Is my new Hayward power-flo matrix 1.5hp 2-speed pump dead on arrival?

[cobblucas]

I just "upgraded" from the Hayward single speed 1.5hp power-flo matrix to the 2-speed version of the same pump to save on energy costs by running it 24/7 on low. I have very similar psi output at high speed between the two pumps at 9 psi. Now what puzzles me is that at low speed my gauge is registering 0 psi.

I do feel water coming out of the return at low speed, but it is barely enough to make my skimmer wier gate work. It is pulling surface debris into the skimmer, but the pressure is not enough to pull the junk down into my skimmer net.

What psi should I expect from the low speed or is this just a gimmick pump that should really only be used on high? Does it seem broken at low speed?

 

[jblizzle]

It is not surprising that your gauge reads 0 or near it on low. Mine does too.

Sounds like it is working per design.

On low speed you will get half the flow rate, but use 1/4 the power as on high. Even running on low speed for 24/7 is overkill. You can save 100% of power by not running it all the time

 

[cobblucas]

So is the purpose of the low speed "just" for turning water over and not for skimming debris off the pool surface?

What is the benefits/ use case for the low speed besides electric costs?

i can also feel the return and can sense the flow at low speed is about 1/8 or 1/16 the return flow as high. What should it feel like? Barely turning on a hose or should there be more action then that?

 

[jblizzle]

Low speed saves money. That is about the only reason for it.

Low speed moves half the water as high.

Check the cleanliness of your filter on high speed. If it is dirty, then flow will drop very low on low speed.

 

[cobblucas]

Gotcha.

is there any analogy you can make on what the return flow should feel like when the pump is on low. It does not feel like half the flow as high speed which is what I think you are eluding to.

the filter has been back washed well and rinsed and my high speed flow is on par.

the flow on low is not even strong enough to push my floating chlorinator if I set it in front of the return jet. Is yours the same?

i just want to make sure my pump is not broken is all.

 

[jblizzle]

No. I cannot tell you what it should feel like. Low feels like very little flow ... because it is. For me that is around 20 GPM, divided by 4 return jets and that is ~5 GPM per jet.

I am not eluding to anything. It is a fact that low speed moves roughly half the water as high speed.