Pump Replacement

[javier2960]

Good evening everyone, I need to replace my pool pump, since the original pump was undersized and it is going out. I got recommendations from two pool supply stores and recommend an intelliflo 3HP programmable variable speed pump. A programmable variable speed is what the State of California mandates.
But when I called Pentair tech support to get specification for the intelliflo 3HP pump, he asked me about the size of the existing filter, intelliflo tech recommended a 2HP pump instead of the 3HP recommended by the pool supply stores, because the 3HP is too big for the existing filter, I talked to the pool supply store techs and said that the existing filter will handle the 3HP just fine.

The question is, What size pump to get? is the existing filter too small for my pool? Can the existing filter work fine with a 3HP pump?

I currently have a Pentair 1/2 HP pump one speed, Pentair D.E. SMBW2060 filter. Pool and SPA= 19k gal.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Javier,

Sounds wrong to me.. I have two rent house pools with DE filters. One with a 48 Sq Ft. filter and another with a 60 Sq Ft filter like yours. Both have the 3HP Intelliflo pumps. They seem to work fine for me. I suppose if I ran them at full RPM for an extended period of time I "might" have an issue, but why in the world would I do that. The entire purpose of having a VS pump is so that you can run them at the speed(s) you want. Max HP has little to do with it.

Jim R.

 

[WASP]

I would tend to trust the pump company rep over a sales guy at the pool,store. Does the pool store only have the 3hp pumps in stock? My local store only stocks the 3hp pumps. I checked prices a couple of months ago and could buy the same pump on Amazon for 60% of what local store wanted. Check prices, big variation for same items.

Why do you say your pump is undersized?

 

[mas985]

since the original pump was undersized

That is almost never the case for an IG pump. Why do you say it was undersized?

A programmable variable speed is what the State of California mandates.

Not exactly. See Below:

http://www.energy.ca.gov/2015publications/CEC-400-2015-021/CEC-400-2015-021.pdf Page 188

Residential Pool Pump Motors. Residential pool pump motors with a pool
pump motor capacity of 1 HP or greater which are manufactured on or after
January 1, 2010, shall have the capability of operating at two or more speeds with
a low speed having a rotation rate that is no more than one‐half of the motorʹs
maximum rotation rate. The pump motor must be operated with a pump control
that shall have the capability of operating the pump at least at two speeds.

You can use up to a 1 HP single speed or any two speed pump.



Also a VS pump is variable size so you can just limit the RPM for whatever filter size you might have. But a DE filter can easily handle about 2 GPM/sq-ft so that would be 120 GPM. I doubt very much if the Intelliflo can hit that even at full speed so I don't think you have any worries.

 

[javier2960]

Thank you, no, Both of the pool supply stores have 1,2 and 3HP pumps, when I asked them which one to go for they said that either a 2HP or a 3HP, but to go with the 3HP since they are the same price.

 

[chiefwej]

I have the same size (60sq.ft.) filter and I've been using an Inteliflow 3 hp pump for some time now. No problems. I have no idea why anyone would recommend the smaller pump, unless to save money on the initial purchase. The 3hp can be set to any speed you need. You can even set the maximum speed for safety (which means to exceed that speed would require a two-step process). The programmability and flexibility of the pump is unbeatable. Once you get past the initial cost of the pump, it can reduce your energy costs dramatically. Even though it has 3hp available, most of the time my pump runs at 1,000 rpm and uses as much power as a single 100watt bulb.

By the way, in my system with all intakes and returns open, at full speed the pump will move about 85 gpm, and (as said) the filter is rated at 120.

 

[javier2960]

Thank you very much, this is what I was looking for, people that are using this equipment and know from own experience if there are any problems using this 3 hp pump with this filter. I will replace it with the 3 hp.