Jandy VS PlusHP Pump
When Zodiac looked at the variable-speed pumps offered by its Jandy brand, it knew there was a hole to fill when it came to replacement pumps.
“We have a big variable-speed pump, which is the ePump,” says Mike Giddens, product manager at Zodiac. “But from a replacement pump standpoint, it’s not ideal because it’s bigger than any other pump out there. Then we have our VS FloPro, which is a great pump and a good retrofit option, but it’s a medium-head pump.”
This spring, Jandy debuted the VS PlusHP pump. The PlusHP fills out that midsize, high-head category they were missing. The pump was designed with the installer in mind, both in the ease of installation and helping to keep the company profitable. Like all of its variable-speed pump models, they’re designed to work on either 12- or 14-gauge wire and a 15- or 20-amp breaker.
“More often than not, some of your existing pumps are on a 15-amp breaker,” Giddens says. “Service guys want to get in and get out with as few challenges as possible. This allows them to do that.”
The pump also comes packaged with two-inch unions; everything needed for installation should be right there.
“Every pump comes with a carry handle,” Giddens says, “which enables you to not have to carry the pump with both arms. It gives you more flexibility. New construction is easy because you may have some stub-ups, then you set the equipment and finish the plumbing. From a replacement standpoint, all the pipes are already there. You want to make sure you don’t drop the pump on any equipment and you’re climbing back there, so the handle makes it a lot easier.”
The financial benefits for the installer start with Zodiac putting the VS PlusHP under its trade-series policy, the first equipment and pump product the company has put under that policy.
“Having the trade-series policy tied to this product means that if we find this product sold on the Internet, we have the ability to track down who the original purchaser was,” Giddens says. “We can cease supplying them with product moving forward.”
Many pool professionals may not do anywhere near the volume of an Internet retailer, however. He may send a quote to the consumer, who immediately goes online to do a price comparison only to find that product priced substantially lower than what the their pool professional quoted.
“It creates more than just pricing issues,” Giddens says. “It creates faith and trust issues between the consumer and the dealer, and obviously frustration on the pool professional’s behalf.”
In addition, the company has implemented a rebate for all verified trade professionals on the PlusHP. Even with the trade-series policy, Giddens says, it can’t control everything that happens on the Internet, so the rebate should help offset any low Internet pricing for the trade professional. “When the pool professional purchases the product, they will pay a little more than they would for a comparable product,” Giddens says. “But Zodiac will directly issue them a rebate to net their price down. In order to participate in that rebate, the account has to be opted in. So they need to reach out to their local Zodiac sales rep. Frankly, the sales rep is just ensuring they are a traditional trade account and they’re not going to sell it on the Internet.”
