Split off of this topic. JasonLion

Hi Kevin,

Great name BTW I'll be "Kev #2" for this post lol

I am having a new pool installed and have determined to buy the EcoStar VSP instead of the 1 1/2 HP Hayward that the pool guys have included with their package. Kevin, my question is would you recommend installing the VSP near the house like you did or further away if you could do it over? Mine would be located near the kitchen wall if I did it that way. Otherwise, I'll have to pay an electrician more $$ to run conduit all the way down the yard. Any other thoughts?

If the space near the house offers some protection to the elements from a roof overhang then I would definitely consider that area.

Here are a few more things you should consider.

1) Aesthetics: Will the equipment detract from the look of the area?
2) Space: Will the equipment take up space that you would use for something else, or will it otherwise be in the way?
3) Sound: Will the sound be annoying to people in the pool area, or in the house.

Whenever possible, I prefer to have the equipment in an equipment room to protect it from the elements and to address the above concerns.

Thank you for your advise guys. I'm leaning tword keeping the eqiptment in the back corner of the yard. I do have a question though.... I was going to border it with landscape. Should I also shelter the equipment? It would get direct sunlight 5-6 hours a day. We are on the SC coast so no real threat of freezing. If you recommend sheltering, do you have any resources on how to build one or maybe a kit I may buy?

For a shelter design imagine a dog house without walls. A basic structure to keep direct weather off the equipment but allows everything to breathe.

Thanks, Kevin!

I'm in a hurricane prone area. Any ideas how to make a secure shelter?

Also, my electrician recommended using aluminum wire opposed to copper to help save money running it from the main panel. He said if its done right, it will last a long time. What do you think?

I would advise against aluminum wiring. Some insurance companies won't cover homes with aluminum wiring. And, it's quite possible that your local jurisdiction does not permit the use of aluminum wiring for new installations.

Checking with your local jurisdiction is a good idea, but a lot of places allow running aluminum service entrance cable between main and sub panels.

The biggest thing to consider is good hydraulic design. A variable speed pump is of little or no advantage if you have not adequately sized the pipes of the distance that needs to be covered in a lengthy pipe run.

Variable speed pumps will by nature run quieter as they run at lower head pressure with and velocity is reduced. If the pool equipment is a lengthy distance say over 15 m or more then larger pipe may be considered. Also, if the pool equipment is above or below WL then this also needs to be considered.

The big thing to remember is that your builder has some concept of this prior to building the pool and knows what to cater for whatever your decision.

Use joist or rafter hangers and add hurricane strapping. Make sure the sill plate is well attached to the foundation with lag bolts, not just concrete nails. You can google Florida building code for more ideas you can scale down to your project.

It is really quite the opposite. The less efficient your plumbing, the more of an advantage getting a variable speed pump is.

Better to get the system right from the start. I still think that you should be looking at the efficiency of your plumbing as a variable speed pump will still struggle with poorly designed hydraulic system especially if there is no flooded suction and/or a high head. So I think introducing a variable speed pump to a pre-existing condition would be beneficial in a trouble shooting exercise.

Just a thought - you would also find it hard to get the desired flow into a gas heater with bad plumbing and a variable speed pump working at low velocity.