Should I be concerned or content?

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iam4iam

iam4iam

LifeTime Supporter
May 5, 2012
257
Johnson City, TN
Due to unintentional negligence (pump running dry) that I didn't previously have to be concerned with when I was living where the pool is--I just had to address a squealing pump for the second time since 2022. The first time, I replaced the motor to save $, but I remembered it being such a pain, and resulting in a slow leak (drip) which I just put up with. This time, to avoid the hassle, I decided I would just buy a new pump. Well I found price shock! The single speed MaxFlo-XL I bought in 2017 for $300 is no longer available and the least expensive replacement was about twice that. Without confidence that the aforementioned "negligence" won't happen again well before the normal life expectancy of a new pump, I couldn't bring myself to spend that much for a replacement, so I went out on a limb and purchased this Vevor pump from Lowe's. Specs are very similar to the Hayward pump it is replacing:
Maxflo-XL: 3/4 HP, 0.75 kW, 3450 RPM
Vevor: 1 HP, 0.75 kW, 3250 RPM

The "problem" I'm encountering is that is just doesn't seem to have the same force as the Hayward. I'm am fairly confident there is so suction-side leak, but it won't completely prime. I see some air in the top of the pump basket. Also, the phenomenon of air in the top of the pump basket as pressure increases is much more pronounced that it was with the Hayward. (Pump basket not even full at 12 PSI, whereas the Hayward showed no air at all until >14 PSI.) All this is making me wonder whether the Vevor for some reason just isn't as "powerful" as the Hayward, even though specs are almost identical.

Since the new pump seems to "get the job done"--that is, sufficiently circulate the pool water even though it doesn't completely primes, should I be concerned or content?
 
iam4iam said:
Due to unintentional negligence (pump running dry) that I didn't previously have to be concerned with when I was living where the pool is--I just had to address a squealing pump for the second time since 2022. The first time, I replaced the motor to save $, but I remembered it being such a pain, and resulting in a slow leak (drip) which I just put up with. This time, to avoid the hassle, I decided I would just buy a new pump. Well I found price shock! The single speed MaxFlo-XL I bought in 2017 for $300 is no longer available and the least expensive replacement was about twice that. Without confidence that the aforementioned "negligence" won't happen again well before the normal life expectancy of a new pump, I couldn't bring myself to spend that much for a replacement, so I went out on a limb and purchased this Vevor pump from Lowe's. Specs are very similar to the Hayward pump it is replacing:
Maxflo-XL: 3/4 HP, 0.75 kW, 3450 RPM
Vevor: 1 HP, 0.75 kW, 3250 RPM

The "problem" I'm encountering is that is just doesn't seem to have the same force as the Hayward. I'm am fairly confident there is so suction-side leak, but it won't completely prime. I see some air in the top of the pump basket. Also, the phenomenon of air in the top of the pump basket as pressure increases is much more pronounced that it was with the Hayward. (Pump basket not even full at 12 PSI, whereas the Hayward showed no air at all until >14 PSI.) All this is making me wonder whether the Vevor for some reason just isn't as "powerful" as the Hayward, even though specs are almost identical.

Since the new pump seems to "get the job done"--that is, sufficiently circulate the pool water even though it doesn't completely primes, should I be concerned or content?
Click to expand...
Almost identical isn't. The MaxFlo was/is a very good pump. Is this an in-ground pool?
Give it a try since you have it. That 200RPM difference will likely be why the output doesn't seem as strong, because it isn't at less RPM. That's also why they call it a "low noise" pump and, if this is an in-ground pool, it doesn't seem to prime completely.
 
iam4iam said:
Due to unintentional negligence (pump running dry) that I didn't previously have to be concerned with when I was living where the pool is--I just had to address a squealing pump for the second time since 2022. The first time, I replaced the motor to save $, but I remembered it being such a pain, and resulting in a slow leak (drip) which I just put up with. This time, to avoid the hassle, I decided I would just buy a new pump. Well I found price shock! The single speed MaxFlo-XL I bought in 2017 for $300 is no longer available and the least expensive replacement was about twice that. Without confidence that the aforementioned "negligence" won't happen again well before the normal life expectancy of a new pump, I couldn't bring myself to spend that much for a replacement, so I went out on a limb and purchased this Vevor pump from Lowe's. Specs are very similar to the Hayward pump it is replacing:
Maxflo-XL: 3/4 HP, 0.75 kW, 3450 RPM
Vevor: 1 HP, 0.75 kW, 3250 RPM

The "problem" I'm encountering is that is just doesn't seem to have the same force as the Hayward. I'm am fairly confident there is so suction-side leak, but it won't completely prime. I see some air in the top of the pump basket. Also, the phenomenon of air in the top of the pump basket as pressure increases is much more pronounced that it was with the Hayward. (Pump basket not even full at 12 PSI, whereas the Hayward showed no air at all until >14 PSI.) All this is making me wonder whether the Vevor for some reason just isn't as "powerful" as the Hayward, even though specs are almost identical.

Since the new pump seems to "get the job done"--that is, sufficiently circulate the pool water even though it doesn't completely primes, should I be concerned or content?
Click to expand...
The Vevor motor products are kinda known to fudge their horsepower rating. I had one for an air compressor I refurbished and its substantially over marketed as 5hp (in reality closer to 3.5hp)
 
1poolman1 said:
Almost identical isn't. The MaxFlo was/is a very good pump. Is this an in-ground pool?
Give it a try since you have it. That 200RPM difference will likely be why the output doesn't seem as strong, because it isn't at less RPM. That's also why they call it a "low noise" pump and, if this is an in-ground pool, it doesn't seem to prime completely.
Click to expand...
Like I said, it seems to "get the job done." I assume that the lack of complete prime, if not a suction leak, is due to lower flow rate, meaning that it's not a problem per se, and I'll just need to probably run a bit longer to get the same turnover. Is this an accurate analysis?
 
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