Desjoyaux pools.

[Manon]

They seem to be the only supplier nearby - we are in Puy de Dome . I have read previous negative comments about them ( 2007 postings ) but does anyone have up to date experience please or know any alternative suppliers I could go to ? Thank you in advance.

[Gardengirl]

Ours is a pool at an apartment block, installed and serviced by them. The first year there were no problems, but the second year was fraught, with the pool not being in a state to use for several periods over the hot summer months. We also found later that no method of emptying the pool had been incorporated; the first year it was pumped out into the gardens and the road. The second year the police came along part way through the pumping out and demanded that it be stopped, as pool water wasn't allowed down the town drain. Emptying had to stop until a tanker could be found to pump the water into. We changed to a small local company last year, even though we didn't follow the correct procedures of giving notice, as so much of the contract had been handled so very badly by Desjoyaux.

Sorry, I don't know of any suppliers near you; perhaps you could try asking around locally. It could be that your local branch of Desjoyaux isn't as bad as ours was! Good luck!  [:)]

[steve]

Out of the 30 pools we look after, perhaps 6 are desi pools - Never have a problem with them if you look after the water balance and wash the bags in your washing machine every week. DO NOT USE ANY FLOC - it will clog the bags and render them useless. We have in the past turned a desi pool from thick green slime to cystal clear - we changed perhaps 30% of the water and then its filter/clean/filter 24/7 - it will suddenly change. I admit they are not as 'easy' as a sand filter but 10 times easier than a 'magilan' pool with the paper filters. You dont get too wet when changing a bag and a lot easier to close for winter - just take out the pump and store it somewhere dry . Hope this helps

Steve

[JohnRoss]

We have a Desjoyaux pool 5x10m with salted water and an electrolytic chlorine producer installed some years ago and are very happy with it. No problems other than replacing the pump after about 6 years which seemed a reasonable life considering the number of hours use each year. The bags are either hosed off to clean out the muck or put through the washing machine and seem to last quite well. I alternate between 6 and 15 micron bags. Normally I don't remove the pump in winter but keep an eye on the meteo and run it if freezing conditions are predicted. I never empty the pool but do have to reduce the level from time to time in winter after heavy rain. Algae is not really a serious problem but that maybe is due to the salt. I think people's opinion varies depending on which agency you go to. Ours is in Niort and we found them to be both efficient and helpful.....JR

[Théière]

[quote user="lavorgere"]They seem to be the only supplier nearby - we are in Puy de Dome . I have read previous negative comments about them ( 2007 postings ) but does anyone have up to date experience please or know any alternative suppliers I could go to ? Thank you in advance.[/quote]

As Steve posted, "if you look after them, no problem" If they look after them you will pay and pay and still get bad service although as they are a franchised business quality of service will vary from franchisee.

The basic pool is ok if over priced for what you receive, similar money would get a really well made pool.

The monobloc filtration system works just about ok on smaller pools but isn't really up to much when you get to 5m x 10m pool as there are no return jets to stir the water properly at the far end away from the monobloc unit. Due to the poor circulation the monobloc filtration unit has a much larger pump motor than you would normally require and that will cost more to run in electricity and more to replace. The filtration system being one easily fitted unit should make your pool cheaper as there would be a saving in both labour and materials but the pools cost pretty much the same so it's great for their bottom line profit.

The monobloc filtration unit also only features one skimmer even on 6m x 12m pools and with no infloor drain (bond de fond) this means to turn over your water sufficiently you will have to run your pump longer than a regular pool which will cost a lot more over a season.

Part of the agreement for the guarantee is that you only use their own branded chemicals, filtre bags etc, which do cost a lot more than un branded, from memory they launched a new salt water chlorinator last year but even that was out of date with modern technology.

If you can find another constructor, I really believe you should, most will travel and you are in the Dordogne area. You would then be free to choose the equipment you want for your pool and with the latest range of efficient pumps your running cost in electricity will be greatly reduced.

