I see that Ikeric and Pentair IntelliFlo now have a little competition in the variable speed pool pump arena now. Hayward now shows a variable speed motor panel feeding a three-phase motor at their website. They are calling it the "TriStar Energy Solution". They have a brochure and instruction manual on the website, but nobody on the web seems to have it available yet or is showing any costs for the system so far.
http://www.haywardnet.com/pdfs/TriStarE ... SESB07.pdf
http://www.haywardnet.com/products/Manu ... ual218.pdf
The system appears to be very similar to Ikeric's Dyna-Miser variable speed pumps, consisting of a three-phase induction motor (plain vanilla in commercial and industry) being driven by a variable speed motor drive mounted in a separate panel. The motor drive panel is fed single phase 230 Volt power and outputs three-phase 230 Volt power to the motor.
The Pentair IntelliFlo, with it's very advanced PMSM - permanent magnet synchronous motors - still appears to be more advanced and more efficient than the Ikeric and Hayward solutions. The Ikeric and Hayward solutions, however, are tried and trued technology that have been around for at least twenty years, but is only now being introduced into the residential pool market. Three-phase motors and variable speed drives for them are fairly low-cost, and even more important, readily and easily available. I have, at this point, serious concerns about the availability (and cost!) of replacement drives and motors for the IntelliFlo. I would be interested in hearing of user's experiences of the cost of replacing motors and drives for the IntelliFlo after the one year warranty has expired. Since the IntelliFlo has only been out 18 months or so, it is possible that Pentair is still covering motor and drive failures, if any, past the nominal one year warranty as a show of good faith for their customers. Again, it would be interesting to hear feedback on this subject.
Titanium
http://www.haywardnet.com/pdfs/TriStarE ... SESB07.pdf
http://www.haywardnet.com/products/Manu ... ual218.pdf
The system appears to be very similar to Ikeric's Dyna-Miser variable speed pumps, consisting of a three-phase induction motor (plain vanilla in commercial and industry) being driven by a variable speed motor drive mounted in a separate panel. The motor drive panel is fed single phase 230 Volt power and outputs three-phase 230 Volt power to the motor.
The Pentair IntelliFlo, with it's very advanced PMSM - permanent magnet synchronous motors - still appears to be more advanced and more efficient than the Ikeric and Hayward solutions. The Ikeric and Hayward solutions, however, are tried and trued technology that have been around for at least twenty years, but is only now being introduced into the residential pool market. Three-phase motors and variable speed drives for them are fairly low-cost, and even more important, readily and easily available. I have, at this point, serious concerns about the availability (and cost!) of replacement drives and motors for the IntelliFlo. I would be interested in hearing of user's experiences of the cost of replacing motors and drives for the IntelliFlo after the one year warranty has expired. Since the IntelliFlo has only been out 18 months or so, it is possible that Pentair is still covering motor and drive failures, if any, past the nominal one year warranty as a show of good faith for their customers. Again, it would be interesting to hear feedback on this subject.
Titanium
