Hello, I have been an avid fan of this forum for a long time, you have helped through a lot of repairs...thank you.
I really need help on choosing replacement equipment. Please bear with me while I give you some background information, sorry if I ramble or jump around too much....First my 1hp pool motor died, then, after I put my 1.5hp spa motor w/wet end where my 1hp used to be (same 20 year old jacuzzi magnum plus housing) just to keep water circulating, my jacuzzi CFR 100 blew up (lid cracked) after about a week. At this point, since I need a filter (housing leaks a lot...I'm all caulked out!) & pump (housing also leaks), and I really need to replace my Kreepy (20 yrs old) & I want to go back to a salt system (SCG) anyway - I figured I would look at replacing everything, even the spa pump. I have been leaning/looking at Pentair equipment since their extended 3 yr warranty covers the motor & labor (yes, I verified 2x). Also, they seem to have the best reviews for automation with built in SCG (which will save me $$$ if I do both).
I have met with & talked to a lot of pool companies & they all say something different & many have said they only like Hayward for certain things or Jandy automation. Of those that would quote Pentair, some said Superflo, some Whisperflo, & at least half said Intelliflo VS. The other half said the Intelliflo is not worth it because I'll never make the upfront cost back in a reasonable amount of time & replacement parts are very expensive. None, can explain their choice of pump based on flow/gpm/head requirements. Many have also said I have to replace all of my pvc & valves on my pad (see pix below). Can't I reuse valves? If it weren't for the new warranty rules I would do the work myself because it has been so frustrating dealing with the pool companies so far.
When I called Pentair to ask about gpm/head/flow help & help choosing a pump, he said....that I couldn't possibly understand all of the technical details (like service factor, rpm, etc.) & that I shouldn't concern myself with them because a motor running at 3450rpm, whether it is 3/4hp, 1hp, or 1.5hp are all the same, no savings. They will all use the same energy. So if I would just get an intelliflo VS, even if I ran it at 2600 rpm, I would save money. He also said I would not notice a difference between a 1hp Superflo & Whisperflo, & they would cost the same to run as my pump now. He then said that the 3/4 full rated Whisperflo pump is exactly the same as the 1hp uprated & if I have a 1hp pool pump, it would get replaced with a 1hp pump. Is this all true? I have read Hydraulics 101 & more, some I get, some I don't.
I will be adding solar back to the system too (blew off in storm). 1 story house, peak is about 15ft high. When I had it before it basically ran at least 6-8hrs each day. If I ran the pump for 8 hrs, solar ran too. It's rare that solar is not on here. With this in mind, and based on other posts I've read, I feel like the VS pump will have to run at a minimum of 2400+ rpm for the solar & at that rate, may not be worth the upfront cost? Our electric rate is 10 cents kwh. In using the Pentair calculator (at 8hrs/day), 2400rpm would save $241/yr, 2800rpm would save $84/yr (and I'm sure their calculations are on the ideal world side, my plumbing has a lot of 90s). I'm not sure what HP is equivalent to the respective rpms? I can get the pump locally for $999. I tried to do my own calculations for gpm/head loss, etc. I used the Hayward method & the Inyopools method. Hayward got me 32ft TDH, while the other got me 52ft TDH. And with both, how do I factor solar, kreepy, salt, & Raypak 11kw electric back-up heater (do I need to add for them)? My pool is around 11,400 gal. & my spa is around 450 gals. Yes, they are integrated, but I do have a separate spa pump & I think I should keep it that way (based on posts I have read). The spa pump does not have its own filter (the water gets filtered via the pool pump all day), it has 4 jets (I have no idea if the jets are 3/4 or ?). The pipes I see are 1" ID & 1 1/4" OD, but I think that's not the jet size I'm supposed to be finding? I read that keeping the separate spa pump set up I have is better than consolidating, although many pool guys said consolidate with a VS? We use the spa at least once a week.
The pool skimmer plumbing is 1 1/2" although at the pad it is transitioned to 2" & then another 1 1/2" to the pump (guess that may change with new pump). The spa is 2" & has small 1 1/2" at pump inlet. My plumbing is a tight maze, but it works. There are a lot of 90s & ups/downs. The inlet/outlets to the heater are 1 1/2" too. Is it true that a 1 1/2" pipe can only take 60gpm?
At first I was thinking Superflo to save money (saves at least $100 a pump), but I don't want them to be straining or noisy compared to the whisperflo. Reviews have been mixed, although many say the Whisperflo is quieter & made better? I understand that my Jacuzzi Magnum Plus pumps are considered high head pumps & so are the Whisperflos, does that mean my answer must be Whisperflo?
Does anyone have an opinion on the Easy Touch 4 w/IC40 SCG? I have old FAFCO automation that still works, but it's been touchy the last few years (one too many power surges). Also, I can get it locally for $1300, which for automation plus the salt system in one seems like a good deal. Can anyone confirm that my Raypak 11kw heater can be hooked up to it? I think it can. Pentair said yes, but 2 local pool guys said no? For the salt system, does anyone know if it can just be shut off for pool resurfacing or does it have to be removed?
At this point I am just scrambling to get the equipment/prices so I can have my system back up by July4th. I don't have high hopes. I think I may have to just get the new filter (although that may mean plumbing to the pool pump 2x - old pump & then new pump). I was thinking of the new Clean & Clear RP 150, which is why the plumbing might have to happen 2x. Any opinion on it vs the regular clean & clear? price wise, it keeps coming up cheaper or the same price as the regular 150.
I think that covers it for now. Thank you all so much in advance for any advice/help you may provide. I hope I didn't leave anything out.
