My banshee screaming pool pump must be silenced.

[3stacksOfHighSociety]

TL;DR: what do I buy, and do my valves look correctly configured?

Hello friends! First time poster, short time reader. I recently bought a new house (built in ‘99) with an in-ground pool. I have estimated the volume of the pool to be between 12-15k gal. I have a Hayward cartridge filter, electric heater, tablet chlorinator, kreepy krawly, a little waterfall, and a century 1.25 HP pump that sounds like it’s possessed by a demon.

This thing is straight up SCREAMING. I can’t believe the neighbors have tolerated it, but this dude certainly doesn’t abide. It looks original to the build, and the label is super faded. It also doesn’t seem to be sucking very well. The flow in both the skimmer and the kreeper seems very weak. It also either doesn’t seem to have a check valve or the valve is stuck open. Attached are some pics of my equipment.

Additional considerations:
I would like to convert from chlorine to saline at some point, and I'm open to doing that with the pump.
I use HomeAssistant for some automations. So ideally I would like a little bit of control and monitoring that can integrate with HA.
I don't like the kreeper and will probably replace with a suction powered cleaner like a Polaris or Hayward.

My questions:
1) Can my pump be rebuilt or repaired, or should I replace? And what should I buy? I would love a very quiet pump.
2) Is the thick tube after my chlorinator a check valve? If not, what is it?
3) do my valves look like they’re set correctly?
4) any idea where my 3rd return pipe might be going? I assume one is for the jets and one for the waterfall.

Thanks in advance!

 

[PoolStored]

1) Can my pump be rebuilt or repaired, or should I replace? And what should I buy? I would love a very quiet pump.

That is a very old Sta-Rite Dura-Glas pump. Confirm that it is on 230 volt (double breaker).
I would replace it with a Variable Speed pump. It will pay for itself over a single speed and will be very quiet.

2) Is the thick tube after my chlorinator a check valve? If not, what is it?

No idea why they would do that.

3) do my valves look like they’re set correctly?

Don't know, can you label them so we know where they go? Seems like you have main drain and two skimmers on the left. Those look right if the right side is main drain. You want 90% skimmer 10% MD The right valve on the left is set to pull just a little from the MD. The other is set to pull more from the right skimmer than the left. Output is likely two returns and the waterfall.

4) any idea where my 3rd return pipe might be going? I assume one is for the jets and one for the waterfall.

Tell us what returns you have...

If it were me, I'd replace the pump, the filter, remove the puck chlorinator and install a salt water chlorine generator (SWG). Get a larger filter. That is a very small filter (Fl builders are notorious for undesiring filters), you will be cleaning often. Pucks add CYA. They are also very acidic and that acid can back up when pump is off and damage filter and pump. SWG makes chlorine and makes keeping the pool sanitized a breeze.

 

[3stacksOfHighSociety]

Thanks for the reply.

Any suggestions on what pump, salt cell, and filter to buy?
Are the claimar pumps any good?
Do I need to keep it at 1.25 HP or should I run a more powerful pump?

The only pipe that is labeled is the left side top which just says “skim” in sharpie. Can I open and close those valves while the pump is running to determine what they are?

The supply side should have one for the skimmer, one for the vac, and one for the bottom drain. I assume the return is just the jets and the waterfall. I didn’t think the jets would have two lines, but that makes sense.

Thanks again

 

[PoolStored]

Any suggestions on what pump, salt cell, and filter to buy?

Need to tell me the service to the pump. Is it 115v or 230v options really change. See if it is on a single or double breaker,
Get the largest VSP you can afford and will fit your pad.
Get a cell that is 2x your pool volume.
Without automation the Circupool RJ-30+ would be perfect for you. You can get best price on discountsaltpool.com
I'd get a 425. Pentair Clean and Clear PLUS or the Waterway are both good filters.

Are the claimar pumps any good?

Seems to be...many go that way because they can buy 3 of them for the price of the big brands.
Personally, I like pentair intelliflo3.

Do I need to keep it at 1.25 HP or should I run a more powerful pump?

Get a 2.7 or 3hp. You run on low speed and a bigger pump will move same volume at lower speeds. Saves electricity. I spend about $20/month on electricity. In Florida will be important.

The only pipe that is labeled is the left side top which just says “skim” in sharpie. Can I open and close those valves while the pump is running to determine what they are?

Yes, but NEVER dead head the pump.

The supply side should have one for the skimmer, one for the vac, and one for the bottom drain. I assume the return is just the jets and the waterfall. I didn’t think the jets would have two lines, but that makes sense.

Yep.

Post up on the electrical service.
Do you have interest in automation in the future? That may change answers on pump/SWG.