Impeller Broke on Polaris Booster Pump - Questions

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JSnake Repair said:
Clean break into 2 pieces. The remainder of the center is still attached to the pump...need to pry/grind that off somehow.
Click to expand...
You can see that the tab feeder damaged that plastic. Polaris impellers have always been completely black, not that bleached-out grey. Most do not understand what very-low pH water can do to the plastics in pool equipment.
When your system shuts off, the very corrosive "soup" from that feeder flows into the return line and into the booster. Don't even have to have a small air leak, gravity will allow it because it is heavier than pool water.
Remove the small cover at the back of the motor. Hold the shaft with a 9/16" wrench and use a pliers to remove what's left of the impeller. Be sure to replace the PS1000 seal when the impeller is replaced.
 
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1poolman1 said:
You can see that the tab feeder damaged that plastic. Polaris impellers have always been completely black, not that bleached-out grey. Most do not understand what very-low pH water can do to the plastics in pool equipment.
When your system shuts off, the very corrosive "soup" from that feeder flows into the return line and into the booster. Don't even have to have a small air leak, gravity will allow it because it is heavier than pool water.
Remove the small cover at the back of the motor. Hold the shaft with a 9/16" wrench and use a pliers to remove what's left of the impeller. Be sure to replace the PS1000 seal when the impeller is replaced.
Click to expand...
So what is the solution here if I don't want to drop 1K+ on a SWG? Just install the tab feeder after the pump? Or what?
 
Okay! The experts have spoken...Purchasing a Hayward W3AQR9 (pool was 'estimated' to be about 24,000 gal; the estimate came from the pool builder, which apparently has no concrete info on the pool except for its build year...said for some reason they didn't record much info back when it was built).

If there are any crucial installation or maintenance tips with that let me know...otherwise I will consult the installation manuals or just come back with questions when ready.
 
JamesW said:
I would go with a Hayward W3AQR15.

hayward.com

AquaRite w/TurboCell, for Pools up to 40,000 Gallons

Hayward provides clear, soft water and the most convenient sanitization method on the market to millions of pool owners around the world.
hayward.com hayward.com
Click to expand...
Okay, because...
1. You don't trust the estimate and think I shouldn't either?
2. The estimate is too close to the recommended limit and might be over?
3. The R15 far outperforms the R9 model?
 
JSnake Repair said:
Okay, because...
1. You don't trust the estimate and think I shouldn't either?
2. The estimate is too close to the recommended limit and might be over?
3. The R15 far outperforms the R9 model?
Click to expand...
With the R9 you will have to have the production set at 100%, with R15 it can be set closer to 50% to get the same amount of chlorine. You should go with the larger one because it is less expensive in the long run as the cell will last longer not having to work as much. Your pool, your money, your choice. These are just suggestions.
 
The production is based on a 24 hour runtime.

The T9 will work fine for you but you might need to run your pump longer than you otherwise would choose to.

In my opinion, the T15 is a better choice.
 
Understood. Tentatively, I plan to run the primary pump for 14 hours and the booster pump for 10 hours a day (10 hour period of energy credit at night; plus another 4 hours during mid-day. cleaner/booster will not run midday while people may use it obviously). A few questions...

My pool is a very odd shape...kind of like a coffin with a foot. It has both a deep end and a shallow end with a gradient in the middle. Additionally, I have rounded corners/edges at the pool bottom. Is there any way to get an accurate measurement of how much water the pool holds without draining and re-filling the whole thing?

If I go the R15 route with
  • 14 hours a day pump usage
  • ~4-5 months of active pool/pump use
  • ~24,000gal pool
How long can I expect the $900 salt cell to last? Or as to not be lazy, can you point me to a resource so I can calculate how long it will last?

Although 'softer feeling water' and less equipment strain are of course big selling points, I am having a hard time believing that this will actually save me money over chlorine tablets in the long run. Our water supply (for our entire home) is already conditioned (purified + softened), as I understand how hard water can wreak havoc on home appliances. IE: I get this will likely save us from future part replacements, just not the chlorine cost savings proposition...even if the prices continues to inflate.
 

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JSnake Repair said:
Understood. Tentatively, I plan to run the primary pump for 14 hours and the booster pump for 10 hours a day (10 hour period of energy credit at night; plus another 4 hours during mid-day. cleaner/booster will not run midday while people may use it obviously). A few questions...

My pool is a very odd shape...kind of like a coffin with a foot. It has both a deep end and a shallow end with a gradient in the middle. Additionally, I have rounded corners/edges at the pool bottom. Is there any way to get an accurate measurement of how much water the pool holds without draining and re-filling the whole thing?

If I go the R15 route with
  • 14 hours a day pump usage
  • ~4-5 months of active pool/pump use
  • ~24,000gal pool
How long can I expect the $900 salt cell to last? Or as to not be lazy, can you point me to a resource so I can calculate how long it will last?

Although 'softer feeling water' and less equipment strain are of course big selling points, I am having a hard time believing that this will actually save me money over chlorine tablets in the long run. Our water supply (for our entire home) is already conditioned (purified + softened), as I understand how hard water can wreak havoc on home appliances. IE: I get this will likely save us from future part replacements, just not the chlorine cost savings proposition...even if the prices continues to inflate.
Click to expand...
Running booster-pump pool cleaners will just wear the cleaner out faster if you go beyond the recommended 3hours/day. Usually 2 is sufficient for most pools. At 3hr/day Polaris says the cleaner will travel about 2500 miles in a year. They are just plastic with a little stainless-steel thrown in.
Using tablets as the sole source of pool chlorine has its own set of issues; high CYA, low pH, damage to pool equipment.
Hayward warranties some of their cells for 3 years. With proper care, expect 3-5 years.
Your pool, your money, your choice. These are just suggestions.
 