I really need help on choosing replacement equipment. Please bear with me while I give you some background information, sorry if I ramble or jump around too much....First my 1hp pool motor died, then, after I put my 1.5hp spa motor w/wet end where my 1hp used to be (same 20 year old jacuzzi magnum plus housing) just to keep water circulating, my jacuzzi CFR 100 blew up (lid cracked) after about a week. At this point, since I need a filter (housing leaks a lot...I'm all caulked out!) & pump (housing also leaks), and I really need to replace my Kreepy (20 yrs old) & I want to go back to a salt system (SCG) anyway - I figured I would look at replacing everything, even the spa pump. I have been leaning/looking at Pentair equipment since their extended 3 yr warranty covers the motor & labor (yes, I verified 2x). Also, they seem to have the best reviews for automation with built in SCG (which will save me $$$ if I do both).
I have met with & talked to a lot of pool companies & they all say something different & many have said they only like Hayward for certain things or Jandy automation. Of those that would quote Pentair, some said Superflo, some Whisperflo, & at least half said Intelliflo VS. The other half said the Intelliflo is not worth it because I'll never make the upfront cost back in a reasonable amount of time & replacement parts are very expensive. None, can explain their choice of pump based on flow/gpm/head requirements. Many have also said I have to replace all of my pvc & valves on my pad (see pix below). Can't I reuse valves? If it weren't for the new warranty rules I would do the work myself because it has been so frustrating dealing with the pool companies so far.
When I called Pentair to ask about gpm/head/flow help & help choosing a pump, he said....that I couldn't possibly understand all of the technical details (like service factor, rpm, etc.) & that I shouldn't concern myself with them because a motor running at 3450rpm, whether it is 3/4hp, 1hp, or 1.5hp are all the same, no savings. They will all use the same energy. So if I would just get an intelliflo VS, even if I ran it at 2600 rpm, I would save money. He also said I would not notice a difference between a 1hp Superflo & Whisperflo, & they would cost the same to run as my pump now. He then said that the 3/4 full rated Whisperflo pump is exactly the same as the 1hp uprated & if I have a 1hp pool pump, it would get replaced with a 1hp pump. Is this all true? I have read Hydraulics 101 & more, some I get, some I don't.
I will be adding solar back to the system too (blew off in storm). 1 story house, peak is about 15ft high. When I had it before it basically ran at least 6-8hrs each day. If I ran the pump for 8 hrs, solar ran too. It's rare that solar is not on here. With this in mind, and based on other posts I've read, I feel like the VS pump will have to run at a minimum of 2400+ rpm for the solar & at that rate, may not be worth the upfront cost? Our electric rate is 10 cents kwh. In using the Pentair calculator (at 8hrs/day), 2400rpm would save $241/yr, 2800rpm would save $84/yr (and I'm sure their calculations are on the ideal world side, my plumbing has a lot of 90s). I'm not sure what HP is equivalent to the respective rpms? I can get the pump locally for $999. I tried to do my own calculations for gpm/head loss, etc. I used the Hayward method & the Inyopools method. Hayward got me 32ft TDH, while the other got me 52ft TDH. And with both, how do I factor solar, kreepy, salt, & Raypak 11kw electric back-up heater (do I need to add for them)? My pool is around 11,400 gal. & my spa is around 450 gals. Yes, they are integrated, but I do have a separate spa pump & I think I should keep it that way (based on posts I have read). The spa pump does not have its own filter (the water gets filtered via the pool pump all day), it has 4 jets (I have no idea if the jets are 3/4 or ?). The pipes I see are 1" ID & 1 1/4" OD, but I think that's not the jet size I'm supposed to be finding? I read that keeping the separate spa pump set up I have is better than consolidating, although many pool guys said consolidate with a VS? We use the spa at least once a week.
The pool skimmer plumbing is 1 1/2" although at the pad it is transitioned to 2" & then another 1 1/2" to the pump (guess that may change with new pump). The spa is 2" & has small 1 1/2" at pump inlet. My plumbing is a tight maze, but it works. There are a lot of 90s & ups/downs. The inlet/outlets to the heater are 1 1/2" too. Is it true that a 1 1/2" pipe can only take 60gpm?
At first I was thinking Superflo to save money (saves at least $100 a pump), but I don't want them to be straining or noisy compared to the whisperflo. Reviews have been mixed, although many say the Whisperflo is quieter & made better? I understand that my Jacuzzi Magnum Plus pumps are considered high head pumps & so are the Whisperflos, does that mean my answer must be Whisperflo?
Does anyone have an opinion on the Easy Touch 4 w/IC40 SCG? I have old FAFCO automation that still works, but it's been touchy the last few years (one too many power surges). Also, I can get it locally for $1300, which for automation plus the salt system in one seems like a good deal. Can anyone confirm that my Raypak 11kw heater can be hooked up to it? I think it can. Pentair said yes, but 2 local pool guys said no? For the salt system, does anyone know if it can just be shut off for pool resurfacing or does it have to be removed?
At this point I am just scrambling to get the equipment/prices so I can have my system back up by July4th. I don't have high hopes. I think I may have to just get the new filter (although that may mean plumbing to the pool pump 2x - old pump & then new pump). I was thinking of the new Clean & Clear RP 150, which is why the plumbing might have to happen 2x. Any opinion on it vs the regular clean & clear? price wise, it keeps coming up cheaper or the same price as the regular 150.
I think that covers it for now. Thank you all so much in advance for any advice/help you may provide. I hope I didn't leave anything out.