Need new pump advice.

[trilaxx]

Hello all, again.

I'm still gaining knowledge in the world of pools so please bare with me. I hopefully have a question that can be answered with ease.

I currently have a Hayward Max-Flo II (C48D31A04) pump, which works fine. I believe it's the original pump from the 1987 pool install. But with its age its eating into our electric bill, plus I wanna upgrade
to the correct pump for the pool. Our pool is around 4700 Gallons with a Hayward Pro Series Sand Filter.

I've done a decent amount of research on pumps and the needed calculations, but most info is about big sized pools(10k Gallons+) and not my giant bathtub

Can I be pointed in the right direction for the correct pump. I'd don't mind paying a higher upfront cost for an efficient and money saving pump over time.

Thanks

 

[mas985]

If your current pump is in decent condition, you could just replace the motor with a two speed motor and save a few bucks.

Also, how long are you running your current pump? That can have a lot to do with energy use:
Pool School - Determine Pump Run Time

plus I wanna upgrade to the correct pump for the pool.

What makes you think your current pump isn't the "correct" the one?

 

[trilaxx]

Based on the avg info I have gathered I have been running the pump for 10 hrs a day on a timer.

With my pool being so small do I really need a pump that can handle a 20k gallon pool, I'd guess there are pumps made for smaller pools.
Ones that would be better suited and more economical.

I'll check into replacing the motor what would work out to.

 

[mas985]

I have a 20k pool and run my pump less than 1/2 as much. Have you ever tried shorter run times? You might be surprised as to how little difference run time actually makes.

Also, the 1 HP MaxFlo is about as small an IG pump as you can get. In fact, it is about the same "size" (i.e. delivers the same flow rates for the same head loss) as my 1/2 HP pump which is why you really can't go by the label HP to size a pump.

 

[trilaxx]

Ya I'm all for running it less, just worried about the water being so stagnate. At this point in Florida it's raining everyday. I dropped the timer from 12pm-6pm that will be half the time I ran it before and ill see how it goes.

Thanks for sticking with me. Really appreciate it.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[Pchase]

Your energy requirement is so small to start with, there isn't much to save so I would just get a low cost pump to circulate and shut it off when you don't need it. You are going to get all of your savings by properly sizing the pump to start with and not from efficiency.

For example, if you ran 20 gpm at 15 psi, the work required is only 0.18 HP and even at 50% efficiency, you would be looking at a 1/2 hp pump only running partially loaded at 0.36 HP. That's about $.03 per hour, so going high efficiency and VFD is only going to save less than one cent per hour. Even running it all the time isn't gong to cost you much. And 15 psi should be on the high side with your operation even lower.

You can see at 20 gpm, you will turn over your pool with a 1/2 HP pump in just over 4 hours. I can't find a curve on a 1/2HP, but would think you could get at least 40 gpm at your operating pressure. For comparison, I pulled up a 3/4 HP Jaccuzzi pump and it will do 75 gpm @ 15 psi (35 feet) and will turn over everything in about an hour. http://cdn.lesliespool.com/wpdf/J-P_curves.pdf