Efficient pump selection advice

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mikalos

mikalos

0
Aug 4, 2014
7
Anaheim California
Hello pool experts and thank you for the excellent forum!

I am a complete newbie attempting to select a replacement pool pump, i admit to being an efficiency fanatic - and i also realize how complicated an issue it is.

Our in-ground pool is about 23,000 gallons, the pump is about 20 feet from the skimmer, and various calculators seem to indicate we need about 50 GPM for the traditional "turnover in 8 hours" filtration plan. Oh, and the ancient in-ground plumbing appears to be 1.5" copper, which i know needs replacement but not this year.

Comparing those calculations to available pumps, and allowing for future improvements, i am convinced that variable speed is the way to go. Thanks to the reference to the CEC data and picking from the top of the "Curve-C Energy Factor" sort, i have come up with the following short list:

ECO H@O-VS-100003-BK - but there is no info on how or where to buy one!

Hayward TriStar VS SP3200VSP - $838 online price

Pentair SuperFloVS 342000 - $660 online price

Waterway Plastics ECONVSC-165 - no online sellers found

Hayward Max-Flo VS SP2300VSP - $615 online price

Speck Pumps Badu EcoM3 V - $600 - $800 online price range (?)

So far i am leaning toward the Pentair, but i like the ability to remote the control panel from the Hayward TriStar, and i notice on this forum that the Hayward Max-flo seems to be very popular.

Any advice or comments are greatly appreciated!
 
Welcome to TFP!

Any automation in your future? If so, then the Superflo and Maxflo do not integrate well. The tristar is a little better I think, but not sure why not just get the Ecostar?

What is your electrical cost? Unless high, the power savings over a 2speed pump may never be enough to recoup the added initial cost.
 
Installation of VS pump

I am about to replace an ancient pump with a new VS, and i have noticed in the manuals that there is a requirement for a minimum length of straight pipe coming to the suction inlet - 5 times the nominal pipe diameter for one brand.

Our existing underground plumbing is 1.5" copper. When we replaced the filter, our pool man did all the new plumbing with 2" PVC and connected that to the 1.5" copper with an adapter.

More new plumbing will be required to allow for that minimum length into the pump. So if we make the direct connection to the pump with 2" PVC, then adapt to the 1.5" copper, which diameter do i use in the calculation?

In other words are we considering the diameter of the last pipe connecting to the pump inlet, or of the majority of the system?

I plan on replacing all of the plumbing eventually, but not this year.

Thanks for your advice.
 
Re: Installation of VS pump

You are over thinking it. That 5x business is an old rule of thumb. Just put what fits easily. You are quibbling between 7.5 and 10 inches ... makes little difference.

Btw, please keep your related questions together. I am going to merge your 2 topics when I get off my phone.
 
I will definitely automate at some point, and it looks to me like the Tristar and Ecostar both have RS485 connections, although the Ecostar does not seem to call it that. The Pentair SuperFlo also has a set of contacts that look like an RS485 connection, but again it is not called out.

Hmm . . . it looks to me like the Tristar "wins" by a factor of two over the Ecostar in the CEC data because it's minimum speed is 600 rpm, while the Ecostar minimum speed is 1000 rpm. I figure since i have a relatively small pool i can actually take advantage of that low end savings.

Also the Ecostar seems to cost about the same as the Tristar.

Am i missing something?

I do in fact have relatively low cost electricity, but i don't think we can count on that staying low. To me, efficiency is not about a short payback, it is it's own reward. I did admit i am a fanatic . . .
 
The lowest speed is often not the most efficient.

Also, the price difference between a small 2 speed and the Ecostar is around $400 ... It may not save that much in operating cost over the 2 speed in the life of the pumps. Therefore the "efficiency" may not make monetary sense.
 
Re: Installation of VS pump

Thanks for all the help!

I have actually gotten down to measuring and planning now, and i am having a little trouble fitting in that 10" of straight pipe at the pump inlet - and i really believe in following manufacturer recommendations.

So has anyone ever used a large radius sweep for this purpose instead of the traditional square cornered elbow?
 
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