From the creators of the pHin Smart Water Monitor comes the next evolution in water monitoring: the Crystal Water Monitor.
An in-line version will launch this November, but the floating consumer version has been available online for nearly two years and is one of Amazon’s top-rated water monitors. Using smart technology and sensors, it tests pool water more than 144 times a day. The connected phone app uses trend data to alert pool owners when they need to adjust their water with exact dosage instructions. They can also see the pH, temperature, ORP and more at any time.
Remote monitoring
Pool service professionals traditionally visit pools weekly to monitor water chemistry, but with this new monitor, they can track conditions remotely, says founder and CEO Justin Miller. This allows techs to ensure a clean, safe pool for customers at all times.
The in-line version has an app, like the consumer version, which includes historical statistics and current chemical levels of each pool. Techs can install the monitor in about 10 minutes, splicing the 6-inch-long “T” section into the plumbing, ideally right after the filter and before the heater or chlorinator.
The “T” can be installed vertically or horizontally. Because of the flange on the monitor, the sensor will always remain upright.
“We designed this so even if the plumbing is off and the water drains out of the plumbing, the sensing chamber retains water and keeps the sensor reading accurately,” Miller says.
Additionally, the monitor only takes readings when water flows through the system.
“There’s nothing worse than when you’re sitting in Arizona and the water temp in the plumbing is 120 degrees when the pump is off,” Miller says. “You get very inaccurate readings, and it’ll lead you to do all the wrong things.”
The technician app highlights pools needing attention in red, while those that are fine show up in blue. The app’s customer view feature allows pool professionals to see exactly what their customers see, which helps prevent unnecessary alerts for minor issues. Customers see a broader threshold of information, while techs are alerted to critical problems.
“There’s a ton of data we can make available for each service tech to help them make sure they’re doing the best possible job for the customers and taking care of their business as well,” Miller says.
Lessons learned
Both Miller and Colby Stratman, who was on the pHin team and is now a consultant for Crystal Water Monitor, agree that building Crystal was much easier than pHin.
“We knew what we were doing,” Miller says. “We knew what not to bother spending our time on, so we were able to go much faster.”
One thing they learned from pHin was that with a floating monitor, moisture eventually gets into the electronics and short-circuits it. So the Crystal monitor sits outside the water, and a waterproof cable connects to the sensor inside the monitor.
Stratman notes that before pHin, water monitoring systems were expensive. The affordable pHin monitor addressed this, but commercial pools didn’t want a floating device.
“They wanted it on the plumbing on the pool pad, and that was why we needed to get this in the market to builders and pool techs,” he says. “This will open it up for them to do that easily and not have to spend a huge amount of money. It’s much more attainable.”
A new tool for business growth
Stratman views the in-line version of the Crystal Water Monitor as a business tool. Pros can install it and charge for 24/7 monitoring, or they can create a premium tier of pool service, charging for the monitoring, troubleshooting over the phone and more.
“It creates a new avenue of how creative you can get in terms of using this data for your business,” Stratman says.
The in-line version will be sold through distribution, so pricing is up to them, but Miller says the monitor is expected to retail for $450.
Miller adds that while the monitor’s app helps techs stay on top of pools and manage their time more efficiently, the main feedback he’s received is that their top priority is meeting customer needs.
“Being able to guarantee crystal-clear water is the most valuable thing,” he says.
