Please help me select a new pump

[WETShip]

I currently have an old Hayward Super II Pump 1.5 hp. The filter is a 30" hayward sand filter with 2X2" piping for a Hayward pool VAC XL vacuum and skimmer. It is a ~16,000 gal pool. The piping runs are about 80' from the pumping station to the pool. The pump currently runs fine I am just trying to reduce energy consumption as my average energy rate is $0.21 /kWhr. It currently runs 4 hours a day and I don't have algae problems. I have been going in circles trying to figure out which way to go between just replacing the motor or replacing the wet end, too. I am also torn between two-speed and VS. I have no brand preference, the hayward parts were all installed when I bought the house. I do not currently have any automation but I am not against adding it later.

My thought on replacing everything - I have owned the house for 4 years and have only replaced the o-ring on the cover to the pump basket. I don't know how long it has been in service or how long it will last. Would it be cheaper/easier to just replace everything at once instead of pigeon holing myself into certain replacement motors for a wet end that may only have a few more years in it?

Anyways, any sort of help would be greatly appreciated as my head is currently spinning trying to learn and decipher everything on my own.

 

[WETShip]

This hasn't gained a whole lot of traction, so I will add to it. I am leaning towards the MaxFlo VS as a replacement. It seems to be one of the most efficient pumps and has a very attractive price at $615. Is there any reason to consider anything else?

 

[Wildcat]

You can search the forum and get most of your questions answered.
Last year my old single speed broke. Most advice was to go with a two speed as the initial cost of a VS would not be covered by the savings in electricity over time. But your rates seem high so maybe it would pay. I went with a VS as I had gotten a bonus at the time. While I may or may not recoup my investment saving electricity is a good thing in and of itself. And I have come to love the different speeds mostly due to me being able to control the noise levels of the pump.

 

[jblizzle]

Welcome to TFP!

Sorry no one got back to you. Do you have any high flow needs like a spa or water feature? You had a very big pump and I want to make sure you would not regret getting the smaller pump.

If you don't, then the max flo vs would be a good choice given your higher electrical cost. Or a cheaper up front cost would be a 1HP 2 speed pump like the Superflo.

Realize that the max flo vs will not integrate well with any automation system.

 

[WETShip]

Thank you for the response. I greatly appreciate it. I do not have any high flow water features. It is only two suction lines for the skimmer and vacuum and one return line for the jets. It is a long run from the equipment to the pool. The filter runs at about 16 psi at the filter when it is clean. I will have to look into the superflo. I have never really looked into automation. As I don't have any water features, spa, or heater, would there be automation I would want to consider down the line?

 

[jblizzle]

There would not be any point to automation now. If you added solar heating then being able to switch speeds automatically would be nice and could be done with a 2 speed pump.

 

[WETShip]

Welcome to TFP!

Sorry no one got back to you. Do you have any high flow needs like a spa or water feature? You had a very big pump and I want to make sure you would not regret getting the smaller pump.

If you don't, then the max flo vs would be a good choice given your higher electrical cost. Or a cheaper up front cost would be a 1HP 2 speed pump like the Superflo.

Realize that the max flo vs will not integrate well with any automation system.

Going back to this, the entire reason I was leaning towards the MaxFlo was after plugging the info into the pump comparison spreadsheet. It seemed like it had the lowest operation cost. I will admit I didn't spend much time really digging through all the different models available nor did I change the RPM each of the pumps. At the $0.21-$0.22 average, won't the VS pay off over the 2-speed in the long run? I would rather spend $300 more now if it saves more over the life of the pump.

 

[jblizzle]

The only way the VS saves more is if you run at a speed slower than the 2 speed on low and that electrical savings is not much. If the VS pump lasts long enough, it will save more than the added cost, but might take years. Also the VS are more susceptible to lightning strikes.

If you get a rebate then the VS pay off will be quicker.

 

[WETShip]

The only way the VS saves more is if you run at a speed slower than the 2 speed on low and that electrical savings is not much. If the VS pump lasts long enough, it will save more than the added cost, but might take years. Also the VS are more susceptible to lightning strikes.

If you get a rebate then the VS pay off will be quicker.

I just shot an email to PG&E to see if they offer any rebates on two speed pumps. I know there is a $100 rebate on most VS pumps. This may be the deciding factor. In lovely Bakersfield, we rarely have any lightning so that should not be a problem. How low of an RPM would I most likely be able to go on a VS pump? The energy cost tab on the pump tool spreadsheet from mas985 has the default rpm for the VS pumps at 1000 RPM. If that is practical in my operating conditions, the~$150 difference between the SuperFlo and MaxFlo should not take too long to pay off.

 

[WETShip]

PG&E confirmed the rebate is only on VS pumps. Since VS are $100 rebate and dual speeds are not I feel like the VS are a better deal. The MaxFlo is one of the least expensive, but is it the best value in the long run? I know it is designed for 1.5" piping where I have 2" and long runs. I have some concerns after reading reviews that it may not move enough fluid to run my PoolVAC XL on a low speed. I don't see using any automation in the future. Is there any other pump I should consider with regards to performance and price?

Thanks again for all the help.

 

[jblizzle]

You pay for the amount of water you move. Your vac requires a certain flow rate. That flow rate may be at a higher rpm with the small VS pump than with the larger VS pump, but the electrical usage would be about the same.