What damage from 1 hp booster & polaris 280?

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pcm2a

pcm2a

0
Aug 25, 2017
288
Mt Juliet, Tn
I've been suffering with a kreepy krawley robot cleaner for two seasons since my booster pump failed. I've seen posts saying things like "using a booster pump cleaner is like using a rotary phone". After using it during this time I disagree. The kreepy krawley does clean very well and fast, but it's a pain to take the filters out, a pain to clean the filters, a pain not keeping it in the pool, can't hold as much, etc. I guess I'm a rotary guy.

I have a line on an affordable 1 hp booster pump and can't justify the 3/4 hp prices. My question is, what damage would I expect a 1 hp booster to do to the Polaris 280? All connections look to be the same and I see lots of places selling 1 hp booster pumps, but I know Polaris sells the 3/4 hp.
 
The 3/4 rating is the old method of pump power rating using a Service Factor.

New Regulations now require the Total HP be listed instead of the Rated HP.

Booster pumps are 1.1 to 1.125 total hp.

What matters is if the pump is designed for pool pressure cleaners and has the right Pump Performance curve.

What booster pumps are you looking at?

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pcm2a said:
I've been suffering with a kreepy krawley robot cleaner for two seasons since my booster pump failed. I've seen posts saying things like "using a booster pump cleaner is like using a rotary phone". After using it during this time I disagree. The kreepy krawley does clean very well and fast, but it's a pain to take the filters out, a pain to clean the filters, a pain not keeping it in the pool, can't hold as much, etc. I guess I'm a rotary guy.

I have a line on an affordable 1 hp booster pump and can't justify the 3/4 hp prices. My question is, what damage would I expect a 1 hp booster to do to the Polaris 280? All connections look to be the same and I see lots of places selling 1 hp booster pumps, but I know Polaris sells the 3/4 hp.
Click to expand...
Your wall fitting has a spring-loaded pressure relief that is also adjustable if needed. If it is a pressure-cleaner booster pump there is no issue.

The reality is that all booster pumps that are rated at .75 horsepower are at least 1.125 Total-Horsepower (THP) pumps. New pumps just omit the service factor and tell the total horsepower
 
Thanks so much. The spring loaded pressure relief is the contraption (scientific name) that I twist into the wall? I read that the polaris itself has a bunch of adjustments if things aren't working well too. I'll report back after I get the booster pump in.
 
Maximum Head (Hmax) is listed at 200 feet, compared to the Polaris Booster at about 140 feet.

Maximum Flow (Qmax) is listed at 25 GPM compared to about 22 GPM for the Polaris Booster Pump.

Flow at 165 feet is listed at 8 GPM.

The Pump Performance Curve for the new pump is substantially higher than the Polaris Booster, but I would not trust the listed figures too much.

Use a red or blue restrictor disc in the quick disconnect to prevent excessive pressure/flow from getting to the Polaris Robot unit.

The Pressure Relief fitting should also protect the Polaris Robot from excessive pressure and flow.

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This type of pump is a multi-impeller design that produces a higher maximum pressure and it aligns more closely with the Polaris PB4SQ Booster Pump.

It looks like the same pump as the Intermatic UNIBOOSTERAP Booster Pump.

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Totally enclosed fan-cooled (TEFC) pool pump technology.
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pcm2a said:
Thanks so much. The spring loaded pressure relief is the contraption (scientific name) that I twist into the wall? I read that the polaris itself has a bunch of adjustments if things aren't working well too. I'll report back after I get the booster pump in.
Click to expand...
In over 30 years of installing them, I have almost never had to make any adjustments to the pressure relief (wall fitting) or add restrictor washers. The thrust jet needs to be adjusted at times to make the machine track straight and the hoses need to be cut exactly as the instructions indicate.
Rotate the tires once a year or so (make the inner part the outer on the wheel), place the rear wheel at the front, the front to the side, the side to the rear, to even the wear on the internal teeth (rotate the wheels) once in a while and you are good.
 
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Thanks so much for all of this. Also for the tip on rotating the tires, I've never done that in many years! I will report back tomorrow after I install it. The only thing that looks "gotcha" on this one is it's not going to take the normal electrical connection on the side of the box. I'll need to connect the wires together in a separate waterproof box.
 
I got the pump in and hooked it up. The box seemed so small to get my wires in there and I would also have to connect it using some kind of adapter into the tiny hole (as someone else has done in a picture above). Instead I went with an external waterproof enclosure that was very easy to hookup. Would also be easy to unhook if I wanted to bring it inside in the winter. The pump runs very quietly, I was shocked at how quiet it is. I can't even hear it running beside my variable speed running at a low speed.

Standing right by the hookup at the pool, without the robot attached, it is silent. With the robot attached there is a faint high pitched eeeeee. If you are 3 feet away it is not audible. The robot seems to move about as fast as it did before, not noticeably faster or slower. It is picking up debris as normal. Should this extra noise be a concern? Have two pressure release valves, both exhibit the same behavior.

I had no idea about the blue and red disks. It's too cold to get in the pool and see if there is one in there. Should I be looking into that to get rid of this tiny noise or not worry about it.

Uploads hang at 100%, once they start working will include a pic of the install.
 
pcm2a said:
I got the pump in and hooked it up. The box seemed so small to get my wires in there and I would also have to connect it using some kind of adapter into the tiny hole (as someone else has done in a picture above). Instead I went with an external waterproof enclosure that was very easy to hookup. Would also be easy to unhook if I wanted to bring it inside in the winter. The pump runs very quietly, I was shocked at how quiet it is. I can't even hear it running beside my variable speed running at a low speed.

Standing right by the hookup at the pool, without the robot attached, it is silent. With the robot attached there is a faint high pitched eeeeee. If you are 3 feet away it is not audible. The robot seems to move about as fast as it did before, not noticeably faster or slower. It is picking up debris as normal. Should this extra noise be a concern? Have two pressure release valves, both exhibit the same behavior.

I had no idea about the blue and red disks. It's too cold to get in the pool and see if there is one in there. Should I be looking into that to get rid of this tiny noise or not worry about it.

Uploads hang at 100%, once they start working will include a pic of the install.
Click to expand...
All pool equipment makes some form of mechanical noise. Your new pump will sound different than the old. Those type of booster have a completely different impeller system (normally 5) and also a fan.
 
1poolman1 said:
All pool equipment makes some form of mechanical noise. Your new pump will sound different than the old. Those type of booster have a completely different impeller system (normally 5) and also a fan.
Click to expand...
The noise is not from the pool pump. It's coming from the pressure release valve on the quick disconnect. If I push it with my finger it stops, but obviously it's letting pressure out for a reason. I have one older one and one brand new one (quick disconnect with the pressure valve), they both do the same thing. Kids got in the pool and checked, in the fitting is a blue disc.

Is it normal?
 
I removed the piece and replaced the blue disc with the red disc. Now there is no high pitched noise coming from the pressure release value. There is still water coming out of the pressure release, but way less than before. I assume that is normal...since it's called a pressure release. Robot performance seems unchanged. Thanks for the help with fixing this up!
 
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