IntelliFlo high speed - how low should I go?

[murpho]

Sorry for another Intelliflo question - but with the new pump running at the “high” setting that the installer set (2600 rpm), I was shocked to see my pool cleaner (Hayward Pool Vac Ultra) working its way all the way up the sides of my pool (for the first time ever) and even breaking the surface of the water. With the old 1.5 hp single speed, it never made it more than about a foot up the side and then turned around. I reduced the rpm to 2400 to see what would happen (also because I thought it might leap right out of the water like a dolphin at that speed!) and it still seems to be working great at 2400, but should I experiment by reducing the rpms further? Other than having it clean all the way up the sides of the pool is there anything else I should consider before I keep trying to lower the rpm further?

Also, they set it up to run at 2600 for 2 hours, and then at 1250 for 6 hours. I was thinking about trying 1100 or even 1000 for the low setting, but should I then increase the time? Maybe 7 hours?

I saw someone mentioned running high for half the time, then low, then high for the other half. So I’m thinking maybe 1 hour at high - then 7 hours at the low setting, then 1 hour again at high. Any thoughts or other things i should consider?

Just fyi - For the past 13 years I ran a single speed 1.5 hp Pentair pump at 4 hours a day and it worked well (I could reduce that time in winter, and the cleaner didn’t go up the sides, however.)

Thanks again!
Frank

 

[mas985]

but should I experiment by reducing the rpms further? Other than having it clean all the way up the sides of the pool is there anything else I should consider before I keep trying to lower the rpm further?

Sure you can experiment and there is no real downside unless the cleaner stops working.

Also, they set it up to run at 2600 for 2 hours, and then at 1250 for 6 hours. I was thinking about trying 1100 or even 1000 for the low setting, but should I then increase the time? Maybe 7 hours?

I saw someone mentioned running high for half the time, then low, then high for the other half. So I’m thinking maybe 1 hour at high - then 7 hours at the low setting, then 1 hour again at high. Any thoughts or other things i should consider?

Do you have anything in particular that requires such a long run time? After two hours with the cleaner, the water has plenty of circulation so running more isn't buying you much unless there is debris dropping into the pool. But then would be better off with a second run spaced out in time from the first run (e.g. morning & evening).

 

[pooldv]

Welcome to TFP!

Keep turning the rpm down until the cleaner stops performing as desired and then turn it back up a bit. I run mine at 1100 rpm for skimming, filtering and making chlorine, that keeps my SWG happy and provides pretty good skimming action. SWG is off in winter so that isn't a factor right now. Just really enough skimming to keep the surface clean. I would break it into two or three runs per day, maybe start with an hour or two each. Move that time up as swimming ramps up and more debris starts blowing i to the pool in spring. Really the goal is to run the pump as little as possible and still keep the pool clean. My pump only uses 150 watts at 1100 rpm. Very cheap to run.

Based on what you are describing I would think about 2000 rpm for an hour a day with the cleaner and another 1 or 2 cycles of 1-2 hours at around 1100 rpm would be a good place to start if your pool stays clean you can leave it there or try even less run time, if it doesn't stay clean then increase run time a little until it stays visibly clean.