Im new to this. I bought a forecloser home with a 16 by 32 foot, in ground vinyl pool. All the equipment is worn out from not being used in years. Im having the liner replaced but was thinking of installing new pump, filters, ect. My pool should have 21,100 gallons. Im wanting it to be cost maintence and low cost. The pump im looking at is hayward ecostar sp3400vsp. The filter is hayward swimclear 530sqft. Also was want to install the hayward pl-ps-16 prologic with sence and dispense and use the aql-chem3 for controling the ph. Im not sure if this is the right was to go. Are these pumps reliable and last. Is the filter large enough so I dont have to clean it every weekend. Is the automation helpful since wife works 3rd and i work 12 hours a day to keep the pool in balance most of the time. I want only have to check pool water every weekend if I can.
thinking of replacing pumps and filters
- Thread starter katelin2002
- Start date
I will let someone else comment on your equipment, but the easiest way to keep the chlorine level correct if you are going to have long periods of time you can't touch it is to go salt water chlorination.
That is a good size filter for the pool. You won't have to clean every weekend. Why don't you just replace the cartridges instead of replacing the entire filter? For the pump, a 1 hp two speed pump would likely be a better choice unless you have water features that would require something more than 1 hp.
Welcome to TFP!!!I would say that filter is overkill, my typical recommendation would be at least 300 sqft ... so I would save some money there. If you maintain adequate chlorine so algae never starts, you should be able to go months without cleaning the filter (maybe a year).
Like was said above, do you have special high water flow needs? If not that big VS pump may also be overkill. What is your cost of electricity? Might be better off with a small 1HP 2-speed pump if power is not very high. Or there are now smaller VS pump, but they do not integrate nicely into the automation system you are thinking of getting.
Do you really need 16 relays? I get along just fine with my 4, but I am not trying to automate all the lights in my backyard either. I would certainly recommend the 40k cell for a SWG, but would NOT recommend controlling the SWG with the ORP sensor in the S&D. Acid injection might not really be needed either and it is something that could be added on after the fast pretty easily.
Even with the automation, you still need one of the Recommended Test Kits and to test often to make sure things are dialed in. They are not set-and-forget type systems.
Ok, just a few points here, Do you know that your pool will have an acid demand? Vinyl liner pools will not have acid demand from curing plaster which is seen for the first year or two after a plaster pool is built or replastered, instead acid demand will be based on local fill water, rain and wind blown debris (dust) conditions, as a result some people go through gallons per week of acid, others like myself have low to no acid demand (my problem is the plastic acid jugs dry rot before I use one up, I use about a quart of acid per YEAR). If you are not sure I suggest asking other people in your immediate area (on the same water source) how much acid they use in their vinyl liner pools (water features will also effect acid demand so the closer fit to your pool the better).
If you do not have water features that pump is massive overkill, chances are a 1 HP 2 speed pump would serve you much better, and if you just want a variable speed pump look at smaller Hayward MaxFloVS, and as has been said the filter should be good (I feel bigger is better when it comes to filters, this one may be taking it a bit to extreme though).
Ike
If you do not have water features that pump is massive overkill, chances are a 1 HP 2 speed pump would serve you much better, and if you just want a variable speed pump look at smaller Hayward MaxFloVS, and as has been said the filter should be good (I feel bigger is better when it comes to filters, this one may be taking it a bit to extreme though).
Ike
I would say that filter is overkill
Yep. I agree. I had read the post as though the swimclear 530 sq ft was the filter he was replacing. Sorry.
Thanks for all the feed back. so here's some more info. The reason i was leaning toward the 16 valve automation is due to its the only one to be set up four solor heating and i was wanting to add that next year. Or thats what i found in reading up on it. i was looking at the ecostar and the tristar from hayward. both would work with automation control. found both were simalarly price and from the charts about same power consuption (i could be wrong) so figured go with bigger pump in case i want to add water feature. maybe this isnt wise thats why i figured to ask for help the filter sixe i thought was by finding sq feet of pool 16 x 32 = 512 so I thought 530 for this. not a lot of charts on filter sizing. The acid automation is for ph. they list two diffent type one using co2 and the other acid. i read where the co2 throws off your tc or something(a lot of chemical engineering stuff on review that i didnt understand but in the end was co2 not as good as acid). also the tristar pump wound not come with controller on the unit if i got the one that works with automation as where the ecostar would have contro panel on pump and would work with automation. I hope this makes since and im grateful for all the advice. i read more on pools in the past month than in my whole life and still dont quite understabd it all.
ok well that just saved a lot of money. so i can go down to ps-4 and get what i want. how do you like the pro logic automation. with reducing filter size will help too. what size filter do you guys think i need
I just was adding SWG and wanted solar control so got the base unit. I don't have a complicated system and saw no need to spend money on remote controls or anything when I can walk over and push buttons or turn valves.
I recommend at least 300 sqft for the filter.
I recommend at least 300 sqft for the filter.