Pool Pump Replacement

[hemied]

Hi, I have a 15x24 oval above ground pool. It has about 9000 gallons of water. I would like to replacement my StaRite 1 1/2 HP pump with a 1 HP pump. I would like to know if that is sufficient. I am trying to save on electric cost. It seems like when I replace my 24' round ag pool that had a 1Hp my electric cost went sky high. I have a 200 lb sand filter.
Thank you
Hemied

 

[duraleigh]

A 3/4 hp pump would be a bit better match and save even more electricity. Make sure is a "full-rated" HP and not an "uprated" HP.

Most aG pumps are uprated and not as strong as they would like you to believe.

 

[Bama Rambler]

I agree with the 3/4 hp but if you went with a 1 hp 2-speed you'd save money because you could run it on low most of the time. I only mention the 1 hp because the 3/4 hp 2-speeds are hard to find. Look at the matrix or dynamo models.

 

[duraleigh]

I like bama's advice a lot better than mine!

 

[hemied]

Thanks for the quick response. I have a question about the 2 speed. How do you know when to use what speed and how do you change it, or is it automatic? Do I need to switch it from low to high somehow?

 

[pwrstrk]

There's usually a switch on the back of the motor for high and low. I use low for general filtration and high for vacuuming. Sometimes I'll use high for a bit to get better skimmer action.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, hemied

As pwrstrk said, low for filtering and high for vacuuming, the ocassional high speed skimming, and in my case when running solar. I have the 2-speed 1 hp hayward matrix...it is a lot of pump on high, but very quiet on low.

 

[hemied]

Solar Cover

Hi I have a 15x24 oval above ground pool and I need to replace the solar cover. My last cover was an oval cover and the reel system is at the end of the pool fastened to my deck. When I roll up the cover I need a person at each end because the cover get stuck at the curves of the oval. This is a pain especially if you are alone. I wonder if it would be OK if I bought a rectangle cover lets say 18' wide so a little over 1' would lay on the deck and it would roll up just fine. I have been told in the past that the solar cover should touch the water, but I really don't care if the 1' area would get ruined by the sun.
Thanks,
Hemied

 

[Bama Rambler]

Buying a larger cover should be fine, however, I don't know that it's going to work as well as you may think. I think that the edges will tend to flip over into the pool because the middle will sag to contact the water. The good news is that if it works you'll have found a solution to your problem, and if it doesn't you can always trim it to fit the pool. So there's no loss either way.

 

[Ahchoo]

A 3/4 hp pump would be a bit better match and save even more electricity. Make sure is a "full-rated" HP and not an "uprated" HP.

Most aG pumps are uprated and not as strong as they would like you to believe.

Does this apply to IG pool? Full rated is better than uprated?

 

[linen]

A 3/4 hp pump would be a bit better match and save even more electricity. Make sure is a "full-rated" HP and not an "uprated" HP.

Most aG pumps are uprated and not as strong as they would like you to believe.

Does this apply to IG pool? Full rated is better than uprated?

Not necessarily better, but generally higher flow and higher current for a given hp rating. Uprating is often used on IG pumps as well. Hp rating is really not all that useful, what is useful is flow rate verses head pressure, so the pump/motor combination is considered in tandem with the end application in mind.

 

[hemied]

Hi I have a 15x24 oval above ground pool. Is there a lot of difference in the solar covers? I am looking at the 12mil blue vs the 12 mil clear. Does one or the other do a better job? I am also looking at the 16mil solar cover and at the higher price the warranty is not as good. Thanks for you help.

 

[linen]

I would get the cheapest cover you can get. In usage, thicker or thinner, cover life does not vary much. I would just get the thinnest cover since that will also be easier to handle (weight). Clear verses transparent blue: The clear might give you a small amount more heating when the sun is on the pool (and you leave the cover on), but I kind of feel the upcharge is not worth it since you will get even more heating with the cover off on low wind, higher ambient temperature sunny days.

 

[hemied]

Hi thanks again for the quick response on the solar cover. On the same subject, with the 15x24 pool, I have a heater and wondered if I really need the solar cover? Does it hold the heat in and does it help with holding the chemicals?
Thanks,
Ed

 

[linen]

The biggest benefit to a solar cover is reducing evaporation at night. When the pool evaporates it looses a lot of heat (heat of evaporation) so there is a big benefit to using a solar cover at night.

During the day a solar cover can help reduce evaporative cooling, but it also reduces the amount of heat the bulk water is able to absorb from the sun.

The clearer the cover, the better heating of bulk pool water by the sun. A solar cover used during the sunlight hours can reduce the amount of chlorine consumption due to blocking some of the sun's UV light. The flip-side to this is that same UV blocking also reduces the oxidation that could be accomplished by the sun, so more chlorine is used/needed to do the oxidation.

Bottom line...during the day to gain heat: when the sun is on the pool, the wind is low, and the ambient air temperature is close to/above the pool temp, I leave the solar cover off. At night I would always keep the solar cover on unless your pool is too hot, or you are doing the shocking process.