Is there a significant benefit in purchasing a variable pump?

[Amanda14]

My info should appear below but I have a 1hp Hayward rebuilt pump and it has worked fine for 16 years. I only had to have the cord going into the unit fixed last season. My question is this:

Local pool place is having a big sale and variable pumps are on sale. Is it worth it to pick one of these up? Should I stay with what I have until it breaks or is it truly a big difference makes on electricity bills etc?

Thanks in advance!

 

[JasonLion]

That depends a great deal on your electrical rates. High electrical rates, more than $0.20/kwh, make variable speed pumps very attractive. I don't believe electrical rates are nearly that high in NY, so odds are a variable speed pump is not such a great deal in your area.

 

[jblizzle]

With lower electrical costs, a 2-speed (even just a motor replacement) usually make more financial sense than a full VS pump.

 

[Amanda14]

Me thinks I will remain as is. They claim at this store that you can save a ton of electricity rats but if ain't broke I won't fix it.

Thanks!

 

[EVChargeGuy]

Your 'delevered' electric costs on Long Island is one of the highest in the country well over $.20 a kWh, I think more like $.25- .29 per kWh
PSE&G LI is offering a $450 rebate on most VS pumps bought by sometime in November. A hayward superpump VS is about $650-700 on the web so your net cost would only be $250 -300

You should save much more than that the first year.
Also note that the installer gets $200.00 from PSE&G

 

[Amanda14]

Thanks EVCharge - I can't find that program on their website. Also, the installer also gets $200? Why? Do they have to be a licensed electrician to get it?

Thanks!

 

[EVChargeGuy]

I'm on a iPhone and can post the link later or you can go to the Hayward websit and find the listing of rebates by state to get the rebate details for PSE&G LI. The installer has to be registered with PSE&G for the rebate to be vailid

 

[Amanda14]

Thanks - I found it via Hayward. Interesting that the installer needs to be PE&G licensed. Not sure what they actually need to install, but plan to call them.

 

[mose]

My variable speed pump suction inlet sits lower to the ground than my old pumps inlet so the installer had to re-plumb some of the PVC. Also a variable speed pump needs a Controller-relay that is compatible with variable speeds (which needs to be wired) unless the new pump comes with it's own controller. I think it is $200 well spent. ($20 in gas, $20 for parts, $20 for vehicle, $70 for installer and $70 for the boss who ordered the parts and who trained the tech.

 

[Poollife]

I live in California and during the summer have step rates but normal price is .15 per kilowatt and I replaced my old pump wity a hayward e costar and run my pump 7 days a week 6 hours a day at 1000 rpm on 2 inch pipe and my pump now draws about 90watts, it saved me a good amount this summer and wity local and hayward rebate I only paid 850 for the pump so well worth the 450 extra for it.

 

[pooladdict]

The extra cost of getting a 220 line puts some people off getting a variable speed. But, Pentair and Hayward will both be launching 110 variable speed pumps for 2015. I run my 1HP superpump on a timer, so that's basically the same as a VS running 24/7. The one downfall of VS is some heatpumps wont work on lower speeds and flash Low Flow error codes constantly.

 

[Poollife]

Most pool pads should be run with 220 to begin with, but if that's not the case then that would be a cost breaker at the cost of an electric an