My old Waterway pump died and I'm in need of guidance from clearer thinkers than me

[paaccc]

My old pump/motor is no longer among the living. I have been searching for a suitable replacement for two days now and am honestly more confused than when I started. There is certainly a wealth of information out there, but the sheer volume has me overwhelmed. I'd like to get some opinions on what direction to go. I've been lurking on these boards for some time now and really appreciate the knowledge and welcome atmosphere that is present everywhere I look.


My current setup is a 24' above ground round pool with 1 1/2" fittings all around and a Waterway SD-15-1N11CC 1HP setup with an EcoKleer 19" sand filter with a max flow rate of 45 gpm and 2 sqft of surface area. I have been using the methods found on TFP and am pretty much just using chlorine and the occasional supplementary additive to keep my chemistry in check. I generally try to run my pump 4-6 hours a day, but with that flow rate, I am thinking that might not be enough. I live in middle Tennesee and have considered leaving the pool functional all year round, but have not done so as yet. I mainly use a manual suction attachent to clean the pool and have no water features.


I was originally just going to replace the pump/motor assembly itself, but then made the mistake of looking at two-speed pumps. This led me to VS pumps which took up about the next 4 hours of my life before I decided that the cost vs benefit wouldn't end up benefitting me enough to justify the cost (though if I started running more hours daily, that ratio might lean more towards the benefit side). Now I'm considering getting a cartridge filter system, but I'm stil having a tough time deciding and I'd love some input on what I'm looking at. All links are Amazon to make comparison easier for me.


For just replacing the pump itself, I am considering the Hayward SP1580 Power-Flo LX Series 1-Horsepower Pool Pump with Cord for $164.


1 HP 2-Speed 3450/1725 RPM, 115 volts Above Ground Pool Pump - Waterway brand for $200. This would give me the two-speed capability for a reasonable price. I've read mixed reviews on whether a 2 speed is worth it or not, but I'm giving it some consideration.


As for the cartridge filter, I am looking at the following:


Pentair PNCC0075OE1160 Clean and Clear Aboveground Cartridge Pool and Spa Filter System, 1 HP for $392. I have heard nothing but goodness from the Pentair camp. This is more than I had wanted to spend, but with the increased flow rate, it would allow me to reduce the hours required to turn the water over. So far, this is on the top of my list of possibilities.


Hayward CC10092S Above-Ground Xstream 100-Square-Foot 1-Horsepower Full-Flow Element Filter System for $410. Same reasoning as above for the most part.

My last entry would be the Hayward CC100922S 100 Square Feet XStream Above Ground Full-Flow Cartridge Filter System with 2 Speed Power-Flo Matrix Pump for $585. Even more than I had intended to spend, but it has the added benefit of a 2 speed for roughly $200 more.

Also, would I benefit at all from bumping up to a 1.5 HP motor? More $, but would it be too big for my pool? Thanks in advance!

 

[duraleigh]

I can't help much with your pump selection other than to say your filter isn't nearly big enough to consider 1.5 hp.

In fact, if your current pump is a full rated 1 hp, it is already too big for your filter.

 

[paaccc]

I can't help much with your pump selection other than to say your filter isn't nearly big enough to consider 1.5 hp.

In fact, if your current pump is a full rated 1 hp, it is already too big for your filter.

My apologies, I meant a hypothetical upgrade of the pump AND filter to a 1.5 hp matched set. I was more wondering if that would be too much for my pool.

As for the current pump being too large, it may be. It is a BN25 rated at 1 hp with a service factor of 1. The pool was here when we bought the house and I did notice that sand was getting all over the place. I disassembled it last year and found that it had fallen apart inside and there was very little sand left. I replaced the sand, put it back together properly and haven't had a problem since, but that doesn't mean I won't in the future. The long term durability of the filter has been on my mind which is another reason why I was considering a replacement. On that note however, should the proper size motor for that filter be a 3/4 horse? I had assumed that it was a matched set, but who knows...

Thanks!