Using cheap pool pump - Risk damaging anything?

[aquafan]

Hi. First off, thank you all for all the help and info this board provides.

I have a 15,000 gallon 30'x15' pool with 1.5" piping, in the hot Florida sun.
Filter is Sta-Rite System 2.

I just ordered a new, cheap, 2 speed 1.5 HP pump off eBay for $165 and my concern is not how long the pump lasts but if I am risking putting any of my pool equipment or plumbing at risk.

Prior to this I had a Pentair SuperFlo 1.5 HP single speed that lasted only 2 years.

As long as this new cheapo pump lasts a year or two I'm OK with it, but because it's so cheap does this mean I'm risking damaging anything else?

I plan to run it only at low speed about 8-10 hours per day for filtration and occasionally switch to high for a couple of hours just to run the automatic cleaner.

I know that 1.5 HP is overkill for my pool size but I went with the 1.5 HP version of this new cheap pump due to it being 2 speed so I could run it at low all the time and still have the higher power available for the automatic cleaner and backwash.

Thank you for any info.

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum. It may not give you the flow that you are expecting but done is done. Does it list a Service Factor on the motor......it's likely not a full-rated 1.5 HP but, even then, you may get your two years out of it....time will tell.

 

[aquafan]

Welcome to the forum. It may not give you the flow that you are expecting but done is done. Does it list a Service Factor on the motor......it's likely not a full-rated 1.5 HP but, even then, you may get your two years out of it....time will tell.

Thank you for the reply. Am I risking damaging any other equipment by using this cheap pump? Thanks again.

 

[karmabiker]

I wouldn't think so.

The thing to watch is the energy consumption. The cheap motors are *generally* less efficient, watch that electric bill.

 

[linen]

Welcome to tfp, aquafan

As duraleigh was indicating most likely not, but posting the service factor on the motor will tell us/you whether is it a "full" rated or "uprated" pump. Even better would be a make/model of the pump so we could review the performance curves. In all likelihood though, that pump probably moves less water than your current pump so you should be okay.

 

[duraleigh]

Am I risking damaging any other equipment by using this cheap pump?

No.

 

[aquafan]

Thank you so much guys, that takes a load off my chest. I didn't mind taking a risk with the life of the pump but I certainly don't want to damage anything else because of the pump being so cheap. So you're saying because it's a cheap pump then most likely it won't move as much water as a higher quality 1.5 HP pump? That's actually another reason I chose the 1.5 HP version over the 1 HP, because I figured the "1.5" was really going to be slower anyway. Another question if you don't mind, if I'm using 2 speed pumps, does having the automatic pool cleaner mean I should go for 1.5 HP instead of 1 HP on this 15K pool? Again thanks for the help and quick replies. Cheers.