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Title 20 Sparks Confusion Among Techs
By John Miles
Many California pool professionals are still unsure of exactly what Title 20 means for their businesses.
Title 20 addresses manufacturing regulations for a variety of appliances, including heaters, motors and portable spas. More importantly for contractors, variable- and two-speed pumps now are required for all motors 1hp or above in newly constructed pools. In addition, a controller or timer is mandated to allow for operation at lower pump speeds.
However, the requirements for replacement motors seem to be less clear.
“From the techs I’ve talked to, there seems to be a great deal of confusion [over Title 20],” said Bob Fowler, owner of Fowler’s Pool Service & Supply in Lemon Grove, Calif. “For the most part, people are standing on the sidelines and waiting for something more [definitive].”
The current language allows service technicians to replace motors on a single-speed pump with a like unit. But that’s going to change.
The California Energy Commission is exploring amendments to the code.
“We had originally intended that two-speed and variable-speed requirements … would affect new pump products being sold and replacement pump motors, [but the replacement motors] were inadvertently left out,” said Gary Fernstrom, senior customer energy efficiency project manager at Pacific Gas and Electric Co., based in San Francisco.
Approval of the changes is expected to occur at the end of this year and go into effect Jan. 1, 2009, according to Fernstrom.
The prospect of including replacement motors under Title 20 regulations does not please many service techs.
“I’m hoping someone sees the wisdom in not forcing everyone who has a pool to go to a variable-speed pump,” Fowler said.
Bob Nichols, owner of Precision Pool Service in Glendora, Calif., also is wary of including replacement motors. His concern is that many older pools are hydraulically unfit to take advantage of two-speed and variable-speed technology. Also, many pools will need to be rewired to accommodate differing voltage requirements.
The cost of all this work may drive homeowners to hire unlicensed, unscrupulous contractors to install noncompliant equipment, Nichols believes.
“The [new regulations] will open up a black market that will clean the honest guy out,” Nichols predicted.
Enforcement of Title 20 is another big question mark because distributors and manufacturers cannot monitor the installation of single-speed pumps purported for use on waterfeatures and booster-pump applications.
“As [Title 20] gets more ingrained into the dealer base and distribution, there will be compliance, but it’s hard when people aren’t regulating it,” said Carlos Del Amo, vice president of marketing and product development at Sanford, N.C.-based Pentair Water Pool and Spa.
The CEC’s Efficiency Committee will hold a public workshop on the proposed amendments to the Appliance Efficiency Regulations on May 15, 2008, at its Sacramento office.