[JohnRoss]

On the subject of electrical running costs I have just measured the power consumption of our system if it is of any help. The measurement was made using the power meter function on the electricity boards meter unit so I don't know how accurate that is but I suspect accurate enough. Pump running 360 Watts. Pump and Chlorine production unit running together 490 watts of which about 95 Watts being dissipated in the electrolytic cell. If you know how much you pay for each unit (1kW/hr) gives you a figure for calculating a typical running cost per season. No chlorine tablet or other chemicals costs other than a small amount added at the beginning of the season and the addition of salt tablets to compensate for that lost when level reducing in Winter if needed.

On the subject of water circulation all I can say is that with the main outlet port on the block angled to the left and the side port open there is visible surface circulation and bottom circulation by tracking the odd leaf. Debris do not settle at the shallow end on the bottom with most of it ending up in front of the block at the deep end. This suggests to me that water circulation maybe in fact adequate. We do get a small amount of algae on one end wall near the block which has daylight on it, because of a small gap in the floating cover, which is easily brushed off and caught by the filter bag. Hope this helps...................JR 

PS I don't use Desjoyaux for maintenance and use salt tablets from the local Supermarket. Circulation over the Roman steps at the shallow end is I accept poor but no problem in sweeping them off into the pool where the debris are moved by the current to the deep end.

[Théière]

JohnRoss, your pool is quite old compared  to the latest Desi spec. They recon on two hour water turnover and that is because of a much bigger pump than before and on some units two pumps they do use considerably more electricity than the equivalent well installed conventional system. I would be interested to know more on your pump spec as at 360 watts I would imagine that is around 1/2hp and 6m3 flow/hour.  There must be a lack of chlorine at the shallow end or the water is not mixing properly, either way that is not right as it proves that bacteria or virus could multiply unchecked.

Whilst there isn't additional cost for chlorine tablets [6] or bleach (javel) there is the replacement cost for the chlorine production cell every few years although it does save running to the shops to buy said chlorine in whichever form.

[JohnRoss]

Yes I guess things may have changed in the 9 years or so that we have had it. I checked the power rating on the pump and the plate says 0.37kW which is pretty close the power consumption that I measured. What do they fit as standard now? As far as the circulation goes it was only the Roman steps that have a few leaves deposited that need brushing off from time to time and not the shallow end of the pool proper...........................JR

PS You may remember a chat about the electrolytic cell and the possibility that it had become in some way polarized but having said that it still works after 9 years and if it packed up tomorrow I would not be that unhappy! I assume the Bio Pool cell driver is bought in by Desjoyaux. What do they fit now to their pools? Before anyone condems salt water pools as the spawn of the devil eco wise can I just say that our veg near the pool still grow happily despite having a few gallons of pool water pumped out near them each winter. The salt concentration is less than that of human tears.

PPS Don't get that much muck in the pool as I leave the Summer cover on all year round, except when in use, and yes that needs changing now but again after 9 years that ain't bad considering the strength of the Summer sun. The fence keeps the imaginary children out!

[Théière]

From memory (there were quite a few of these monobloc units at Lyon expo) they range from 1000watts to 1500watts  and some with two pumps depending on application. When you compare that with the energy efficient variable speed models which pump twice the amount for the same consumption  and somewhere around 160 watts for 6m3. The losses through reasonably size pipework are small.

Prices of the electrolytic cells has gone up compared to 9 years ago so you may not be quite as happy [:D] They re badge the units so could be any ones but they do reverse polarity to clean the plates. Some of the latest open market salt water units use only a fraction of the salt required by the old units as low as 2000ppm. The way the units calculated the chlorine level (ORP/redox) has always been wrong but we are now getting true chlorine measurement (amperometric) so that will improve things no end. As I have always said the salt generation of chlorine works but does require the other parts to work together and good testing of the water (not dip test strips which are pretty hopeless) is far more important.

The other point that always comes up is that multi occupancy gites/hotels must use direct chlorine injection under French rules not salt water generation as it cannot respond fast enough to increased bather load.