Newbie about to pull trigger on new spa pump

[jacob_coulter]

I was going to purchase a Pentair Superflo 1hp.

I have 2" piping into an in ground spa that has a water fall feature that pours into a larger pool. The waterfall feature is powered by a separate pump.

The spa is under 500 gallons and has a gas powered heater and uses a separate cartridge filter system.

Can anyone see anything wrong with this choice?

Thanks, I appreciate the advice

 

[jblizzle]

Is the pump you are buying just for filtration in the spa? Or does it also run the jets in the spa?

So do you also have 2 other pumps ... one for the waterfall and one for the pool filtration?

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

 

[jacob_coulter]

Is the pump you are buying just for filtration in the spa? Or does it also run the jets in the spa?

So do you also have 2 other pumps ... one for the waterfall and one for the pool filtration?

Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short

The pump also runs the jets for the spa, although I almost never use that feature.

The pool has an odd setup that the former owners did. It has a separate filter pump for the pool (which I have an Intelliflo) it has a separate pump for the waterfall, and a separate pump for both the filter and jets, and also a polaris pressure pump. Way too many pumps!

Some of these could probably be consolidated, but I mainly just dump the spa through the waterfall into the larger pool occasionally and everything is fine just using the pool pump as my filter.

I just need a new pump for my spa filter if I want to use the heater. The impeller is gone and the motor bearings sound like they're also rattling. It's a 20 year old StaRite pump, and it probably just makes sense to go new rather than rebuild both the pump and motor. I honestly rarely use it though, but I just want to get it done and move on.

I want to get some confirmation that the Pentair Superflo 1hp is enough pump for my application.

Thanks

 

[jblizzle]

I want to get some confirmation that the Pentair Superflo 1hp is enough pump for my application.
Thanks

Well, that is why I was asking. What is the HP and the SF (service factor) on you existing pump?

If it was only for filtration, I would have said to get something even smaller. But, since it is also needed to run the jets, I am not sure the 1 HP is big enough to have strong jets (is the polaris pressure pump for a cleaner or is it to add air/pressure for the spa?)

If you are not concerned about the jet strength, then the Superflo would be fine. Another option would be to get a 2-speed. You could run on low to filter the spa and then flip on high speed when you want the jets. Would cost a little more up front, but if you wanted to use it for filtration, you "might" save enough on electricity by running on low to justify the cost. But, if you rarely are running it to only filter the spa/run the jets, the 2-speed may not be worth it.

I would recommend that you run the waterfall a bit every day (assuming it sucks from the pool and returns to the spa, thus overflowing?) That is needed to make sure your spa stays adequately chlorinated.

Also note that likely it would be relatively easy to eliminate both the waterfall pump and the spa filter pump and just use the Intellifo for everything, by adding a few 3-way valves. That pump certainly has enough power to run everything.

 

[jacob_coulter]

I want to get some confirmation that the Pentair Superflo 1hp is enough pump for my application.
Thanks

Well, that is why I was asking. What is the HP and the SF (service factor) on you existing pump?

If it was only for filtration, I would have said to get something even smaller. But, since it is also needed to run the jets, I am not sure the 1 HP is big enough to have strong jets (is the polaris pressure pump for a cleaner or is it to add air/pressure for the spa?)

If you are not concerned about the jet strength, then the Superflo would be fine. Another option would be to get a 2-speed. You could run on low to filter the spa and then flip on high speed when you want the jets. Would cost a little more up front, but if you wanted to use it for filtration, you "might" save enough on electricity by running on low to justify the cost. But, if you rarely are running it to only filter the spa/run the jets, the 2-speed may not be worth it.

I would recommend that you run the waterfall a bit every day (assuming it sucks from the pool and returns to the spa, thus overflowing?) That is needed to make sure your spa stays adequately chlorinated.

Also note that likely it would be relatively easy to eliminate both the waterfall pump and the spa filter pump and just use the Intellifo for everything, by adding a few 3-way valves. That pump certainly has enough power to run everything.

The existing pump spa filter pump is 2hp, but the last tech I had come out thought it was way too strong and suggested I step it down to 1hp. I think the cavitation is what destroyed the impeller. The last pool filter pump I had wasn't even 2hp, I'm not sure why such a powerful pump was installed for just the spa filtration. The polaris motor is for the polaris cleaner only.

Interesting that I could run all of it through the intelliflo. I'm a newbie at all of this, but any ballpark figure about what it would typically cost to fabricate a setup to make that happen? Would I have to buy some automated controller as well?

I'm very much of a Keep It Simple Stupid when it come to pool equipment.

Thanks again

 

[jblizzle]

It is not the spa filtration that has the high flow rate need ... it is the jets. Just so I am 100% clear, the water is "sucked" from the spa through the motor and then through a spa filter and then back to the spa jets. If you have a very small motor/pump, then the jets are not going to be strong and it really will be more like a bath tub.

I think I had a 2 HP at my previous house so that I could run the in-floor system AND have adequate flow for the attached spa. Like I said if you do not care about the jet strength while using the spa, then the 1 HP would be fine.

Do you have any PVC plumbing experience? If so, and will be doing the install yourself, then you can likely re-do the plumbing for less than the cost of a new spa pump (of course depending on the current setup, since I have not seen a picture).

Here is what I think you have as far as plumbing:
- Suction from pool (maybe 2, skimmer and floor?)
- Suction from spa
- Suction for waterfall (from pool? ... could likely not use this)

- Return to pool
- Return to spa jets (through a 2nd filter that could possibly be eliminated)
- Return to waterfall (into spa if I understand correctly)

If you were to re-plumb, you could put a 3-way valve between the pool and spa suction lines and then go into the Intellifo (not using the waterfall suction line). From here to your pool filter. Then after your pool filter you could have 3 2-way valves (or a 3-way and a 2-way) on the 3 returns. Then you can just switch the valves depending on what feature you want. You could leave the spa or waterfall return on a little bit at all time to have the spa water continually refreshed and spilling into the pool.

You can do this all manually (changing the motor speed as required). Or you could add automation. The automation would be a little more complicated to setup, but then it becomes a push of a button to switch from pool to spa or to turn on the waterfall.

Sorry, I have gone on rambling about things not related to your original question ... just wanted you to be aware of other possibilities.

EDIT: BTW, you would have to keep the Polaris booster pump for the cleaner.