Pump Selection

[dtrujillo63]

Hello, I'm in the process of designing and choosing a PB to build my first pool. It will be a basic 15x30 concrete pool without a spa. From the research I've done online, it appears that a variable speed pump is the way to go, for both reliability and energy saving reasons. I've had 4 PB come out and all of them have said that unless I was going to include a spa or water features, that all I needed was a single speed and that I really wouldn't see any energy savings. Is the information online about variable speed pumps just hype or does it only apply to people with spas? What should the cost difference between a single speed and variable speed pump be? Thanks!

 

[Divin Dave]

Hi,
Welcome to TFP!

Depending on your electric costs, the VS may or not be worth the added cost. Having a spa should not be a relevent factor in the least.

If you have high electric costs, you may well be able to recover the higher price in saved energy in a few years. And the VS have some very cool feartures too. Like being able to program a schedule in them is very nice. You can program it to come on and off at multiple RPM several times a day if you want. And the added expense of an external timer isnt needed.

A 2 speed pump is priced between single speed and VS and is another great way to save on the electric bill. In the case of a 2 speed, you probably would want to add a external time as well.

At the very least in any case and no matter your electric costs, a 2 Speed Pump trumps a single speed every time.

Given that you are in LA, we would indeed recommend an in depth look into using a VS pump.

As a note, the VS pumps are not necessarily longer lasting. The electronics on them are subject to malfunction which can be caused by power surges and lightning in the area.

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome.

In LA electric rates are surely high enough to easily justify at least one of the smaller variable speed pumps, like the MaxFlo VS. A variable speed pump costs roughly twice as much up front, and then uses roughly 1/3 as much electricity for the next several years. Electric rates over $0.20 per kwh are are enough to justify the variable speed. If your electric rates are lower than that, a two speed pump would be your best choice. In no situation is a single speed ever the best choice financially.

 

[Patrick_B]

Agreed, but doesn't CA require at least a two speed pump?

 

[JasonLion]

In California you are allowed to use a single speed if it is below 1 HP.

 

[Patrick_B]

Duly noted...