Variable speed pumps on smaller pool with spa

[yoshaino]

I have single speed 2HP pump motor on my 11k gallon pool and spa. I'm new to pools and we bought this house with the pool last September. My current pump works fine (although it's very loud) but I've been running it less than 2hrs a day during winter and the water has been clear.

Now that the summer is coming, I'm worried that I'll need to run it much longer (6hrs). With $.30/kwh energy costs, I'm considering replacing my pump with a Intelliflo VS. The pool store is offering a free install for ~$1000 after rebate.

So my question is: is my 2HP pump too big? Is replacing it with a VS pump worth it on a small pool?

 

[JasonLion]

A 2 HP pump is too big for the pool, but probably just right for the spa. That is a nice thing about variable speed pumps, they can be adjusted to be just the right "size" for every situation.

With electrical rates around $0.30/kWh, a variable speed pump is a good investment that will save you a fair amount of money in the long run, especially with a rebate.

 

[yoshaino]

Thanks for the quick response. I will likely go ahead with the new VS pump. Would a cheaper option be to keep the current pump and just replace the motor with a dual speed motor? The pump part is a 1HP WhisperFlow WFE-4 but I'm not sure how to find out what motors are compatible.

 

[JasonLion]

A two speed motor will cost less up front, but longer term will end up costing more (given your electrical rates and some standard assumptions).