Hayward Max Flo . Is it up to the job its a low GPM pump.

[poolrod]

Newbie Hi.. Need a new pump on a budget. looked at the the one horse power Hayward Super 11 performance pump lots more money than the Max Flo . so has any one got or knows about the one horse power Hayward Max Flow pump over 120 dollars cheaper. looks like Its one of the cheapest of its type I can find but mentioned a lot its only medium performance in fact the whole Max Flo range has rather low head and[ lower g p m [/u]than most pump curves, maker says for use with older situations and copper tubing systems , In ground Pool is 24 feet X 12 feet but as its rather deep we half fill it with I believe about 16 ,000 gallons of water so cant usethe top skimmer . in fact we use the side suction inlet only, but there is a drain suction pipe we have not tried much because its proved hard to prime our old now worn out Omega one horse power pump.using that line.. we have a Small 21 inch Sta -Rite sand filter, new sand last year .

The run from the side suction point and the drain suction pipe and unused skimmer line is in 1 1/2 pipe it looks like under ground , but going to what looks like 2 inches in the pump room, it could all be 2 inches all the way hard to know of course .the drain line as mentioned not used at present is about 30 ft from the pump as is the unused skimmer line , the side suction point that is used around 20 ft . there are two one inch return pipes . three 2 inch valves for the three suction lines in the pump room , both the skimmer and drain lines shut off for now . any advice thank you especially if the cheap Max Flow is durable and powerfull enough Including using the vac hose to clean the pool bottom ..

 

[Bama Rambler]

Re: Hayward Max Flo . Is it up to the job its a low GPM pum

I'm not sure that pump will do what you need it to do. I think the biggest problem is the fact that you don't fill the pool and the suction head might be a problem.

 

[JasonLion]

Re: Hayward Max Flo . Is it up to the job its a low GPM pum

[EDIT]Ignore my previous response.[/EDIT]

 

[poolrod]

Re: Hayward Max Flo . Is it up to the job its a low GPM pum

Hayward say the Max Flo is either for in ground use or above ground use as do two dealers . in my case would be one horse power, cant use much more power have a 21 inch wide sand filter . some guys I see using 1/2 or 3/4 horse power pumps for the same amount of water I need to circulate I noticed , those guys I wonder can they use a vac hose on there suction point and clean the pool , is there enough suction with such low horse power .

 

[mas985]

Re: Hayward Max Flo . Is it up to the job its a low GPM pum

The Max Flo is an in-ground pump and I am one of those guys using a 1/2 HP pump and I also use a suction side cleaner but there are some trade-offs. The Max Flo pump has a slightly lower head curve than my 1/2 HP pump so it is technically a "smaller" pump. This is why the HP rating of a pump is a really poor indicator of pump "size" and performance. However, the performance is not that much different than my pump but depending on your setup and cleaner, you may need to adjust the suction on the cleaner to make it work properly and while the cleaner is running, the skimmers may not work as well as without the cleaner.

But which Max Flo were you considering? There is the standard, the II and the XL. Each has slightly different performance.

 

[poolrod]

Re: Hayward Max Flo . Is it up to the job its a low GPM pum

Thanks TFP expert for your Input Yes I was sure the Max Flo is for In ground pools , the model I like is one horse power standard , I don't want a torrent of water and the 21 inch filter has to be considered I cant change that to a bigger one because its not very old . I want be using a separate vac just the side suction point in the pool with a hose and vac head and pole .. cant find anything cheaper at one horse power and on a budget . the three 1 @1/2 inch suction pipes go to a tee with three valves then to the pump to isolate each or any , this 12inches long pipe the final piece to the pump is in 2 inch piping . what seems to be a pain and a mystery is that the pipe is reduced to just 1@1/4 inches by reducers for only two inches between the 2 inch pipe leading to the pump so youv'e got the final 12 inches of pipe with a piece in the middle of it reduced to 1@ 1/4 inches for just a couple of inches and then back to 2 inches before it connects to the pump Input . , its pretty hard to get at to cut out the reducers and replace with 2 inch all the way to the pump . why this tiny piece of 1@ 1/4 inch pipe is in the middle of the line I just don't know , and do you think it will it make much difference justto leave it . the pipe from pump to the filter is 2 inches all the way .. thank you ..

 

[mas985]

Re: Hayward Max Flo . Is it up to the job its a low GPM pum

I am having a hard time visualizing this. Can you post a picture?

 

[poolrod]

Re: Hayward Max Flo . Is it up to the job its a low GPM pum

Everything is usuall three pipes ,the top of the pool skimmer pipe ( never used because water level is lower than the skimmer ) next the drain / bottom suction point pipe not often used because we use the side suction pipe for circulating the water and for plugging in the vac hose manual type . So in the pump room the three pipes meet up join together with tee pieces each pipe has a valve to open and close first though so that either line can be opened or closed as said we close the skimmer line and usually the bottom suction / drain line pipes using these valves leaving the side suction point only open to suck water through the pump and through the sand filter . So all three pipes meet up into the final piece of two inch pipe that connects to the pump Inlet , this 12 inch long piece into the pump for some reason has been reduced in diameter in the middle to 11/4 inches using couplings and 2 inch X 1 1/4 reducer pieces . so you've got a final piece of two inch pipe into the pump but oddly been reduced just in the middle for some odd reason and then back at the connecting ends to 2 inches, would this reducing the size in the middle of the final piece of pipe matter ? cheers .

 

[mas985]

Re: Hayward Max Flo . Is it up to the job its a low GPM pum

Are you sure it is just a 1 1/4" piece of pipe and not some other type of fitting (e.g. check valve)? It probably won't add much in the way of head loss but it could make it more difficult to fully prime the pump.

But explain again why that can't be replaced? If you are replacing the pump anyway, it shouldn't be a big deal.

Again, a picture would help.

 

[poolrod]

Re: Hayward Max Flo . Is it up to the job its a low GPM pum

Its ok reason hard to get at the pipe half in the wall coupling to close to the valve to cut it , trust me ,. anyway I used the old on utube set fire with solvent glue trick after cutting the pipe to get to the fitting used a screwdriver and long nose pliers to remove the inch and a quarter reducer from the 2 inch pipe coupling now I have glued on a piece of 2 inch pipe from that coupling and ready to connect to the pump , agent swears the one horse Hayward standard max flo is best or as good as I can buy for my money , the super 11 over 140 dollars more would need a bigger filter said the man cant go there at the moment. you know funds , so think I will go with the max flo other priorities we all have right . for me more money towards that Jag I must have and hunger for seeing it what a magnificent motor driving past the car lot ever day :lol: . cheers .

 

[poolrod]

Re: Hayward Max Flo . Is it up to the job its a low GPM pum

up date Hatyward Max Flo one horse power standard model Installed and running, no regrets powerfull enough for my 16 -18 000 gallon below ground pool , blowing plenty of water out of the two outlet pipes showing 12 -15 ibs on the gauge , for the low cost well delighted , btw the pump is super quite I might add , Hayward Max Flo a bargain and recommended by me certainly is ...

Using a very small amount of two Ibs of chlorine no acid and a pinch of copper sulphate , just 5 tea spoonful only diluted in water first as recommended by the pool shop guy, repeat C S dose after one month with about one pound of chlorine a week , this to run in the pool , after nearly a week clear as crystal, as never before . cheers ..