Help with replacing pump and filter

[sjweber]

I'm in my 4th year of owning a pool and have decided to replace the pump and filter.

I have a 20x40 in ground plaster/gunite pool. 3 ft to 9 ft @ 36000 gallons. The pool was built in 1984 and has been maintained very well. Current pump is a 2 HP MagneTek Centurion with a cartridge filter. Filter size/capacity is unknown as any and all marking have either fade or are missing. I can tell you that it is a stainless steel drum that holds 3 cartridges.

From the looks of the pump and filter it may be the original equipment from when the pool was built but I have no idea for sure. Both still function but their time is limited and I'm trying to be proactive.

I'm attaching a pdf of the layout with the lengths of the PVC runs. The pool has 8 floor cleaning jets that run off a central location. I have no idea how the PVC runs to the jets. There are 5 PVC runs from the control box and how the 5 runs connect to the 8 ports is unknown. The pool is also built into the side of a hill and the pump and filter sit 2 to 3 feet below the pool deck level so all PVC runs are up hill except for maybe the floor drain on the 9 ft end and some of the floor jets.

I'd like to put in a quite 2 speed pump with a slightly oversized filter since the PVC is only 1-1/2. Looking for pump specs, filter sizing and recommendations. Any help would be appreciated.

TIA.

_________________
Steve W.
Cincinnati, OH

 

[duraleigh]

Hi, Steve,

I think your on the right track with a 2-speed (about 1.0, full-rated) and larger filter. The caveat is that floor cleaning system. It may well require some extra HP to be effective. I think I'd try to track down the manufacturer and get their advice. I'm not sure we have too many in-floor cleaning experts on board here but perhaps someone else will chime in with additional information.

BTW, welcome to the forum! :lol:

 

[mas985]

I agree with Dave that you will probably need a pump that is at least as powerful as your current version for the floor cleaner.

It is likely that your current pump is what would be considered an uprated pump. If you can look for the service factor information on the label, that would help.

Also, are you satisfied with the way the floor cleaners work? If not, you may want to consider something with a bit higher BHP.

My guess at this point is that a 1.5 HP full rated Whisperflo 2 speed (WFDS-6) is probably close to what you have and may be a bit stronger.

Another great option if money is not a concern, is the Intelliflo. It will allow you to optimize for the floor cleaners while givening you the option to run at lower speeds for general circulation and save a ton in the process.

 

[sjweber]

Thanks to both of you for the feedback so far.

I've looked at the pump motor and this is what I've got.

MagneTek Centurion
Switchless motor
No Switch
No Governor
HP - 2.0
AMPS SF 10.5
SF 1.20
RPM 3450
230 Volts

I did find a little info on the filter as well but no model number.

Polymeric Media
ModuFilter - Engineered by Wet Institute

The floor jets work well for the most part as long as the filters are clean but once the PSI hits around 15 they're not very affective without diverting full return to them and very little or nothing to the wall return.

Price is not the driving decision as the pump and filter sit just below our dining room window and with the window open the pump noise can be a bit annoying. So I'm willing to pay for a better pump if it will truly cut down on the noise and save $$$ in the long run.

One other thing, If I go with a 2-speed pump will I need a control panel to switch the speeds or is there a toggle on the pump for control?

 

[mas985]

So the BHP of that pump is about 2.4 which is slightly above the Whisperflo 1.5 HP (2.2 BHP) and slightly below the Whisperflo 2.0 HP (2.6 BHP). But the Whisperflo is probably more efficient than your current pump and so the 1.5 HP (2.2 BHP) pump is probably enough.

However, if noise and energy costs are a concern, then I would encourage you to take a look at the Intelliflo. Because of the flexibility in the pump, it will run the most efficient in any number of different conditions. So you can set the speed higher when you need it for the floor jets and even higher when the filter gets dirty. Most of the time you can run it on one of the lower speeds which will be very quite and energy efficient. The extra cost for the pump is usually payed within 2 years of running it (depending on how long your season is).

You don't need a special controller for the 2 speed, a toggle switch will do, but a controller is still nice to have so that high speed can kick in when the floor jets are on.

The Intelliflo is similar to a 2 speed although with many speed available. You don't need a controller with the Intelliflo since you can control the speeds manually but again, it is nice to have so that the speeds will automatically switch when the floor jets come on.

 

[sjweber]

There are 2 different Intelliflo's listed and just wanted to make sure either could handle the pool size. Looks like the 2.3KW Programmable w/ Display Screen will be nice as I will not need to get an additional control panel to control it.

- INTELLIFLO 4 x 160 Manual Variable Speed
- INTELLIFLO 3.2KW Programmable w/ Display Screen

Now that a pump has been spec'd out any recommendation on a filter?

 

[JasonLion]

The both have exactly the same motor and pump. The less expensive one lets you select the speed. The more expensive one has a flow meter and some fairly fancy programability. The flow meter improves the efficiency a little, since it automatically compensates for a dirty filter you can take advantage of lower speeds when the filter is clean. But either one is usually a big efficiency improvement over a regular pump.