Hello and sorry to post my own question in regards to run settings about my pool. I am new to this forum and there is a lot of information here, it has helped me a lot, i had my pool build about a year ago and it has and still taking time to learn about this system. It is a salt system, pentair equipment, it is about 11k gallons, shape is kind of like "C" with spa raised above pool about two to three feet, so we have a water fall from the spa onto the pool. BTW i live in southern California, i know where you live has a lot to in setting up the pool correctly. the deepest part is 5 feet and 3 feet in the beginning, i also have an island. All my chemicals are running ok, i take my water to get tested to leslies once in a while, other than that, i do my own testing and take care of the pool as well. i used to run the pump at 2300 for 8 hours, just about the beginning of this year i reduced it to 2300 for five hours, one thing to note is that if i don't run it at that speed, the water fall will not go on to the pool and my kreepy krauly will not move. i would like to save more money when it comes to electricity, so based on what i have described so far, do you guys think that if set one scheduled to run at 2300 from 8 to 10 am, this way the kreepy krauly will do its run for cleaning and another schedule to run after 10 to 6 running at 1700 so that the water moves around, will this setting work for me, i was trying to change the 1700 to 1000 but the setting does not let me. Any help is really appreciated thank you all.
pentair variable pump run settings
- Thread starter nv269
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What are you testing your water with? I would highly advise you stop letting the pool store test it and take full control.
There is certainly no problem with running the pump at lower speeds and shorter periods. Really only a few hours of run time is needed for chemical circulation, see Determine Pump Run Time. You may need longer runs so that your SWG can maintain a high enough FC level.
It is odd that you can not lower the speed to 1000rpm, that is the more efficient speed. Although you would need to ensure that was moving enough water to let the SWG work.
NV,
Your idea to run the cleaner for two hours and then run at a lower RPM for circulation is what a lot of people do. As Jason says you need to run at a high enough RPM so that you SWG flow switch is on and your SWG is making chlorine.
I suspect you have an Intelliflo that has the SVRS safety option. That is what is on my home pool and it will not go down to 1000 RPM, I think 1100 is a slow as it will go. I suggest you set it as low as it will go and see if your SWG flow switch is on or off. Keep going up until the flow switch engages and then add 100 RPM just to make sure. I usually run mine at 1200 most of the time.
Jim R.
Your idea to run the cleaner for two hours and then run at a lower RPM for circulation is what a lot of people do. As Jason says you need to run at a high enough RPM so that you SWG flow switch is on and your SWG is making chlorine.
I suspect you have an Intelliflo that has the SVRS safety option. That is what is on my home pool and it will not go down to 1000 RPM, I think 1100 is a slow as it will go. I suggest you set it as low as it will go and see if your SWG flow switch is on or off. Keep going up until the flow switch engages and then add 100 RPM just to make sure. I usually run mine at 1200 most of the time.
Jim R.
For how many hours do you run it at 1200? also, do you see savings by this type of setup on your bill?
NV,
I'm poor example when it comes to run time settings.. I run my pool at 1200 RPM 24/7. The speed automatically increases to 1800 a couple of times a day, just to make sure the skimmers catch everything. Running 24/7 is completely unnecessary, but something I like to do. Since the pump only uses about 200 watts at 1200, the cost is minimal. In fact, we did not see any apparent increase in our electrical bill after the pool was installed last year.
In my mind, there is no one setting that works for everyone, you just need to play with it until you get what you want.
Jim R.
I'm poor example when it comes to run time settings.. I run my pool at 1200 RPM 24/7. The speed automatically increases to 1800 a couple of times a day, just to make sure the skimmers catch everything. Running 24/7 is completely unnecessary, but something I like to do. Since the pump only uses about 200 watts at 1200, the cost is minimal. In fact, we did not see any apparent increase in our electrical bill after the pool was installed last year.
In my mind, there is no one setting that works for everyone, you just need to play with it until you get what you want.
Jim R.
Mine went up about 50%, i used to paid around $60 now i pay at least $120, i am definitely going to change and see what happens. Thank you for the info.
