Which Pump/Filter system to buy

[DanInVA]

So I've narrowed it down to two systems without doing a whole lot of research. I am in a hurry as my current system is failing as we speak. These two systems are identical except one has a two speed pump for an additional $120. Is it worth the extra $ ? And am I in the right ballpark for a 13,500 gallon AGP? I don't want to spend too much on a system, but I don't want a cheap POS either. Any constructive input would be appreciated. Thanks.

Hayward S230T932S 23-Inch Pro Series Sand Filter System with 1-1/2 HP 2 Speed Power-Flo Matrix Pump

Hayward S230T1580X15S 23-Inch Pro Series Sand Filter System with 1-1/2 HP Power-Flo Matrix Pump

 

[Smykowski]

Go for the two speed.

I'm not an expert on pump sizing, but I think 1.5hp is too big. You could probably get away with 1hp.

Do you have anything else in your plumbing? Water features, SWG, heater, etc.?

 

[Isaac-1]

I would second the two speed out of those choices, just be aware these combo kits are notorious for having undersized filters and oversized pumps, you are likely better off buying separately.

 

[DanInVA]

Nothing else in the plumbing. I'll look into buying separate components.

 

[Smykowski]

The funny thing is, it's Hayward themselves that's behind those pairings. When I first started researching downsizing my pump, I called their tech support, and for an S180T (which is a pretty small filter), they recommend the 1.5HP pump. Mine is a powerflo matrix, and when I took it apart, I had a 1HP impeller on it. Even when I downsized the impeller to 3/4HP, it was still way too much on full speed.

 

[DanInVA]

Ok, so I did a little more pump/filter size homework and recognize what some mentioned about combo kits being mismatched. So I was looking for an oversized filter with an appropriately sized pump; and came up with a 24" sand filter with a 1hp, 2 speed pump. I found these two below which seem to be pretty good deals, and puts me about the same ballpark price wise as buying a combo setup. I could spend a few more bucks and get a hayward pump to go with the filter, but does brand matching really matter? Anyway, would someone with some experience in this realm please take a look at my choices here and offer an opinion? Of the few assumptions I had to make in selecting my sizes were taking a guess at operating pressure/tdh of the system. In doing that I just searched around on here to find other folk's comments about their system pressures with similar setups in order to skip the exercise of calculating head loss at every component.
Hayward S244T Pro Series Top-Mount 24-Inch Sand Filter with 1-1/2-Inch Vari-Flo Valve for In-Ground Pools

Pentair 347990 OptiFlo Vertical Discharge Aboveground Pool Pump with 2 Speed Motor and Standard Plug, 1 HP