Pentair SuperFlo VST (2.2 HP) Settings

[Animal827]

I currently have my Pentair SuperFlo VST set to 2000/2500/3000 (2 hours/10 hours/2 hours) with 3450 (3 hours) being the quick clean. I noticed that when I had it set to 1800, my Pentair iChlor 30 did not like it, so I had to kick it up. I also know my Sta-Rite Max-E-Therm 333K BTU heater will need to have a minimum flow rate (and minimum CH) , but I haven't tested that out yet. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to best setup this variable speed pump (my first variable sped pump)?

 

[Jimrahbe]

827,

Tell me what your reasoning is to running 2000, 2500, 3000 and 3450???

You want to run any VS pump at the slowest speed you can and still get the job done.

Job number one, when you have a SWCG, is to make chlorine. This means the slowest speed you ever want to run is the speed that will close the SWCG's flow switch plus 100 or 200 RPM, just to make sure.

The next major reason to run the pump is to skim the surface water. Most often the SWCG speed will skim just fine.

Next might be the speed needed to run the heater, assuming you use it a lot.

The point being you don't just make up a bunch of number and run the pump at those speeds. You should run the pump for an actual reason.

So let's say you need to run at 2000 RPM to make the SWCG work. Then run at 2000 the entire time you want to run the pump each day. The only reason to increase the speed to accomplish a job that 2000 RPM will not do.

I personally like to run my pump 24/7 at a low RPM. I have a 3 HP IntelliFlo that runs at 1200 RPM most the time and it cost me less than $20 bucks a month. I like making a little chlorine all the time. I like skimming all the time. I like the look of my pool when the water is moving. Running 24/7 is not required but works for a lot of us here at TFP.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Animal827]

Tell me what your reasoning is to running 2000, 2500, 3000 and 3450???

Basically it is your reasoning as you mentioned.

I tried to run my pump at 1800 (I think factory setting), but I started getting flow rate warnings on the SWCG. The other settings at higher speeds (i.e., 2500 and 3000) are to get better skimmer results as I noticed that much debris was left floating in the water (where in the past it was captured by the skimmer). The higher settings are set for early morning and late afternoon and only run for 2 hours each. As for the quick clean at 3450, that is basically what it I want it to do - give the pool a quick clean so it looks good before going in. It also helps circulate chemicals faster. I manually kick this off as the other settings are on a timer.

I might start running the pump 24/7, but I did not think that 2000 was a super efficient number. I am running this pump longer (14 hours) compared to my non variable speed pump (10 hours). I am basically trying to find that balance between the minimum for my equipment (SWCG and heater) and effective skimmer cleaning.

 

[Animal827]

I personally like to run my pump 24/7 at a low RPM.

I have been playing around with the RPMs. I was able to just get the SWCG to behave at 1600 RPMs, so maybe I will set it at 1800 as a buffer to make sure. In turn I will lower the others to be able to still skim cause at 1600 RPMs, there is no movement in my skimmers. I want to run it 24 hours a day, but I am concerned with the 10,000 hour life expectancy of the SWCG. As an alternate schedule, I am thinking of running this:
8am 2500 for 3 hours
11am 1800 for 8 hours
7pm 2500 for 3 hours
At this rate, I will definitely lower my power consumption. The idea of the higher RPMs in the mornings and night is to skim the pool.
Being in the northeast, I calculate about 4 years for my SWGC:
Opening in Late April and closing in early October:
That is about 6 months at about 30 days a month for 14 hours a day = 6 X 30 X 14 = 2,520 hours/year X 4 years = 10,080 hours
Obviously, I can maybe get another year if I open later and close earlier, and cut off a couple hours a day of the pump running....Thoughts?

 

[Jimrahbe]

827,

The 10K hours has nothing to do with the clock hours the SWCG is run.

It has to do with chlorine production hours. So, if you run for 1 hour at 100% that is the same as running 10 hours at 10%

If your pool uses 4 ppm of FC (chlorine) per day, no matter how many clock hours the cell is run, it still only needs to make the same 4 ppm of FC per day.

Cell lifespan is not effected by running 24/7..

That said, it is your pool and you should run it however you want.

Thanks,

Jim R

 

[Animal827]

The 10K hours has nothing to do with the clock hours the SWCG is run.

It has to do with chlorine production hours. So, if you run for 1 hour at 100% that is the same as running 10 hours at 10%

If your pool uses 4 ppm of FC (chlorine) per day, no matter how many clock hours the cell is run, it still only needs to make the same 4 ppm of FC per day.

Cell lifespan is not effected by running 24/7.

This might be life changing for me. Right now I am running at about 47% to keep my FCL at 7 ppm since my CYA is maintained at 70. I am going think about another schedule.

 

[BDY]

Use pool math - effect of adding function and select SWG. Enter your pool size, and SWG max daily production output (pounds chlorine gas) and the if you play with the run time and SWG output it calculates FC production for you.

Helps to do “what if” without actually changing settings

 

[Animal827]

Use pool math

I am using the web version, not the app. I noticed that the suggested FC for my pool is 4 on Pool Math, but on the FC/CYA chart it is a range of 5-10. I see the effects of adding option at the bottom and you can select chlorine gas, but I do not see anything about run time or output.

 

[BDY]

Don’t select “gas”
Select “SWG”
Eg in picture attached my IC40 can generate 1.4 lbs per day so that’s the output field

 

[mknauss]

On the Old Poolmath Webpage, SWG does not exist. You must determine how much CL gas your SWCG creates each day, then use that to use the calculator doing your own math for reduction of CL gas generation based on time of run and % setting.

 

[Animal827]

I downloaded the Pool Math app...at least to be able to access the calculator anywhere I get bored lol
I changed my pump schedule to the following, and I saw just about a 2ppm increase in FCL (6.8 to 8.6) over about 3 days.
8am 2500 for 3 hours
11am 2000 for 9 hours
8pm 1800 for 12 hours
I am thinking about dropping my SWCG output from 47% down to 43%. I will keep playing with it until I can maintain a FCL between 6-7 since that seems to be a good place to be with my pool.
There are 3 different ranges suggested for my pool:
Pool Math (web): Min 3; Target 4
FC/CYA chart: Min 3; Target 5-10
Pool Math (app): Target 3-9
I am loving this idea of producing chlorine all the time!

 

[Animal827]

Now that I am running the pump 24/7, I am finding that my FC keeps increasing. I have gone from about 55% to 47% to 43% to 35% and my FC is still approaching 10. Today I set my SWCG to 30%. Does this make sense?

One way to look at it was that 55% at about 14 hours a day will produce the same amount of chlorine as 30% at 24 hours, but not sure if my math works here. I have logged my most recent results, and everything seems to be good - the pool is crystal clear.

 

[Jimrahbe]

827,

Yes, kind of the whole point.. Make a little chlorine all the time, rather than a lot of chlorine all at once.

It will never be perfect, but your goal should be to always be in the "Target" range for your CYA.. Being a little high is not a problem. Going too low can lead to major problems.

Thanks,

Jim R.