Pump Sizing, Turnover, Brand, etc... Please Help!

[mstgkillr]

I'm planning a 15,000 IGP for my SW Florida home.

I have no idea of the ideal turnover rate, hp, brand, and type of pump to use!

I'm leaning towards a two-stage pump vs. a variable speed due to reliability and longevity. My pool builder said they have had some reliability issues with the Hayward Ecostar variable pump and therefore didn't recommend them.

My PB prefers Hayward or Jandy so I think I have it narrowed down to those two brands. I do plan on adding a Hayward AquaRite T15 chlorine generator so I'm thinking a staying with Hayward unless someone has a better suggestion.

So if I stayed with Hayward what type and size pump should I go with? The PB is recommending a 1.5 Jandy variable speed pump... they said it was actually a 3-speed pump if that makes any sense. Part or model numbers would be great!

Haward or Jandy?
2-speed or Variable?
1hp or 1.5hp?

Since I'm in Florida, this pool will be run continuously.

Thanks in advance!

 

[JasonLion]

Assuming a simple pool with no spa or other large water features, the Hayward Super Pump in a 1 HP two speed version or the MaxFlow VS are both good choices. The two speed is a little more reliable and will probably cost just a little less over the lifetime of the pump, but having a VS pump can be nice.

 

[BoDarville]

Welcome to TFP!

I do not have experience with either the Hayward or Jandy pumps, so I will leave that for someone else to comment on.

2-speed or Variable?

2-speed, unless your electric cost per kWh is greater than 20 cents. Another reason to favor the 2-speed is that they are a simpler design and do not have the electronic controls that the VS pumps do. Being in FL, you get lots of T-storms and those can wreak havoc on the electronics unless you get a surge-suppression device for the pump and that, of course, adds to the cost of the VS pump.

1hp or 1.5hp?

Does your pool have any water features such as a fountain or waterfall? How about an attached spa? What type of pool vac will you use - pressure side (e.g., Polaris-type) or robot (e.g., Dolphin)? If pressure-type, will you get a cleaner that runs off the main pump or will you get a separate booster pump? These are all considerations that play into what size pump you will need. Please post back with answers to these questions. Using me as an example, I have a 26+K pool that includes an attached spa and I use a Polaris 360 which runs off the main pool pump. The 1.5 HP pump I have is plenty for this setup. Keep in mind that "bigger is better" does not apply when it comes to pool pumps. Generally speaking, you want a pump that is just large enough to do what you need.

Since I'm in Florida, this pool will be run continuously.

Well, maybe not. There is a lot of misinformation about how much water turnover is needed. I would check out this article: Determine Pump Run Time