Too Big Pump - downsides?

[xtencornfield]

When we purchased our pool package at the end of the season last year, they only had 2 hp pumps available. Us not really knowing much about pumps, we just went with it (of course, at no point did the pool store tell us that it was way too big for our pool).

Are there any other downsides to this that I should be aware of other than it will be costing us more in electricity (curious as to how much more we'll be using with such a large pump)?

TIA!

 

[JohnT]

Cost is the big one. You can get debris driven through the filter or even damage to the filter in extreme cases with some filters. With the short plumbing runs of an AG pool, it's not as big an issue as with an IG. You might have trouble vacuuming as your pump may starve for water with the hose connected.

Your pool could easily get by with a 1HP pump or maybe even a smaller one. The larger pump may circulate the water faster, so it may not cost twice as much to run it.

 

[KurtG]

What size plumbing do you have? 1 1/2" pipe?? Some filters are less efficient with too high of flow (most notably sand and DE). You can also get cavitation which makes it difficult to vaccum and can damage the pump. Do you have any trouble vacuuming? That's usually where cavitation is first seen. I could not run our old 1.5 HP 2 speed pump on high to vacuum as it would cavitate and loose prime.

 

[xtencornfield]

We have a cartridge filter if that makes any difference?

The pool is still closed (hoping to start opening process tomorrow, weather permitting) but when I vacuumed at the end of last season, I didn't have any problems with suction or the pump seeming to need additional water. I will keep an eye on that though.

ETA: Yes, I'm pretty sure it's 1 1/2" piping.

 

[mas985]

What size plumbing do you have? 1 1/2" pipe?? Some filters are less efficient with too high of flow (most notably sand and DE). You can also get cavitation which makes it difficult to vaccum and can damage the pump. Do you have any trouble vacuuming? That's usually where cavitation is first seen. I could not run our old 1.5 HP 2 speed pump on high to vacuum as it would cavitate and loose prime.

I need to correct something here. You cannot "see" cavitation in a residential pool pump, you can only hear it. Cavitation bubbles can only exist under very extreme suction and once they travel from the inlet to the impeller vanes they collapse so cavitation bubbles can't exist beyond the impeller. And second, cavitation would not cause loss of prime. More than likely what you are experiencing is an air leak and not cavitation. It is actually very hard to cavitate a residential pool pump. Most pumps will suck in air and lose prime well before the pump cavitates. Now here is a pump that you can see and hear cavitation.

We have a cartridge filter if that makes any difference?

What size is the cartridge?

What is the model/brand pump?

 

[xtencornfield]

[

We have a cartridge filter if that makes any difference?

What size is the cartridge?

What is the model/brand pump?

I'm not at home but I'll check later. Both the pump and filter are Hayward, I know that much!

 

[Ohm_Boy]

Now here is a pump that you can see and hear cavitation.

I had a little cavitation on this pump some years ago, but we couldn't see it. You sure could hear it though.
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Oh yeah - it's oversize for a pool.

 

[xtencornfield]

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We have a cartridge filter if that makes any difference?

What size is the cartridge?

What is the model/brand pump?

I'm not at home but I'll check later. Both the pump and filter are Hayward, I know that much!

Didn't have time to get back to this until now (opened our pool in the meantime, whooo!).

I have a Hayward Power-Flo LX 2hp pump and a Hayward Easy-Clear 125 sq ft cartridge filter

 

[mas985]

The filter should be able to handle that pump. The real issue is energy use.

 

[xtencornfield]

The filter should be able to handle that pump. The real issue is energy use.

Ok, thanks. Since I have no idea how much more energy we'll be using, it makes it difficult to decide whether or not it might be beneficial for us to try to get a smaller pump and sell this one...or something.