Looking to upgrade my pool pump; need advice!

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layla2052

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LifeTime Supporter
Jun 21, 2014
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Northeast Alabama
This will be my second season with this pool since we acquired it "accidentally" mid season last year. Following this forum's advice served me well last year and the pool was easy to maintain and economical chemically (despite what the "experts" around here said) but it was quite costly on the electrical side so I come to you guys for advice.

Currently, I have the 1.5 HP single speed pump that came with it that I used last year. While it does the job, I am looking to upgrade the pump to a more energy efficient one. I have done extensive reading on differences in single, two speed and variable speed pumps but since this is a costly upgrade, I don't want to choose one that is either way more that what I need but on the other side, it IS a big pool (pond) so want to know what my best options are namely:

1) Should I change size of pump from 1.5 HP?
2) Which speed would work good, better, best for my pool?
3) Brands preferred?

I am planning to upgrade all of my existing equipment in time but since I am also purchasing auto vacs (I have decided that I will have to have two different kinds of vacs for this pool) this season as well, there is only so much I can do at once.

Since I greatly appreciate the amount of knowledge that is in this forum, I feel comfortable that you guys will have enough selections (knowing way more about it than I do, certainly) that I will be able to make the right purchase the first time.

Any help and/or advice concerning my upgrade projects will be most appreciated and I look forward to your replies. Thanks so much in advance! :)
 
You could just get a 3/4 or 1 HP impeller for your existing pump or cut your run time and get a reasonable reduction in energy use at little cost.

But you may not be using as much energy as you think running the pump. You are talking about 1.4KW running that pump.

8 hours/day X 1.4KW X 30days X 12 cents/KWH = $40 per month. Just guessing at the power rate. Nothing you can do with the pump will save you $40 a month, though you might save close to half that with a smaller impeller and reduced run time.

Post the particulars of your pump and the motor data from the tag on the motor itself including current draw and SF (Service Factor).
 
I just finished installing a Hayward Ecostar to replace my 1HP pump. I run the pump 24hrs a day on an indoor pool so it will quickly pay for it's self. Even running the ecostar at a faster turn over then my previous pump I use less power. And when I'm not using the pool I can use it at low speed to slow turn the water over for less than 100W. (The previous pump was a constant 1600W)
 
First pool pump.jpg

This is the info on the pump. I am saddened to see that this says it is a 1 HP instead of 1.5 that I was told when purchased. Cannot trust anyone these days, it seems. The current price per KW in my area is .09. I do have a timer set on the pump to run it about 10 hrs a day. My thoughts are that when I get auto vacs for it (instead of trying to do it manually like I did last year), I may be able to drop it down further to maybe 8 hrs a day, including vac time. Last year, average cost to run the pool was about $150 extra a month. Little steep, I thought. :/
 
mwwhited said:
I just finished installing a Hayward Ecostar to replace my 1HP pump. I run the pump 24hrs a day on an indoor pool so it will quickly pay for it's self. Even running the ecostar at a faster turn over then my previous pump I use less power. And when I'm not using the pool I can use it at low speed to slow turn the water over for less than 100W. (The previous pump was a constant 1600W)
Click to expand...
There is never a need to run a pump 24/7 unless you are fighting an algae bloom and trying to clear up the water.
The easiest way to save $ on power is to not run the pump as much. See: Determine Pump Run Time

- - - Updated - - -

layla2052 said:
This is the info on the pump. I am saddened to see that this says it is a 1 HP instead of 1.5 that I was told when purchased. Cannot trust anyone these days, it seems. The current price per KW in my area is .09. I do have a timer set on the pump to run it about 10 hrs a day. My thoughts are that when I get auto vacs for it (instead of trying to do it manually like I did last year), I may be able to drop it down further to maybe 8 hrs a day, including vac time. Last year, average cost to run the pool was about $150 extra a month. Little steep, I thought. :/
Click to expand...

See the article I posted above. Also, there is no way your pump was costing you $150/mo. Running 24/7 for a month would at most be $90 given your electrical cost.
 
layla2052 said:
View attachment 34728

This is the info on the pump. I am saddened to see that this says it is a 1 HP instead of 1.5 that I was told when purchased. Cannot trust anyone these days, it seems. The current price per KW in my area is .09. I do have a timer set on the pump to run it about 10 hrs a day. My thoughts are that when I get auto vacs for it (instead of trying to do it manually like I did last year), I may be able to drop it down further to maybe 8 hrs a day, including vac time. Last year, average cost to run the pool was about $150 extra a month. Little steep, I thought. :/
Click to expand...

Something else is driving your electric bill up. Your pump only costs about 12 cents an hour to run at Alabama's average electricity rate during the summer. That's about $36 a month running 10 hours a day. Even at the highest rate in the continental US, it would cost less than $60 a month to run it 10 hours a day.
 
Thank you for your replies. I'll have the other possible electrical drains looked into. That number as given to me as the difference over the prior year in June & July without the pool. Yes, in those months last year, the pump did run 24/7 because that's what I had been told to do locally on a pool that size to help keep water clean with a pecan tree nearby. As I learned more through this forum, I purchased a timer for the pump & set it to run 7 am - 7 pm then later changed it to start at 9 am. I was not given new dollar amounts after that abs frankly, I didn't think to ask.

This pump is pretty loud when running and I have no idea how old it is. I thought surely there had to be a better choice for my needs. :)
 
As a note is it is a requirement to run a pump 24/7 for an indoor pool that has some of the plumbing ran outside to a heat pump without a bypass. In the winter if the pump wasn't flowing the line and heat pump would have frozen. (There is a reason I bought a new pump and reworked the plumbing for my pool. here)

BTW, slow speed 1 turn over in 24 at 45W is much less power than 1600W for 4 hours (let alone 24). Even at 1/3rd speed (300W) the new pump uses less power than my old 1HP pump with similar flow.
 

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A 1HP should be fine given that you have no high water flow needs, but going a little bigger would not hurt anything as that is a larger pool. Many members like the Power-Flo Matrix.
 
mwwhited said:
BTW, slow speed 1 turn over in 24 at 45W is much less power than 1600W for 4 hours (let alone 24). Even at 1/3rd speed (300W) the new pump uses less power than my old 1HP pump with similar flow.
Click to expand...
The concept of turn over is a bit of myth. You don't need to turnover a pool once per day. Most of the time I turnover my pool once every couple of days. You could run at 45W for 1 hr if you really wanted to. I doubt you would notice much of a difference.
 
This is the one I have selected at this point but have not ordered yet. Opinions?? :D

Hayward SP15932S Power-Flo Matrix 1-1/2-Horsepower 2-Speed Above-Ground Pool Pump

SP15932S Features: -Power-flo matrix pump.-1.5" Plumbing, dual speed with high / low switch.-Convenient on / off switch with 6' cord (NEMA).-Aboveground / on ground application.-Corrosion-proof thermoplastic material.-High performance impeller.-Clear pump cover lets you know when basket needs cleaning.-On / off switch.-Horizontal / vertical discharge feature - simply converts from vertical to horizontal discharge orientation with the press of a button.-Quick disconnect intake and discharge pipe connection.-C-clip connector allows for easy disengagement of strainer housing in a matter of seconds for hassle-free maintenance for years of operation.-Heavy-duty, high performance motor with integrated automatic thermal overload protector for years of operation.-High quality noryl impeller with wide openings to prevent clogging by leaves and debris.-Durable, corrosion-proof housing for years of dependable service and all-weather performance.-Heat-resistant, double-sized seal for long-lasting efficiency.-Energy-efficient, protected rear mounted switch.-Integral drain plug for easy winterization of pump. Specifications: -Engine: 1.5 HP.-Voltage: 115 V.-Hertz: 60 Hz. Warranty: -1 Year warranty.
 
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