Calimar / B&D 1.5hp or 3 HP Pump

F,

In the old days of single speed pumps, a 3 HP pump would be way too much pump for most pools..

Today, the bigger the pump the better, in most cases.. This is because a VS pump is really variable HP pump.. You just adjust the HP of the pump to match your pool..

With a single speed pump, it was normal to only run the pump for the shortest amount of time possible.. With VS pumps, running 24/7 is now possible for the same cost as running a ceiling fan..

In my opinion, it makes no sense to ever buy a 1.5 HP VS pump. You can always turn a large VS pump down, but you can't turn a small VS pump up..

Because the basic idea behind a VS pump is to run as slow as you can, and still get the job done, pipe size is no longer an issue, in most cases.

While many things were better in the "Good old days," pool pumps are not one of them..

Thanks,

Jim R.

Floatit said:

turn over your water in 24 hours

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F,

The main reason to get a VS pump is to reduce your electrical bill, and to eliminate the pump noise.. That is why you would normally run a VS pump at a low rpm.. But, if for some weird reason a person wanted to run their 3 HP VS pump at full speed, it is not going to blow any plumbing apart.. They just can not generate that kind of pressure. As you pointed out... a 1.5" pipe will only let so much water flow through it.. So it would not make any sense to run faster than the plumbing will allow.

No one here believes in the "Turnover" myth.. It is just not true..

The basic myth says you have to turnover your pool water X times a time to prevent the pool from getting algae..

Your filter's job is not to prevent you from getting algae, it is just there to capture all the junk that falls into your pool and floats..

By the time your filter sees any algae, it is way too late..

Keeping your FC in the proper relationship with your CYA level is what keeps you from getting algae. See this chart. FC/CYA Levels

We don't care if someone wants to turnover their pool water 100 times a day, we just want everyone to know it is not a real requirement to have a clear and sanitized pool.


Thanks,

Jim R.

I've never once calculated my turnover, nor will I ever. But I do sit around bored with all my free time not calculating useless stats, so i make gifs of my sparkles instead.

For this one i wanted to make the skimmer suck them up so I walked briskly down the patio.






Your pool needs to filter what blows into it. That can vary wildly day to day, or even in the same day if the afternoon is breezy in the spring/fall when it was still that morning. Some arbitrary # of turnovers means nothing.

generessler said:

Filtered water is always being mixed back into unfiltered.

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That's the kicker. The turnover charts are another one size fits all assessment that assume all pools circulate/mix the same. VS pumps changed the game here too IMO ranging from slow and steady to hot and heavy. Many pools also have dead zones and it doesn't matter how you try to move that water.

Some pools have 3 skimmers, 6 returns and main drains, others have 1 return and 1 skimmer. The pool may be 12 ft long or 44. Above ground pools add a whole another level of different circulation but are lumped in just the same.

Then the breeze blows and in the days it may take to filter all the debris, the breeze blew again and it's a never ending battle.

I will shamelessly plug #team24/7 at low RPM because I never wonder if I'm doing enough skimming or filtering. I have been overrun at times in the spring and I chuckle and say 'Dang its THAT bad this year' and chill while I wait it out. The $10 or so it costs over what running a schedule would cost is worth every last penny for peace of mind, and twice every last penny because lazy.

generessler said:

I disagree with the "turnover doesn't mean anything" concept in some cases.

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Gene,

I have no problem with people that want to turnover their pools 100 times a day...

My problem is with people that believe that it is necessary to prevent algae..

Thanks,

Jim R.