New inground pump options

[Sef]

Looking at having a 20'x40' inground rectangle with a 8' sun deck across the low end (8'x20') making the overall pool size 20'x48'. May possibly do solar heating in the furture. Our design does not have any large water features or spa, but maybe a couple spitters and it is a pretty large pool (35,000 gal+).

All the PB's we are getting quotes from offer the Hayward super pump 1.5hp standard. One of the companies recommended to upgrade to a variable speed, specifically a Hayward EcoStar. Is this upgrade worth it at $1100.00? Will either of these pumps work with solar heating if we add that in the future?

Thanks,
Sef

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, sef

Which hayward model number pump is being suggested? Since you do not have any really high water volume requirements it is likely a smaller pump will fit your pool better (even though it is a big pool and your are considering solar). We would recommend at least going to a 2-speed pump, since much of your filtering could be accomplished on low speed using less electricity. Variable speed pumps are nice but I think the ecostar is overkill for your pool. You may want to look at the new superpump vs, which should be a better fit.

 

[Isaac-1]

I agree if your looking at only Hayward pumps look at the new variable speed super pump.

 

[Sef]

Thanks. I'll check with the PBs and see how much an upgrade to the super pump VS would be.

 

[linen]

Just so you have the info, the superpump vs can be had for ~$700 online (the echostar can be had for ~$950).

 

[jblizzle]

Actually the new Max-Flo VS from Hayward seems to perform even better than the SuperPump VS.

Although likely a 1HP 2-speed is all you would really need.

 

[Sef]

I met with another PB today. His company offers Hayward and Pentair. He suggested Pentair over Hayward. The 2 pumps he suggested were the Pentair SuperFlo 2HP single speed or the Superflo 2HP two speed. He said that a variable speed would be overkill and suggested to go with the 2 speed. His company includes an in floor cleaning system and an automatic pool cleaner (Kreepy Krauly) in their package (I asked about removing these options, but the money off wasn't worth removing them). He told me because of the cleaner and in floor system is why they do 2HP pumps. Overall I really liked this company and would say they are the front runner in my mind right now.

So, if i use this PB, should I upgrade to the Superflo 2HP two speed (his upgrade price was $600 - which i think is high), go with the standard or go with something else? He did say he would do Hayward if I really wanted to go that route.

Also as a side note, some of the PB's suggested going to 2" PVC. Is that necessary?

 

[jblizzle]

Well, the problem with the in-floor system is that it required high flow to work. What this means is that you will not be able to utilize low speed for 95+% of the run time to save the money on electricity because low may not be enough flow rate for the system to function properly.

So if you got an in-floor system, either the 2HP single speed energy hog, or one of the larger VS that you could dial down to find the minimum flow rate to have the system work well.

I had an in-floor system at previous house which I liked, but I was not as energy conscious then. Other members find that they do not clean well enough and want to abandon them. If you get it, make sure you have a separate set of wall returns that you could use as an alternative if the in-floor had problems.

Certainly everything should be 2" PVC. On the suction side at a minimum. Wall returns may only need 1.5", but the in-floor likely should be supplied with 2".

 

[Sef]

I may be wrong, but I thought the in floor cleaning system would only run when needed (once per week or so). If that is the case wouldn't the 2 speed run on low the rest of the time? Or does the in floor cleaning system run whenever the pump is on?

 

[jblizzle]

Usually the in-floor pop-ups runs all the time when the pump is on. There are multiple zones that are cycled through and each time a zone stops the pop-up jets rotate a little. So they usually suggest you run the system each day long enough for the each zone to fully rotate ... this is likely longer than we would suggest is needed.

What is interesting is that they include a suction side cleaner. Usually the selling point of the in-floor systems is that they claim you do not need any other cleaner since the dirt is kept suspended and filtered out.

So it is almost like they are admitting that they do not work as well as they normally claim.

 

[Isaac-1]

I have to wonder if your PB has not kept up with the new smaller cheaper variable speed pumps that have recently came on the market.