Again, I have historically used chlorine tablets and shock...with great results (from a water quality standpoint). Very rarely clarifier or algaecide. PH is almost never out of range, and any issues regarding hardness, CYA, and alkalinity all work themselves out by the time I get the pool clean and stable PH/Chlorine.

That's great to know about the cleaner though, but I am still asking about the 'Salt Cell'. Most warranties I am aware of are the bare minimum guarantee, with many more years possible. This Salt Cell is a disposable part though. Is it safe to assume the warranty (for the R15) is based on a 40,000gal pool at 100% utilization for 3 years, year round? Or how do they reasonably guarantee 3 years? Would be great to know for a baseline metric.
 
JSnake Repair said:
Again, I have historically used chlorine tablets and shock...with great results (from a water quality standpoint). Very rarely clarifier or algaecide. PH is almost never out of range, and any issues regarding hardness, CYA, and alkalinity all work themselves out by the time I get the pool clean and stable PH/Chlorine.

That's great to know about the cleaner though, but I am still asking about the 'Salt Cell'. Most warranties I am aware of are the bare minimum guarantee, with many more years possible. This Salt Cell is a disposable part though. Is it safe to assume the warranty (for the R15) is based on a 40,000gal pool at 100% utilization for 3 years, year round? Or how do they reasonably guarantee 3 years? Would be great to know for a baseline metric.
Click to expand...
You buy and install the equipment, the warranty starts at that point or from date of sale/manufacture, depending on what the warranty reads. If it doesn't last that long it gets replaced, sometimes at a pro-rata rate. Just like any other item one may purchase. As is said, "Ya pays yer money, ya takes yer chances."
Here is Haywards warranty options:

Warranty

Our pool product warranty offers peace of mind for your investment. With comprehensive coverage and hassle-free claim process, we ensure that your pool equipment and supplies are protected against defects. Trust in our warranty to keep your pool running smoothly and worry-free.
hayward.com hayward.com
 
JSnake Repair said:
Understood. Tentatively, I plan to run the primary pump for 14 hours and the booster pump for 10 hours a day (10 hour period of energy credit at night; plus another 4 hours during mid-day. cleaner/booster will not run midday while people may use it obviously).
Click to expand...
Unless there is a massive amount of debris dropping in the pool, 10 hrs of pool cleaner is way too much. In the late Spring and now getting into Summer, I run my booster pump/cleaner maybe 3 hrs a week. Obviously the Fall/Winter/early Spring is different but even then it may be 2 hrs a day 5 days a week.
Maybe rethink the booster pump run time. Also, that consumes a lot of energy so try to minimize it where possible.
 

Hayward Aquarite SWG - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

Aquarite T-Cells.​

Cell chlorine Generating Capacity.​

Each cell T-3, T-5, T-9, T-15 will produce a specific quantity of chlorine before it is depleted.[2][3]


Hayward SWCG Cell Specifications
CELLGALLONSLBS/DAYLIFETIME CL LBS(1)LIFETIME
T-Cell-315,0000.53210
T-315,0000.53193364 days at 100% or 8,736 hours at 100%
T-Cell-520,0000.636 to 0.784
T-520,0000.636 to 0.784
T-Cell-9 (925) Extended Life25,0000.98480
T-925,0000.98354361 days at 100% or 8,664 hours at 100%
T-1540,0001.47580362 days at 100% or 8,688 hours at 100%
T-Cell-15 (940) Extended life40,0001.47725

T-15 Cell Types.​


The Hayward T-Cell-15 and Hayward T-Cell-15-SWP are the same thing.

The T-15 has 13 Titanium Plates, 150 x 63mm.

The T-Cell-15 has a 3 year warranty.

The Hayward T-Cell-15-SWP is a Swimpure branded cell, which has a 2 or 3 year warranty.

You would need to verify with the seller to be sure.

The first number of the serial number is the length of warranty.

The TCELL940 is a T-15 "long life" cell with a 4 year warranty.

A T-15-W is a warranty replacement cell with a 1 year warranty.

It's not designated as a retail cell.

t's supposed to be used as a replacement for a cell that fails under warranty.

Some places sell warranty cells as regular cells.
 
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HermanTX said:
Unless there is a massive amount of debris dropping in the pool, 10 hrs of pool cleaner is way too much. In the late Spring and now getting into Summer, I run my booster pump/cleaner maybe 3 hrs a week. Obviously the Fall/Winter/early Spring is different but even then it may be 2 hrs a day 5 days a week.
Maybe rethink the booster pump run time. Also, that consumes a lot of energy so try to minimize it where possible.
Click to expand...
Already re-thought that strategy. Failed to consider the wear being placed on the cleaner...that 10 hours was just to maximize energy use during my energy credit window. I will cap it off at 3 hours.
 
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JSnake Repair said:
Clean break into 2 pieces. The remainder of the center is still attached to the pump...need to pry/grind that off somehow.
Click to expand...
Just making sure about the age of the filter, not the booster pump. Bottom manifold breeches allow debris to get into the booster, which puts the impeller out of balance.
There may have been a bit of crossover between the old SwimClear and the new one.
Does your filter's air relief have a simple black knob, or an orange lever?
If it's the older style, (with black knob), you probably have a broken manifold. Very, very common failure.
 
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