Replacing pump with Calimar VS

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I am very happy with mine. The manual isn't perfect but the pump rocks. I have mine running 16 hours at 1200 rpm and 8 at 2500 for the vacuum cleaner. When running on the slow speed I have to get next to the pump to know it is running. It gets louder than my old pump at 3450 rpm, but the fastest I run it is 3000 rpm for 2 minutes of priming schedule. While I did 2" piping around the pump and swg, most of my plumbing is 1.5" and 1.25".
 
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mShark said:
I am very happy with mine. The manual isn't perfect but the pump rocks. I have mine running 16 hours at 1200 rpm and 8 at 2500 for the vacuum cleaner. When running on the slow speed I have to get next to the pump to know it is running. It gets louder than my old pump at 3450 rpm, but the fastest I run it is 3000 rpm for 2 minutes of priming schedule. While I did 2" piping around the pump and swg, most of my plumbing is 1.5" and 1.25".
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Thanks. What kind of vacuum do you have? I have a booster pump with a Polaris so I guess I would just bump the RPMs of the calimat while it's on? Is there any benefit to upgrading the exposed pipe to 2" like you did? Are you happy with the freeze protection? That's a feature I really want so I don't have to adjust schedules in the winter.

Thanks!
 
So a couple of things. I also replaced my Hayward super pump II with a 3hp Calimar in 09/24 and I'm very happy with its performance.
You'll want to make sure to install the pump with unions when doing this redo. And this was NOT a drop-in replacement for my super pump and replumbing was involved (I used 2 -11.25 schd 40 elbows with a short stubs) I do have 2" inch plumbing so no issue for me but I guess you'll be using a reducer 2" to 1 1/2 " . See photo'

My freeze protection is active in programing however my winter here hasn't been cold enough for it to activate but I've seen other post on here stating all good with that feature.
 

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I have a Polaris MAXX suction cleaner so the pump has to be running at least 1500 rpm for it to move, but 2000 rpm helps it climb walls. I'm not sure you would need to run the VSP at a higher speed during cleaning if you have a seperate booster pump. I agree the Calimar 3HP was not a drop-in replacement for my old pump. I took it as an opportunity to replumb my situation. I would also agree that you should get the offered unions to connect the pump. The freeze protection came on and functioned after figuring out how to program it correctly.
 
ckh1980 said:
I have a booster pump with a Polaris so I guess I would just bump the RPMs of the calimat while it's on?
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With a booster pump and Polaris cleaner there is no reason to run VSP at a higher speed during cleaning intervals. When selecting the minimum VSP speed just make sure that your SWCG's flow switch is satisfied and the skimmers are still effective in collecting debris from the pool surface.
 
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I use a Zodiac G3 suction cleaner with the Calimar 3hp. It works fine at 3000rpm in my small 6800 gallon pool, but I run it at 3200 instead for 40 mins once a day, as it seems to climb the walls better at the higher rpm, I run it at 1000 rpm for 2 and half hrs before the 4pm clean then couple hours after at 1000 rpm also.

Let us know how you get on with it

One think I dont like compared to my old pump is you cant reach the impeller easily from the basket - With old pump I used to reach in and check the impeller turned (with power off and isolated of course!) as I once had a problem with spines from the bird of paradise flower bushes jamming it up.
 
Pete from UK but in Vegas said:
I use a Zodiac G3 suction cleaner with the Calimar 3hp. It works fine at 3000rpm in my small 6800 gallon pool, but I run it at 3200 instead for 40 mins once a day, as it seems to climb the walls better at the higher rpm, I run it at 1000 rpm for 2 and half hrs before the 4pm clean then couple hours after at 1000 rpm also.

Let us know how you get on with it

One think I dont like compared to my old pump is you cant reach the impeller easily from the basket - With old pump I used to reach in and check the impeller turned (with power off and isolated of course!) as I once had a problem with spines from the bird of paradise flower bushes jamming it up.
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I will Pete. I'm excited to get the pump and see the improvements. I was looking at the big names based on reviews and what my friends recommended, but for my requirements, I just don't see the value in a $2000 Intelliflo when I could literally buy 4 Calimars if I had to.
 
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ckh1980 said:
when I could literally buy 4 Calimars if I had to.
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Even if i had to, which statistically i wouldnt, I'd thumb my nose to Big Pump that they didn't fleece me while buying the 4th pump. :ROFLMAO:

I built my 2nd pool during the shortages and the Calimars were too new to consider. I was unhappy enough with the $1800 I paid, but I settled on just being happy i secured an intelloflo when everything was scarce. A few years later the Calimars are going as strong as anybody else, and I just saw my intellifo for $2499 the other day. Yeah. No.
 
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Hey mShark

You still liking your Calimar? Also I’ve read other people re-pipe the plumbing in the equipment area to 2” even running 1.5” underground. What benefit does doing 2” for equipment?

mShark said:
I am very happy with mine. The manual isn't perfect but the pump rocks. I have mine running 16 hours at 1200 rpm and 8 at 2500 for the vacuum cleaner. When running on the slow speed I have to get next to the pump to know it is running. It gets louder than my old pump at 3450 rpm, but the fastest I run it is 3000 rpm for 2 minutes of priming schedule. While I did 2" piping around the pump and swg, most of my plumbing is 1.5" and 1.25".
Click to expand...
 
It is working well for me. I have it plumbed 2" at the pump I don't know that there is a benefit but in my case I was replacing valves and such so 2" required the least connections and adapters to glue.
 
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