decibel dampening acoustic blanket to help muffle compressor reverberation.
Ultimately, the company wanted to help customers enjoy their pools to the fullest. Fluidra is dedicated to user-driven innovation, Doyle says, and listening to its customers and their concerns. In addition to the key elements behind the VersaTemp, there are benefits for pool professionals in particular. Fluidra strives to lean into efficient technologies, so channeling that focus into the heat/chill pump line was a point of emphasis, he adds.
The VersaTemp line meets consumer demand for more efficient and environmentally conservative products, Doyle says, and also gives options as state and local governments continue to discuss decarbonization initiatives. Considering this, heat pumps are a prevailing choice for builders: “Outfitting the VersaTemp with heating and cooling capabilities allows us to be more flexible in our offerings across a broader geographic range,” he says.
Doyle believes that as electrification and decarbonization continues gaining momentum in the United States, pool pros will see more customers asking about heat pumps in areas predominantly heated with gas. Some can use solar panels to create free pool heating, and others want to decrease carbon emissions. Anywhere natural gas bans are occurring, heat pumps may likely become the primary heat source in pools. In addition to efficiency and cleanliness, the focus of the VersaTemp revolves around its ability to quietly and easily heat and cool pools. “VersaTemp offers reduced noise,” Doyle says, “and the ability to enjoy the perfect temperature all year long.”
