Efficient Pool Pump - 24hr use low flow

[ewsb]

Does anyone have a recommendation for an efficient pool pump. I want to run it 24 hrs (to ensure the heater and heat pump can operate) but in order to keep costs down am trying to approximate 1 turn per day and thus need about 10GPM. I have been told that the Pentair Intellitouch while very efficient is not efficient at this low flow rate. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[JasonLion]

Take a look at the Pentair WhisperFlo WFDS-3 3/4 HP dual speed. On low speed it is about the size you were talking about and you have the option of turning it up to high speed should you need more flow.

 

[mas985]

Does anyone have a recommendation for an efficient pool pump. I want to run it 24 hrs (to ensure the heater and heat pump can operate) but in order to keep costs down am trying to approximate 1 turn per day and thus need about 10GPM. I have been told that the Pentair Intellitouch while very efficient is not efficient at this low flow rate. Any help would be appreciated.

First, it is unlikely that any heater or heat pump will operate at 10 GPM since they generally require much higher flow rates (20-40 GPM). I would double check the specs on your heat pump.

Second, I don't think there is a pool pump on the market that will efficiently run at 10 GPM although the Intelliflo would be your best option but depending on your plumbing, 10 GPM may not be possible. Someone on this site did say they got one to run down at 15 GPM but that is the lowest I have heard of.

At very low RPM, there is diminishing returns so running at 20 GPM may cost about the same as 15 GPM so you might as well run at 20 GPM. The Intelliflo peak efficiency is about 1000 RPM at about 170 watts and flow rates will be between 25-45 GPM depending on the plumbing. 400 RPM runs at about 100 watts and flow rates will be between 10-20 GPM which is still pretty good but not as good as 1000 RPM (more than twice the flow rate for less than twice the power).

 

[ewsb]

Minimum flow for HEat Pump

Many thanks - you are correct the minimum flow if 20 GPM - maybe I will look at the 2 speed Whisperflo?

 

[mas985]

The two speed 3/4 HP Whisperflo is likely to be between 25-40 GPM on low speed and run close to 500 watts. So it won't be as efficient as the Intelliflo but it will cost a lot less.

 

[JasonLion]

I was under the impression that the efficiency of the IntelliFlo dropped off dramatically at the lowest speeds. Rereading this thread more carefully it looks like I was wrong. It isn't a question of the speed, rather it is a question of where you fall on the head curve.

So the only limitation is that the IntelliFlo won't go as slowly as required to get down to the 10 GPM rate desired in this siutation. The WhisperFlo I suggested is just about the smallest pump you can get for this application, yet I now see that the IntelliFlo's lowest speed is lower power still. In theory you could get an even smaller pump and adapt it somehow, though 600 GPH pumps are normally setup for 1/2" or 3/4" pipe and won't have any hope of priming a system above water level.

 

[ewsb]

Thanks - great input - I think I will go with intelliflo

 

[peterl1365]

Thanks - great input - I think I will go with intelliflo

Good choice. One thing you may find is that extended low-speed filtration isn't very good for surface skimming. I find it useful to run my 4x160 at around 2500 rpm for 45-60 minutes once per day. This helps a great deal in getting all the floating junk our of my pool.

 

[ewsb]

Thanks - good point - As I have to the pool cover on most of the time - when not is use - that helps.