- Jul 17, 2009
- 61
Hello all,
As a result of my impatience + leaking/rusted pump i probably need to buy a new pump and thus would like to pick the best for my setup.
(thread on why i probably need new pump)
tried-to-fix-my-old-ultra-flow-pump-now-need-a-new-pump-t27097.html
Since I can get a $300 rebate if i buy a two speed pump WITH controller, or variable speed, i would not even consider single speed.
My existing pump was the Pentair/American products Ultra Flow 1.5HP Full rated. From its manual I believe it is curve D.
I have solar panels mounted on 1 story house roof at a height of about 16 feet at peak. Total of 10 Fafco panels in two groups (on two roofs) plumbed with 2" PVC. From the solar diverter at the pad, it runs about 80 feet then 8 feet up into the 1st panel. From the last panel, there is a run of about 80-100 feet of 2" back to equipment.
All the plumbing is 2".
Suction includes 12 feet from skimmer that has two equalizer drains on the wall 3 feet apart. and 1.5" line that comes from a cleaner into 3 way jandy and into the pump. After the pump it goes to a 60 sqft DE Pentair 4000 filter, than to a check valve and into the 3 way solar diverter. The return goes from the TEE to a pool heater (325 kBTU), then to my IC40 and to the pool with 2" that goes to 4 eyeballs.
With filter clean and (old ultra flow) pump fully primed:
Without solar:
Filter at 15-16 PSI
With Solar:
Filter at 26-28 PSI
Now I'm not totally sure if the pump was perfectly sized, but it sure did the job. ( I think running at 30 PSI is not optimum...)
From my calculations it seems like my head was about 45 with no solar, and 68 with solar. using curve D, I was at 105 GPM with no solar and about 78-80 GPM with solar. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
The filter has a 116GPM as a flow rate (optimal flow rate??)
The intellichlor IC40 is commanding flow up to 25-105 GPM... (or use bypass)
I'm debating between the WhisperFlow WFDS-6 (1.5HP FR FR at high speed little stronger than my old one) , WFDS-4 (1.0 HP little weaker than my old one), or the Jandy ePump 1.5HP that could be tuned to my application "on the fly"
I tabulated the Flow rates:
HEAD Ultra Flow WhisperFlow 1.5HP WhisperFlow 1.0HP ePUMP at max RPM
40 110 124 100 147
50 100 112 90 132
60 90 98 76 106
70 75 85 63 85
80 60 65 43 NA
I found that i can get the:
Whisper Flow 1.5 HP or 1.0HP with 2 speed controller (intermatic P1353ME for $180) for total $785 (different vendors, but price was pretty much same for 1.5 or 1.0) (remember i need the 2 spd controller to get $300 back from DWP)
ePump with wall mounted controller for $1089
What should i do? go with the 1.5HP 2 spd, and see even higher pressures with solar ( I assume I will run high speed for solar, low speed for filtering), or get the 1.0HP 2 spd, and thus save money when operating with solar albeit run little longer now I'm not sure if there will be any savings, maybe just less stress on the plumbing) Will the 1.0HP be enough? I'm afraid its low speed might be too weak to even use for filtration only...
Or maybe invest $300 more to get the ePump. I pay about $0.12 per KWH.
huge thanks for the help....
As a result of my impatience + leaking/rusted pump i probably need to buy a new pump and thus would like to pick the best for my setup.
(thread on why i probably need new pump)
tried-to-fix-my-old-ultra-flow-pump-now-need-a-new-pump-t27097.html
Since I can get a $300 rebate if i buy a two speed pump WITH controller, or variable speed, i would not even consider single speed.
My existing pump was the Pentair/American products Ultra Flow 1.5HP Full rated. From its manual I believe it is curve D.
I have solar panels mounted on 1 story house roof at a height of about 16 feet at peak. Total of 10 Fafco panels in two groups (on two roofs) plumbed with 2" PVC. From the solar diverter at the pad, it runs about 80 feet then 8 feet up into the 1st panel. From the last panel, there is a run of about 80-100 feet of 2" back to equipment.
All the plumbing is 2".
Suction includes 12 feet from skimmer that has two equalizer drains on the wall 3 feet apart. and 1.5" line that comes from a cleaner into 3 way jandy and into the pump. After the pump it goes to a 60 sqft DE Pentair 4000 filter, than to a check valve and into the 3 way solar diverter. The return goes from the TEE to a pool heater (325 kBTU), then to my IC40 and to the pool with 2" that goes to 4 eyeballs.
With filter clean and (old ultra flow) pump fully primed:
Without solar:
Filter at 15-16 PSI
With Solar:
Filter at 26-28 PSI
Now I'm not totally sure if the pump was perfectly sized, but it sure did the job. ( I think running at 30 PSI is not optimum...)
From my calculations it seems like my head was about 45 with no solar, and 68 with solar. using curve D, I was at 105 GPM with no solar and about 78-80 GPM with solar. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
The filter has a 116GPM as a flow rate (optimal flow rate??)
The intellichlor IC40 is commanding flow up to 25-105 GPM... (or use bypass)
I'm debating between the WhisperFlow WFDS-6 (1.5HP FR FR at high speed little stronger than my old one) , WFDS-4 (1.0 HP little weaker than my old one), or the Jandy ePump 1.5HP that could be tuned to my application "on the fly"
I tabulated the Flow rates:
HEAD Ultra Flow WhisperFlow 1.5HP WhisperFlow 1.0HP ePUMP at max RPM
40 110 124 100 147
50 100 112 90 132
60 90 98 76 106
70 75 85 63 85
80 60 65 43 NA
I found that i can get the:
Whisper Flow 1.5 HP or 1.0HP with 2 speed controller (intermatic P1353ME for $180) for total $785 (different vendors, but price was pretty much same for 1.5 or 1.0) (remember i need the 2 spd controller to get $300 back from DWP)
ePump with wall mounted controller for $1089
What should i do? go with the 1.5HP 2 spd, and see even higher pressures with solar ( I assume I will run high speed for solar, low speed for filtering), or get the 1.0HP 2 spd, and thus save money when operating with solar albeit run little longer now I'm not sure if there will be any savings, maybe just less stress on the plumbing) Will the 1.0HP be enough? I'm afraid its low speed might be too weak to even use for filtration only...
Or maybe invest $300 more to get the ePump. I pay about $0.12 per KWH.
huge thanks for the help....