New contenders for most efficient pump this year

[JasonLion]

Three new variable speed pumps do really well on the California Energy Commission efficiency ratings results this year, but it is difficult to know how to compare the results to existing pumps. The new pumps are the Hayward TriStar VS (which I can't find for sale and is kind of hidden at their web site), and the essentially identical Pentair SuperFlo VS and SuperMax VS. All three report efficiency ratios in the high 30s when run at 600 RPM, which beat anything reported on last year.

However, the reporting is very inconsistent about what speeds it picks for testing VS pumps at, and none of the other major pumps are reported on at 600 RPM, instead using higher speeds which you would expect to be less efficient.

By the by, there is one more pump with even better results but I have never heard of them and couldn't find out much about them: the Eco H2O Pump from Eco H2O Tech. And another one I can't find out much about that is only a little below those four: The Waterway ECON VSC.

 

[jblizzle]

Playing with Mark's spreadsheets many month ago and talking with him, I think we found that the Tristar 2-speed was very efficient, so this new VS does not surprise me.

Basically, we usually say that on low speed if you double the run time you will use 1/2 the power, but for the Tristar I think it was getting close to only using 1/3 the power.

{Don't quote me on any of that, it has been awhile}

So, many new options to keep track of, but great for the market.

Now the big question I have .... are any of these newer VS pump able to be integrated into existing automation systems unlike the SuperPump and Maxflo? I would hope that Pentair might have been smart enough to use the same interface as on their Intelliflo, unlike Hayward's lack of forethought.

 

[JasonLion]

The TriStar VS is available in two versions, one for connection to Hayward brand automation systems, and the other with a manual control panel, built-in timers, and external relay control connections.

The SuperFlo VS and SuperMax VS presumably removed the external control interface as part of a marketing effort to minimize the impact on sales of the IntelliFlo. It could have had something to do with getting the price down as low as possible, but that seems way less likely.

 

[Isaac-1]

You know I really would not have a problem with the SuperpumpVs or MaxfloVS if they just had a simple Speed 1/2/3 (or even Speed 1/2) external selection switch like a common 2 speed pump, but as is I am not sure how much use they are far all but the most basic pools.

 

[jblizzle]

So the new Pentair VSs are like the Hayward SuperPump and MaxFlo VS with no external control huh?

Isn't the Tristar a fairly large pump bigger than these others being discussed? Between the smaller SuperPump and the larger EcoStar.

Maybe by the time my Superflo 2-speed dies, there will be something similar in size that my automation will actually control.

 

[JasonLion]

The TriStar VS is very much like an EcoStar, but with a somewhat smaller motor/impeller.

It turns out the SuperFlo VS and SuperMax VS do allow for simplified external speed control. They have three inputs, activate one at a time to select between three speeds. You program what actual speed each of those three speeds are via the front panel.

 

[Isaac-1]

It would be nice if they mentioned that in the sales lit, I think I have even read the owners manual and not seen mention of it

 

[jblizzle]

I did not read that either. Although I am not sure that my automation would have the ability for 3 speeds ... but at least I could set the 2 speeds I could control at appropriate RPMs.