Why pick an Intelliflo VS versus the VF?

[Tallcane]

Hey everyone, first time posting so bear with me. I have been a pool owner for five years but to be frank, until now I had turned the entire thing over to a professional and ignored the whole subject. Well, the one thing I do know is that my energey cost were significant. I was running a one horsepower pump for a 40X20 pool with a typical deep end of 8 feet (I think this puts me in the 35,000 gallon range); no spa, waterfalls, cleaner. Pool has a lot of trees around it so there was a lot of stuff in the pool; which led to my pool guy running the pump at least 12 hours a day.

Well, a tree came down in a recent storm and crushed everything: pump, filter, pipes. When the tree people come to remove the tree I am having them pull at least ten other trees out in an effort to open the pool up to more sunlight and to reduce the dropping of stuff into the pool. (If it helps anyone, I live in Tallahassee, Florida, which is middle northern Florida).

I have decided to go with the intellflo pumps mainly because I am extremely interested in lowering my energy costs. The set up I am planning on installing is the following:

Pentair Intelliflo ? (not sure whether to go VS, or VS+SVRS or VF)
Pentair Clean and Clear 520 (is there a benefit with going to the clean and clear plus?)
Pentair Intellichlor IC-40

I may go with an EasyTouch depending on how the above is set up and how the cost benefit analysis plays out and I may add a cleaner. Long term, I may add a heater.

The question that I cannot figure out is, how do I pick between the VS and the VF? I get that one controls the speed and one controls the flow. But, for someone who is a neophyte, how do I decide which is a better fit for my system? People seem to hint that the VF when set up appropriately is more efficient and has more options. But, if I plug the VS into the easytouch does it become as effective as the VF? If I get the VF should I not bother with the easytouch since my pool is so simple? Or is the VF overkill? Finally, if I go VS is the VS+SVRS option worth the extra money?

Thanks in advance for everyones help. I am just at a loss on how to make this one decision.

 

[spishex]

They are the same in terms of efficiency, but the brain of the VF knows how much water it's moved vs the VS only knowing how fast it's turning. I prefer the VF for a main filter pump because of it's smarts and the ability to program turnovers. The VS is a good option for things like spa jets and spillovers where you don't care how much water is moved over time, just how much is moving instantaneously. The difference is just the drive on top of the motor. The motor itself is the same. So I prefer the VF just because it does more with the technology.

As for the VS+SVRS, I don't like electronic SVRS systems in general because they don't release suction. They just cut off the pump. I prefer the mechanical systems (Vac Alert is the only one I know of) which will actually allow air into the system and release whatever is entrapped. Think of it as putting your finger over a straw in a glass of water. Lifting the straw is essentially pumping the water up. An electronic shut off just stops you from lifting the straw any further, but the vacuum force is still there since the system is air tight. The Vac Alert takes your finger off the straw and releases the water back into the cup. Does that make sense?

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

The way I look at it is: If you get a $70 flow gauge and an EasyTouch, or other IntelliFlo aware automation system, and are willing to do a little experimentation you can figure out how to adjust the VS to save just as much power as the VF saves. But, if you just want to set one number and forget about it, or you don't have an automation system, the VF is much simpler to setup for maximum power savings and has a built-in pump timer control.

The VS+SVRS is a safety regulations issue. If you don't have a main drain, or you have dual main drains at least 4' apart, then you shouldn't need the SVRS feature. If you do need an SRVS the Vac Alert might be a better choice, though the VS+SRVS can be a cost effective approach for some people.

The true value of an EasyTouch system is not controlling the pump, but controlling other things at the same time. For example if you have an attached spa, or an outdoor lighting system, or a waterfall, etc then the EasyTouch gives you a single control that can control everything. I wouldn't get an EasyTouch just to control the pump. A $100 timer is usually all you need if all you have to control is the pump.