New pool owner needs new pump

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So this timer would work?
http://www.a1poolparts.com/-strse-1283/ ... Detail.bok


JB, we do have some numbers different. The FC is much higher than the 9 that is on print out. 9 is the highest they can enter into the computer system. They said it was above 15... which it was also above 15 last week when tested. And water temp is about 78. Those two were the only things different in our calculations.

I should have the test kit either tomorrow or Saturday! :)
 
Wow those timers are expensive. That looks like it will work, but is a little overkill.

What do you have now? Might be able to just modify it.
If you need new, I think a cheaper route is the Intermatic T106R ... although I now see that you still have to have an on/off timer with this as the T106R would just control the speed.

It was the temp and the salt that gave us the difference. The FC does not affect the CSI. You may want to see if you could get the PS to measure the salt for you ... or at least put something into the calculator above 0 as it does have some affect.
 
Alright, after looking into motors online and local...
If I were to go with 2 speed super flow and a new timer, I would be between $600 and $700 either local or online.
I can get the Intelliflo VS for about $900 local and not need a new timer...

Would the 2-300 dollar difference not be worth it in the long run? ie. reliability/$ savings
I have thoughts of doing solar heating in the future as well.


And looks like I should be receiving my test kit with todays mail... err I mean bills. :whoot:
 
Well, that is an interesting consideration. The variable can be turned down even further than the 2-speed so you could save more on electricity (what do you pay?). For a price difference that small it may be worth it.

Of course you could just use your existing timer and add a simple ($5) SPDT toggle switch as shown in this post to manually select the speed.
 
When do you envision needing high speed currently? What type of cleaner are you going to use?

If it will run on low speed most of the time and only need high speed when you are out there cleaning the pump basket / vacuuming or something, then the manual toggle could work no problem.

If you want high speed for solar in the future, at that time you could consider some automation that would control the solar valve and be able to select the pump speed which would make a new timer now obsolete.

Alternatively, if you got the timer now and added solar you could just get a basic solar controller for the valve (or turn it manually), but then you somehow would have to figure out how to have the pump on high speed when solar is used ... since these would be isolated controls, I am not sure how you would do that.

Of course if you had to manually turn on the solar, then while there you could manually switch to high speed.

Just some food for thought ...
 
Melt In The Sun said:
The rule of thumb is that if your electric rates are over 20c/kwh, a variable speed will be cheaper in the long run. You can always call your utility company. Otherwise you're probably better off with a 2 speed.
Click to expand...

I thought I had seen the breakpoint at 27c/kwh listed here? Anyway ... somewhere in there :-D
 

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DougieFla said:
I just talked to the power co. 8.5¢kwh under 1000kwh and 10.5¢ over 1k kwh

Deuce speed it is.
Click to expand...

Does that include any distribution fees/etc that are based on usage? Seems like nothing is as simple as it should be.

For example I have Delivery Services, Power Supply Charges, and Green Energy Charges that are all based on usage:
Currently totally $0.074/kWh for the first 500 and $0.094/kWh after that ... Or if I include all the taxes and fees I see $0.101/kWh average.

Off course when the Summer rates kick in they will be higher but still well below where a variable makes sense.

Realize that the breakeven points we mentioned I do not think take the timer cost into account. If you are including that cost with a 2-speed, the price difference is low enough that the breakeven electric cost probably drops.
 
Ok I have the new pump on it's way. $430 shipped. I'm just going the DPDT switch method for now.
I drained about a foot and a half of water yesterday and refilled.
Tested the water today, maybe I'm a complete Noob but I got some off the wall tests!
FC 35
CC 4
TC 39
pH 7.0
TA I stopped testing when I got to 40 drops (400ppm) and the color had not changed
CH I stopped at what would have been equal to 650
CYA about 120+

water temp 76

Those couple crazy number have me really discouraged...
 
Have you gotten a text done at a PS just to see their ballpark?

FYI: There are ways to do some of the tests with using fewer drops when you have high numbers like that.

Look here:
extended-test-kit-directions-t25081.html

I would suggest you try to see if you ever get a reading. If CH and CYA are really that high, then a partial/full refill or RO treatment might need to be done.
 
I drained another foot or so of water and refilled.
FC is down to 31
CC 3
pH is still 7.0
The TA and CH are redonculously high. My test showed TA over 400 and CH over 700.
CYA dropped to 100

I will take a sample to the pool store and see what their tests show monday...
 
A quick update:
I was running some errands today and decided to take some water to another pool store to see how their tests compared to Pinch A Pennys'.
WOW what a difference...
Their results:
FC 5
TC 5
pH 7.2
TA 70
Tot. Hardness 230
CYA 100
Water temp. 78
and the CSI at -0.7

She told me the pool was fine to swim in and just to add 16.5lbs of Baking Soda and a Cup of MA

I immediately questioned her on their FC results and her reply was "Our test only goes up to 5 and thats what your water tested at." I was a bit baffled at that response...
It's weird how the FC has been really high for two weeks and now all of a sudden it's way way down :roll:

I went home and tested the water myself, here's my findings:
FC 22
CC <1
pH 7.0
TA Has turned straight to yellow every time I have tried testing. I gave up on the color change when it got to 400
CH 490
CYA 100

Is Total Hardness and Calcium H the same?

I'm also seeing some black spots on the bottom that are not affected by a regular nylon brush. Thinking they could be BA. :rant:
Now that the FC has come down a bit I am willing to throw on a mask and snorkel and take a closer look. I read that a wire brush should be used to scrape them off and then shock it. Sound about right? And according to the CYA/FC chart I should bring it up to 39ppm.
 
39ppm would be right if cya is 100. Problem is that the test peaks out at 100. Have you tried to use half tap water and test cya again?

I have no idea what is going on with a few of your tests ... weird.
 
jblizzle said:
39ppm would be right if cya is 100. Problem is that the test peaks out at 100. Have you tried to use half tap water and test cya again?

.
Click to expand...

No I haven't. Just read through the additional instructions about testing the water and that was one recommendation I saw. I have DI water at work that I'm going to use to dillute any test I need to.
 
Made progress today!
I went in and checked out the spots. Pretty sure it's not BA. I scrubbed with a wire brush and nothing happened. Looks like the marks are under the sand/stone/plaster/what ever the top surface is...
One spot down at the drain looks like it was a nail that completely rusted away and left a bunch of rust that mostly brushed away into a redish brown dust.
Also while scrubbing at some of the spots the 'sand' like stuff came out of the plaster/base. I also noticed that when vacuuming the first couple times it seemed there quite a bit of sand on the bottom. I believe it is what ever coats the walls and bottom of the pool. Possibly the out of balanced water did some damage to the plaster.

I read and reread the extended test kit direction from JasonLion. Found that the dye must have been getting bleached out from the high FC level and I needed an extra drop of R-0007 for teh TA test.

I have put about 6.5-7 Lbs of Baking soda in total.
Results:
FC 22
CC 0
pH 7.1
TA 90
CH 425
CYA 98 (I split the pool water with DI water)
Temp 78
That puts the CSI at -0.38

Should I worry about the high CH? Is it high enough to start causing scaling? My tap water is about 185 CH.

Also got the top off the sand filter. I can't quite reach the sand by hand but I did find a few big lint clods. Wondering if maybe I should backflush, drain the tank then shop vac the top layer of sand and replenish with new sand to the correct level...

WooHooo finally getting somewhere! :party: :party:

And thanks for the help ya'll have given me!!!! :bowdown:
 

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