I also run my Intelliflo at 1100 rpm 24x7 in spring and fall when the trees are dropping lots of stuff in the pool. It uses 150 watts, at 10.25c/kWh it costs about 12 bucks a month to run it 24x7. Once there isn't tree stuff in my pool constantly I switch it to run about 12-14 hours at 1100 rpm, so my cost is reduced to 6 or 7 bucks a month. Mine runs all day for the solar controller to be able to monitor the pool temp and turn on solar when heat is available.
For just filtering, making chlorine and skimming you would probably be OK to run at 1100-1200 rpm for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening to start with. If your pool stays clean you can leave it or shorten the run time. If not, increase it until your pool stays clean. You may have to increase run time if you need more chlorine and the IC40 can't make enough chlorine in 4 hours at 100%.
For just filtering, making chlorine and skimming you would probably be OK to run at 1100-1200 rpm for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening to start with. If your pool stays clean you can leave it or shorten the run time. If not, increase it until your pool stays clean. You may have to increase run time if you need more chlorine and the IC40 can't make enough chlorine in 4 hours at 100%.
If you can figure out why it won't let you set to 1000 RPM you should be able to save some money. As stated above you will have to figure out what the minimum flow rate to keep the SWG happy and then the minimum amount of time to create enough FC. As long as both those conditions are met you should be able to get away with 6 hours at 1000 RPM (approx 2000 GPH x 6 =12,000 gallons) and that's without taking your cleaner run time into consideration so add that in and you should be more than good. BTW I run my cleaner 30 min a day 2,200 RPM plus the booster and the filter at 1,100 RPM 3 times a day 4 hours apart for a total of 6 hours per day. That gives me 4 opportunities for the Stenner to add bleach and maintain FC and to skim before stuff sinks. I was just running a clean cycle in the AM and filter in the PM but the 4 times seems to be working much better keeping the FC level more stable
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thank you guys, this is really good information and this is what i get for not looking into this earlier, i have been wasting a lot of MONEY 
i was able to set my pump to start at 1000 rpm and the cell showed "no flow" so i have it to 1700 and the cell still shows "no flow" do you guys think that i should turn the cell off, wait a couple of minutes and try again. you guys have it lower than mine and it is working. thank you.
NV,
What is your filter pressure when your pump is at 1000 and at 1700? The flow indicator on my IC40 is pretty instantaneous... I know on one of my rent houses, that as the filter gets dirty the flow will decrease enough to cause a no flow indication if I'm only running at 1100 RPM or so..
Jim R.
What is your filter pressure when your pump is at 1000 and at 1700? The flow indicator on my IC40 is pretty instantaneous... I know on one of my rent houses, that as the filter gets dirty the flow will decrease enough to cause a no flow indication if I'm only running at 1100 RPM or so..
Jim R.
It used to be a little bit over 10, but now is between 8 and 9. Let me clean the filter and hopefully that's what it is.
Ok, the filter cartridges were not that bad but i cleaned them and after that, the was still showing "no flow" i raised all the way to 1900 and that seemed to do the trick. Now, do you guys think because the way my pool is build? the spa sits above the pool about three feet and water fall goes from the spa to the pool, do you guys think that that's the reason. another thing, i have it set to run from 8 - 10 am at 2300 and 10:01 am - 5 pm, maybe i should put it for 4 or 3??
thank you.
thank you.
another update, i decided to clean the cell and i found a small green plastic, it did not cover everything but that should have made a difference, i also cleaned it with acid and water, it did not have that much calcium anyway, just in one metal plate. So i went back to 1200 and nope did not work, this time it took 1700 and it is now set at that RPM, i guess a little better than 1900. Still don't get why i get no flow at 1200. thank you.
The Cell should operate at 25GPM or higher, at 1000 RPM you should be conservatively at 30GPM and probably 35-45GPM since your system is fairly new I would check with the builder or call Pentair and see what they say. Most of the equipment manufactures are fairly helpful to home owners.
Well, i asked Pentair and they told me "
All the plumbing and hydrologic, elbows the entire system comes into play here", so more likely it has to do with the way my pool was build. Bummer
All the plumbing and hydrologic, elbows the entire system comes into play here", so more likely it has to do with the way my pool was build. Bummer
Here are some pics,
View attachment 46388
As of now, it seems like it changes from no flow to green.
View attachment 46388
As of now, it seems like it changes from no flow to green.