I have it. It arrived on Wednesday and I asked my plumber to put me on his schedule. (I'm one of those guys who can keep 16 internal combustion engines purring, but shouldn't be let anywhere near a plumbing fixture....)
I feel judged...
- Thread starter Rollercoastr
- Start date
My new SuperFlo is installed and pumping. The default operation is a priming mode upon startup - it revs-up to a full 3450 RPM for 5 minutes. Wow is this sucker loud! 87 db at full speed compared to 78 db of the old one. I can hear it throughout the house. I suffered a few "what have I DONE" moments before the priming cycle ended. I cycled through the default speeds, which are 3000, 2200 and 1400 RPM, and then played around adjusting it at 10 RPM increments. At 2200, the sound level is the same or maybe less than the old pump. (I'll measure it tonight when I program a schedule) At 1400, it can't be heard outside of the pump room. Naturally, the energy consumption is a fraction at that speed. My pool has good circulation anyway, so I'm expecting big energy savings. I'm also looking forward to less circulation while swimming. At 3,450, all the pool toys and floats gather at the skimmer within minutes!
It struck me that the only speed of the old pump seems crazy on the new one. "Why would I ever run the pump that fast?" I'll experiment with the different speeds while vacuuming, but my gut tells me that I'll prefer 3,000 or less to 3,450. The vacuum head can be hard to control when there's a lot of suction, particularly in the deep end.
My plumbing is oriented in a way that puts the pump basket in front, which means the control panel faces the wall. I was hoping that the control panel could be remounted 180°, but that doesn't appear to be possible. I plan to call Pentair and ask them. I'm concerned about having to brace myself against the wall and lean over the pump to activate basic features. I don't see an easy way to tell this pump to run continuously instead of using the default or custom schedule. If the panel can't be rotated on the pump, I wonder if I could remove it and mount in on the wall. If not, I might have to look for remote/automation ideas sooner rather than later.
It struck me that the only speed of the old pump seems crazy on the new one. "Why would I ever run the pump that fast?" I'll experiment with the different speeds while vacuuming, but my gut tells me that I'll prefer 3,000 or less to 3,450. The vacuum head can be hard to control when there's a lot of suction, particularly in the deep end.
My plumbing is oriented in a way that puts the pump basket in front, which means the control panel faces the wall. I was hoping that the control panel could be remounted 180°, but that doesn't appear to be possible. I plan to call Pentair and ask them. I'm concerned about having to brace myself against the wall and lean over the pump to activate basic features. I don't see an easy way to tell this pump to run continuously instead of using the default or custom schedule. If the panel can't be rotated on the pump, I wonder if I could remove it and mount in on the wall. If not, I might have to look for remote/automation ideas sooner rather than later.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,575
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
A 5min prime cycle is excessive. On the IntelliFlo, the prime cycle time is like 30sec and there's a prime sensitivity factor that the user can turn down which determines how sensitive the pump is to lose of prime and will shorten the prime speed cycle.
When you call Pentair, ask them if the prime cycle time can be changed.
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When you call Pentair, ask them if the prime cycle time can be changed.
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The manual says the speed can be adjusted, or the mode can be disabled. Aside from the unusual event of air in the system, is priming needed anyway?
- May 23, 2015
- 24,575
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
In my pool, not really. The strainer basket/pump is always primed so it's not needed but it still runs anyway for the first 20-30sec. It's a good safety feature to have on it's just that 5mins seems really excessive. I'd still ask them about it.
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Alright! Congrats! Yes, you're going to save some money and some noise.
All following info is for the Intelliflo and I don't know if the Superflo controller has all of the same or similar features. But, it might help. I rarely run my pump above 2500 rpm. I set the max speed to 3000 rpm which will limit the priming to 3000 rpm also. I think that the prime speed can also be set. I have neck-turn-itis on my pump also. Only the newest generation of Intelliflo has a rotate-able control panel. I think once you are more familiar with the controls that you will be comfortable with the upside down operation.
When looking for your low speed, run most of the time, setting pay attention to the watts consumed. You will see a point where lowering the rpm doesn't make much difference to the watts consumed anymore. So, run at the higher speed to get more flow for basically the same cost. It will likely occur somewhere between 1000 and 1200 rpm. I run mine at 1100 rpm and it uses 150 watts.
I have my speeds set as 1-1100 rpm, 2-1950 rpm (for solar) and 3-2500 rpm for cleaning, brushing, etc. What I normally do is have my pump set to run at 1100 rpm for an amount of time, right now it is 10a to 8p for solar heat gain. When solar is available the solar controller switches the pump to speed 2 and then back to 1 when solar turns off. If I want to do something else for a while I just push the speed 3 button and then push 1 when I'm finished. I also think that it will revert back to the normal run schedule the next time. ie, if your pump is set to run at 1100 rpm from 10a to 8p and you push speed 3 at 4p the pump will turn off at 8p and turn back on at 1100 rpm at 10a.
Note for others reading: I have to turn off my Solartouch to regain control of my pump at the pump control panel. Otherwise, the Solartouch (or other automation panel) is in control of the pump.
Edit: I would not turn off priming. Just lower the speed. There is also a sensitivity setting that you can change, but I can't remember what I did on that.
All following info is for the Intelliflo and I don't know if the Superflo controller has all of the same or similar features. But, it might help. I rarely run my pump above 2500 rpm. I set the max speed to 3000 rpm which will limit the priming to 3000 rpm also. I think that the prime speed can also be set. I have neck-turn-itis on my pump also. Only the newest generation of Intelliflo has a rotate-able control panel. I think once you are more familiar with the controls that you will be comfortable with the upside down operation.
