Ancient 30+ year old 1 HP pump is dead - suggestions?

[bgdc]

Pool guy suggests Hayward 1 HP or Pentair Whisperflo 1 HP.

Seems the prices on the whisperflo 1 HP are all over the place. What about other 1 HP pentair products?

 

[257WbyMag]

Welcome to TFP!

How large is your pool and what water features, if any, are you running?

 

[bgdc]

I believe less than 20,000 gallons. Spa too. We have a Hayward navigator running around the bottom and it's solar heated (doubt that matters).

 

[JasonLion]

What size was your old pump?

A two speed pump is much more economical to run on low compared to a single speed pump, and it still has high speed available if you need the full flow rate for the spa.

 

[bgdc]

We can't tell how much power the old pump was churning out but we're guessing it's at least 1 HP. It's a Max-E-Glas but beyond that it's pretty much a mystery as time has done a number on all outside markings. We think we see an EP at the start of the markings... all a wild guess.

Pool is plaster, inground, no idea what is used for the filter.

Sorry but the pool is quite old (although the heater and plaster were replaced last year) and I've done everything in my power to avoid having to work with it but of course it seems to always have issues...

 

[257WbyMag]

A 1 HP two-speed would do you well.

 

[bgdc]

A question about the two speed pumps... would I need to add a new controller? Right now we have a simple timer/controller from the mid 1600s. My pool guy kept mentioning single speed but it seems a 2 speed could result it saving $15-20 a month on our power bill.

Also, will a two speed work with our roof mounted solar system?

 

[JasonLion]

For the solar to work you will need to run on high speed. When you aren't using solar you could run on low speed and save electricity.

There is no need for a controller, though having one provides some advantages with solar. The simplest setup is to have a manual switch that lets you select the speed. The controller would be better because then you could run on high with solar and on low without solar without manual intervention. Without the controller you would probably end up running on high through the entire solar heating season.

 

[bgdc]

Thank you all. I ended up going with the Pentair Whisperflo 011517 WFE-24. The Pentair people told me to avoid the two speed versions as the low speed wouldn't be able to use the solar system. Without the solar system the pool would be pretty much unusable as most of May/June we rarely see air temps above 75 degrees. We'd never really see any power savings with the two speed. Hopefully this motor has enough gumption for solar...