Advice needed on my new pool

Jump to latest Follow Reply
tfp_fan said:
Pentair max E pro 1 HP UR EE for the water feature. I am wondering if there is any change needed for the pumps (for example changing the waterfeature pump to 2HP Whisperflow)
Click to expand...
Those pumps are horrible choices for water features. Water features are low head/high flow. The referenced pumps are high head.

Pentair makes special pumps just for water features. You should use a water feature pump or a Intelliflo XF depending on the desired flow rate.

Note that most builders use regular pool pumps for water features, which is incorrect.
 
Last edited:
JamesW said:
Those pumps are horrible choices for water features. Water features are low head/high flow. The referenced pumps are high head.

Pentair makes special pumps just for water features. You should use a water feature pump or a Intelliflo XF depending on the desired flow rate.

Note that most builders use regular pool pumps for water features, which is incorrect.
Click to expand...
Why won't a Pentair Intelliflo VSF work? You can control the speed or the GPM on it which should work fine for water features and it has 3hp which is more than enough right?
 
mihzyd777 said:
Why won't a Pentair Intelliflo VSF work? You can control the speed or the GPM on it which should work fine for water features and it has 3hp which is more than enough right?
Click to expand...
That should be fine. In my opinion, the Intelliflo XF VSF is a better design and a better pump. It comes with unions and it has a bigger suction intake. The Whisperflo/Intelliflo design is decades old. The XF is the redesigned model with better hydraulics.

www.pentair.com

IntelliFloXF VSF Pump

Pentair IntelliFloXF VSF Pump - This innovative, variable speed & variable flow pool pump offers precision and savings for large and feature-rich pools.
www.pentair.com www.pentair.com

How much flow will be needed?

How far will the pump be from the pool?

Make sure that the plumbing is big enough, especially on the suction side.

Keep the water velocity below 6 ft/sec on the suction and below 8 ft/sec on the pressure side of the pump.


  • Size.......6 ft/sec......8 ft/sec.
  • 1.5"...........38...............51 gpm
  • 2"..............63...............84 gpm
  • 2.5............90.............119 gpm
  • 3.0".........138.............184 gpm
 
Last edited:
JamesW said:
Those pumps are horrible choices for water features. Water features are low head/high flow. The referenced pumps are high head.

Pentair makes special pumps just for water features. You should use a water feature pump or a Intelliflo XF depending on the desired flow rate.

Note that most builders use regular pool pumps for water features, which is incorrect.
Click to expand...
Thank you @JamesW for your comment and suggesting me to ask the builder to use "special water feature pump" instead of Pentair max E pro 1 HP UR EE (or 2HP Whisperflow) that the builder suggested. Now, I should decide which pump to be used? @JoyfulNoise
 
tfp_fan said:
Three 18" travertine scuppers on a 12" raised beam wall.
Click to expand...
I would go with the Intelliflo XF VSF. The XF is a better pump.

The variable speed is nice because you can adjust the flow to what you like. With a single speed pump, it's highly likely that the flow will be too much or too little.

Don’t skimp on the suction line. Go with at least 3” plumbing.

For the plumbing to the scuppers, go with separate 1.5” or 2” lines to each scupper so that you can exactly balance the flow. Put a separate Jandy NeverLube valve on each line.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MyAZPool

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
Do you know which specific scuppers you are using? If they are single point falls they dont need alot of water or return water coming in. You want a 2way valve on each line back to a 3 pipe manifold so you can balance them. It's cheaper to install a single speed water feature pump but you then have no control of the flow unless you add a dump off wall return for excess flow. The VS is a nice option for water features the XF series is what you want but may be overkill and add to budget for 3 simple raised returns if that's what your using
 
JamesW said:
Typical flow rates are 15 to 30 gpm per linear foot. That’s 22.5 gpm to 45 gpm per scupper and 67.5 to 135 gpm total.

The Intelliflo XF VSF will give the best control.
Click to expand...
Thank you, @JamesW, for your suggestion. Please let me summarize here what you suggested, to make sure I understood it correctly: I will keep the Pentair intelliflo VS (3HP) that the builders proposed for the pool and spa. However, for the water features, I will replace the Pentair max E pro 1 HP UR EE and 2HP Whisperflow (which the two builders proposed) with Intelliflo XF VSF. Please correct if it is wrong.
 
tfp_fan said:
so you suggest to use Intelliflo XF VS for the pool and spa and Intelliflo XF VSF for the water feature, right?
And, yes. Three 18" travertine scuppers.
Click to expand...
Originally, the Intelliflo and Intelliflo XF came in a variable speed (VS)(RPM) model and a variable flow model (VF).

They are phasing out both pumps and going with the VSF model, which combines both in one pump.

With the VSF you can use RPM or Flow mode. I recommend RPM mode for most applications.

You can still find variable speed (VS)(RPM) pumps in stock, and they might be cheaper. Unless the VS is cheaper, there’s no reason to specify the VS only model.

The VSF is nice because it can give you an estimate for the flow and total system pressure, which are nice to know, but not necessary.

In my opinion, the flow estimate from the pump is probably not super accurate, but I don’t know that for sure. It’s probably accurate in the center of the pump curve, but I suspect that at both ends of the curve it’s increasingly inaccurate.
 
JamesW said:
Originally, the Intelliflo and Intelliflo XF came in a variable speed (VS)(RPM) model and a variable flow model (VF).

They are phasing out both pumps and going with the VSF model, which combines both in one pump.

With the VSF you can use RPM or Flow mode. I recommend RPM mode for most applications.

You can still find variable speed (VS)(RPM) pumps in stock, and they might be cheaper. Unless the VS is cheaper, there’s no reason to specify the VS only model.

The VSF is nice because it can give you an estimate for the flow and total system pressure, which are nice to know, but not necessary.

In my opinion, the flow estimate from the pump is probably not super accurate, but I don’t know that for sure. It’s probably accurate in the center of the pump curve, but I suspect that at both ends of the curve it’s increasingly inaccurate.
Click to expand...
Thank you. That makes sense. So, based on what you suggested, I should have two separate XF VSF pumps: one for pool and spa and one for water features. Please correct if it is not.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JamesW
@JamesW @Jimrahbe please help! Based on what was discussed above, I was suggested to ask the pool builder to install two (2) Intelliflo XF VSF pumps (one for the pool and spa, and one for scuppers (three 18" scuppers)). I am wondering, if the Inelliflo XF VSF can be controlled by automation (IntelliCenter)?
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply