Cheap Chinese Variable Speed Pump 1.5HP

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Those cheap Chinese knock-offs actually (in my experience) are pretty good at honoring the warranties. If it fails, and you write a bad review on Amazon, they frequently answer the bad feedback and simply send you a new one and tell you to toss the old one. But if you follow these types of things closely, you will see that once feedback levels get too bad (due to lots of bad reviews) they close down the item, give it a slightly different model number, and start over. First few good reviews are always shill reviews.

Personally for me, with $85k in the pool, cheaping out on the pump just doesn't make sense. Why spend all that money then buy a questionable pump to save a few hundred? It is important to note many of these are not UL listed as well.
 
It is a bit suspect that the OP posted a link to the pump he bought, which is now shown as “Currently unavailable”. Yet the exact same pump is offered in another listing, (that I linked to).
 
Philo said:
What in the world are you talking about?
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I think he is pointing out what I also suggested, this pump went full circle and had too many bad reviews to be viable anymore so they (that are selling it) closed the old listing and started a new listing, negating all the bad feedback.
 
PoolGate said:
I think he is pointing out what I also suggested, this pump went full circle and had too many bad reviews to be viable anymore so they (that are selling it) closed the old listing and started a new listing, negating all the bad feedback.
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Could be....
It had 2 one star reviews. One was, it lost it's prime (sounds like operator error) and the second fella never hooked it up.

P.S. It's still working as it should. Very smooth and quiet.
 
Philo said:
Could be....
It had 2 one star reviews. One was, it lost it's prime (sounds like operator error) and the second fella never hooked it up.

P.S. It's still working as it should. Very smooth and quiet.
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Philo, any more feedback on the pump a few more months later? My Hayward VS3300 just bought the farm when I opened the pool last week (the armature came apart, not an uncommon problem I've come to learn) and the cost of the replacement motor alone exceeded the value of the pump.

So, I just bought one of these no-name VS's on Amazon Canada - It was $500 here (although I see most listings are up to $400 USD now on Amazon.com, so given the exchange rate that's actually $20 cheaper than if I ordered it from the USA) but the fact is that any variable speed pump at retail here starts at $1000, with some of the more premium models in the $1200-$1500 range easily. So, it was a deal I couldn't ignore.

Has anyone figured out if this is a clone of any name-brand make/model? My only concern is parts availability - IE, a skimmer lid seal a year or two down the road, etc....as well as the ability to service/replace the motor.

There was also zero information about warranty on the Amazon listing so I need to get more info on that - if the vendor doesn't reply to my inquiry or simply ignores it...well, this might very well be going back in <30 days.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Has anyone figured out if this is a clone of any name-brand make/model? My only concern is parts availability - IE, a skimmer lid seal a year or two down the road, etc....as well as the ability to service/replace the motor.
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has anyone noticed that these Chinese pumps have a keypad almost identical to the Pentair Intelliflo pumps?
Programming is also similar.
 

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Some folks may have better luck than me, but I ALMOST ALWAYS regret trying to save some cash by going with a cheaper alternative to what I know is a good product.

Not always, but typically you get what you pay for in the long run.

If I am going to go through the fuss of plumbing in a new pump it had better last more than a few years.
 
I'm looking to buy a VS pump as well. Last month, I was watching a Pentair Intelloflo on Amazon and buy the time I went to buy it, the price jumped from $650 to $950. I was able to purchase it from another seller but they never shipped the pump. Now, All the prices on VS pumps have gone up. I found a pump by Emaux (never really heard of them) that is about the original price range. I'm pretty bummed that I wasn't able to get the Pentair but now I'm considering this Emaux pump. Anyone have any info on this brand?

Emaux, 3 HP Variable pool pump, spa, pond, aquariums, aquaculture, water feature | eBay
 
I don’t think I would buy a pump I’ve never heard of for $718 ($620 + $98 shipping), when you can get the Pentair 011018 for under $900. It’s the most recommend, tried and true model among all forum members. I’ve had one for several years and if it died today, I’d have a new one ordered tomorrow.

It’s worth shopping around for the best price, but if you want a 3 hp vs pump, that’s the one I’d recommend.
 

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chiefwej said:
I don’t think I would buy a pump I’ve never heard of for $718 ($620 + $98 shipping), when you can get the Pentair 011018 for under $900. It’s the most recommend, tried and true model among all forum members. I’ve had one for several years and if it died today, I’d have a new one ordered tomorrow.

It’s worth shopping around for the best price, but if you want a 3 hp vs pump, that’s the one I’d recommend.
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Yeah, that's the one I wanted but I sure hate spending $300 more for the pump when it was only $650. It just feels like I got bait and switched on Amazon. Oh, I do see it for $899. I guess I'm going to have to just bite the bullet but really had bad timing for the price to go up the same day I tried to buy it. Thanks
 
Check with your electric power provider, some of their rebate programs for VS pumps can be substantial.
 
lshonda310 said:
I did, and I can only have the rebate if the pump is professionly installed, which would cost more than the rebate!
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Yeah, much more expensive to have it installed. My system is basically a drop and go as I already have the fittings sized and electrical junction at the pump. It will take me about 15 minutes to wire and plumb. Unfortunately, if you don't get it installed professionally, I think the warranty is like only 60 days or something short? I originally purchased a squaretrade 4 year warranty which was cheap (like $30) when I originally purchased the pump that never got delivered.
 
FYI: Try checking prices after clearing browser cookies and/or from incognito mode on your browser. Some of these sites read your cookies and if you looked at an item they will jack up the price the next time you see it.
 
Just wanted to add some info on the Blue Torrent / Splash variable speed Pump for others searching the internet for info on it. I happened upon one and it ended up being free after being shipped a broken pump - refund and replacement from the vendor - and it's seems to be a fairly decent pump (especially at a cost of free-ninety-free!). Once the finicky programming process is understood it maintains it's settings and timing when wired to my intermatic timer with constant power, and does a good job on the quick clean setting as well. Taking the lid off can be a knuckle buster if your not careful, and priming the thing was frustrating as all get out at first and took a few minutes if left to it's own devices. I learned to bring my garden hose with me for the priming, shut off my main drain valve, and put a fair amount of water in the skimmer line with the valve open, the close the valve and fill the basket to the top. I put the lid on, turn the pump on, and open the skimmer line valve at the same time which causes the water to almost immediately flow and priming with this method. I pulled the pump from my equipment pad for the winter and stored it in my basement in an effort to preserve the electronics from freezing / thawing cycles. All in all, it was a good first pool season with the pump and hopefully it will last 4 or 5 seasons which seems reasonable.
 

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