When looking for your low speed, run most of the time, setting pay attention to the watts consumed. You will see a point where lowering the rpm doesn't make much difference to the watts consumed anymore. So, run at the higher speed to get more flow for basically the same cost. It will likely occur somewhere between 1000 and 1200 rpm. I run mine at 1100 rpm and it uses 150 watts.
I have my speeds set as 1-1100 rpm, 2-1950 rpm (for solar) and 3-2500 rpm for cleaning, brushing, etc. What I normally do is have my pump set to run at 1100 rpm for an amount of time, right now it is 10a to 8p for solar heat gain. When solar is available the solar controller switches the pump to speed 2 and then back to 1 when solar turns off. If I want to do something else for a while I just push the speed 3 button and then push 1 when I'm finished. I also think that it will revert back to the normal run schedule the next time. ie, if your pump is set to run at 1100 rpm from 10a to 8p and you push speed 3 at 4p the pump will turn off at 8p and turn back on at 1100 rpm at 10a.
Note for others reading: I have to turn off my Solartouch to regain control of my pump at the pump control panel. Otherwise, the Solartouch (or other automation panel) is in control of the pump.
Edit: I would not turn off priming. Just lower the speed. There is also a sensitivity setting that you can change, but I can't remember what I did on that.
In just the first few hours of playing with the settings, 2,200 RPM seems to a reasonable filtering/fast circulation/swimming speed.
Ugh - Neck-turn-itis! Shame on Pentair for not incorporating what what be such a simple fix to an annoying and possibly dangerous issue. (I'm thinking about people leaning over all of their equipment, losing balance and falling... ouch!)
My pump is installed in the basement, so it's lower than the floor of the pool. The pressure is considerable, so I might be safe without the priming cycle....? This actually introduces an issue with the pressure sensor on the heater, but I'll start a new thread on that after I do more research.
Ugh - Neck-turn-itis! Shame on Pentair for not incorporating what what be such a simple fix to an annoying and possibly dangerous issue. (I'm thinking about people leaning over all of their equipment, losing balance and falling... ouch!)
My pump is installed in the basement, so it's lower than the floor of the pool. The pressure is considerable, so I might be safe without the priming cycle....? This actually introduces an issue with the pressure sensor on the heater, but I'll start a new thread on that after I do more research.
Hmmm, yes, probably doesn't need priming ever. Your pump is on the floor 8-ish feet below the surface of the water then it should never need to prime. It makes me nervous to turn off the prime function though. Don't know why. I think because maybe I think it activates a flow sensor to detect that there is sufficient water flow for the pump to operate and that sensor isn't on after the priming mode turns off? I just made all of that up. 
I would just lower the speed and duration and leave it on.
Yes, I would think 2200 is plenty. How many watts? 700?
I would just lower the speed and duration and leave it on. Yes, I would think 2200 is plenty. How many watts? 700?
Roller,
The SuperFlo manual..... http://www.pentairpool.com/pdfs/SuperFloVS1.5OM.pdf
On page 10 it explains how to select a priming speed between 3450 and 1700 RPM. It also allows you to disable the Priming mode altogether...
Thanks,
Jim R.
The SuperFlo manual..... http://www.pentairpool.com/pdfs/SuperFloVS1.5OM.pdf
On page 10 it explains how to select a priming speed between 3450 and 1700 RPM. It also allows you to disable the Priming mode altogether...
Thanks,
Jim R.
758.
I programmed a 2 hour run each evening at 1,200 RPM. 171 watts. I'll try this as my "holding pattern" - no heating, no swimming. I put my hand in front of a return, and I think there's enough flow to keep the pool happy and mix the water for testing. I can't measure the sound at that speed because my old Intermatic timer from the old pump makes more noise than the pump does!
I re-programmed the "quick clean" button to run at 2,200 RPM for 24 hours. I'll use that as my heat-up and swim setting. I don't have to vacuum very often, so I'll just adjust that manually as-necessary.
I'm starting to like this pump!
I absolutely wish my power company offered that app! The best I can get is monthly results.
Great thread for thinking through VS pumps, I think you might have sold me on one when the budget serves.
Great thread for thinking through VS pumps, I think you might have sold me on one when the budget serves.
Maybe they offer it through their website. Mine does. It's was hiding at the bottom of the usage page. Guess when my single speed 1hp comes on...
This is my biggest complaint with my new pump. It would've been such a simple thing to engineer properly. I guess I'll see when the warranty runs out if it still bothers me enough to hack it.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,575
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Mine is upside down but I sort of access it from the side. The only time it bothers me and I get in there and twist my neck around a bit is when I'm programming new run times for spring, summer or fall. I tweak the stop and start times different times of the year for heating during day on solar, cooling at night with solar or 24x7 spring and fall tree times. Otherwise operating it upside down to stop, start or run faster manually is easy now.
...without jeopardizing the warranty?
Fortunately the SuperFlo has simple controls, but even so I have to put a hand against the wall and brace myself to get close enough. I'm sure I'll get to the point where I will rarely have to make adjustments, but I'm still fine-tuning the run cycles.
- May 23, 2015
- 24,575
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
The most recent version of the IntelliFlo has as an option the ability to purchase the pump so the control module can be wall-mounted. I don't think it can be done after the fact if you buy the pump with the control module mounted to the motor.
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