I'm buying a house with a solar, salt water pool, 25 K. It has two pumps, one for the solar and one for the filtration system. The pool inspector found it amazing that there would be 2 pumps. The solar pump (1/2 HP StaRite) does not run and needs to be replaced. The pool inspector thought I should replace the pool pump (North Start 1.85) and the solar pump with 1 variable speed pump. I'm wondering if this is good advice or good salesmanship. House was built 10 years ago, and I suspect that pool was built around the same time. Any thoughts?
one solar and one pool pump or one variable speed pump?
- Thread starter jucoleman
- Start date
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You usually don't need an extra pump just for the solar but if the solar is particularly large (or high), you may need a booster pump. As for the other pump, it is always good to have a two speed or a variable speed if you're going to replace a pump. A lower HP two speed or variable will no doubt be more efficient.
You usually don't need an extra pump just for the solar but if the solar is particularly large (or high), you may need a booster pump. As for the other pump, it is always good to have a two speed or a variable speed if you're going to replace a pump. A lower HP two speed or variable will no doubt be more efficient.
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VS pumps are only worth it if you have high electrical costs or the need for a lot of different flow rates.
I have as large solar setup and my pool runs off a single 1hp pump. Others have even smaller pumps running solar.
I would seriously consider going to a single pump, and likely a 2 speed would be a good option. But we would need a lot more details about your setup to recommend a size.
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VS pumps are only worth it if you have high electrical costs or the need for a lot of different flow rates.
I have as large solar setup and my pool runs off a single 1hp pump. Others have even smaller pumps running solar.
I would seriously consider going to a single pump, and likely a 2 speed would be a good option. But we would need a lot more details about your setup to recommend a size.
Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short
Having just finished installing a new set of solar panels, and doing a lot of work to try to get the flow rate right and keeping working pressure in the panels to a minimum, I am using a 2 speed 1.5 HP pump, and I can tell you one thing is sure, a single variable speed pump would have made things a lot easier when it comes to fine tuning. However it is important that you variable speed pump have some way of interfacing with your solar controller so it can drop to a lower speed when the solar panel is not operating (sun goes behind a cloud, it starts raining , etc)
Ike
p.s. I have to worry about the pool inspector thinking a booster pump would be an odd choice for solar heat from 10 or so years ago, which was before variable speed pumps were widely available. While perhaps somewhat unusual to find, it certainly solves a lot of the flow control problems if you otherwise only had a single speed pump.
Ike
p.s. I have to worry about the pool inspector thinking a booster pump would be an odd choice for solar heat from 10 or so years ago, which was before variable speed pumps were widely available. While perhaps somewhat unusual to find, it certainly solves a lot of the flow control problems if you otherwise only had a single speed pump.
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