Increasing water churning in spa

M

Mikecn

Hello,

I have a pool with a small spa area. They both share the same pump. I would like to get more water churning/agitation when my spa is on. I have the air vents fully opened. I understand there are limitations as it is a pool/spa combo. What would be the better route to follow? Changing out my single speed 1.5HP pump for a variable speed 2HP pump (in which I could increase the speed while in spa mode) or adding a boost pump(that would turn on in spa mode).
 
Do you know what size the plumbing to your spa is?

You can put in a 3+HP VS pump and see what ramping up the speed does to your water flow.

You will only find out what works with some trial and error.

Post pics of your equipment pad and spa so we can see the situation you are working with,
 
if I remember correctly the plumbing at the jets themselves was 1 1/4” and there are 6 jets. I posted this on my lunch break. I will post the pictures you asked for when I get home.
 
And what size are the pipes between the equipment pad and the spa?
 
Show me where you are measuring 3".

Your plumbing looks to be all 2" INSIDE DIAMETER.

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My mistake it’s 2-1/2” this reducing coupling threw me off I assumed I was reducing a 3” pipe to fit a 2-1/2” elbow and didn’t bother measuring the pipe. Sorry for wasting your time.
 

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I see you have an Aqualink.

Get a Jandy 2.7HP Vs pump and you may get a bit more pressure from your spa jets....

 

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I see you have an Aqualink.

Get a Jandy 2.7HP Vs pump and you may get a bit more pressure from your spa jets....

I talked with my pool builder. He is recommending against a variable speed pump. Says they don’t play well with D.E. filters. Searching around I find opposing opinions on that. What is the general consensus of pool builders on this forum?

I have read some people had issues back flushing. For what it’s worth I never back flush my filter. To conserve water I disassemble and clean it by hand.
 
I talked with my pool builder. He is recommending against a variable speed pump. Says they don’t play well with D.E. filters. Searching around I find opposing opinions on that. What is the general consensus of pool builders on this forum?

Your builder is full of it.

How is a VS pump at close to full RPM different then a single speed pump?

I have read some people had issues back flushing. For what it’s worth I never back flush my filter. To conserve water I disassemble and clean it by hand.

Details please? Issues? What issues?

My Pentair IntelliFlo VS pump works very well with my DE filter. Although my filter could not care less what type of pump is feeding water to it.
 
Your builder is full of it.

How is a VS pump at close to full RPM different then a single speed pump?



Details please? Issues? What issues?

My Pentair IntelliFlo VS pump works very well with my DE filter. Although my filter could not care less what type of pump is feeding water to it.
Going back and reading through some threads on this and other forums it would appear that most of the issues stem from differences in operating pressures, operator error and port advice from others.

I’m trying to make an informed decision. I asked my pool builder about the upgrade and he recommended against the variable speed pump this was word for word what he told me

“They don’t work well with DE filters. True they can run at lower speeds but you’ll spend an extra $1,000 getting the variable over and above the 2 Hp. And you’d still have to run the variable at 1.5 hp in normal times so the savings is negligee”

I have contacted other pool builders I’m my area and am waiting for a response from them.

At this point I am going to upgrade the hp of my pump. Just trying to prevent buyer’s remorse.
 
A variable speed pump is a variable HP pump. You dial in the HP that works best for whatever operation you are doing in your pool.

The only negative to a VS pump is the initial cost. And that can largely be offset by electrical cost savings if the VS speeds are run intelligently.

Variable_Speed_Pump_Electrical_Costs.jpg


Pool builders mostly do not understand how modern automation and Vs pumps are designed to operate. They can be game changers and builders give the same advice they have for decades.

We have over 300,000 members here with hands on experience which is more then any builder has.
 
A variable speed pump is a variable HP pump. You dial in the HP that works best for whatever operation you are doing in your pool.

The only negative to a VS pump is the initial cost. And that can largely be offset by electrical cost savings if the VS speeds are run intelligently.

Variable_Speed_Pump_Electrical_Costs.jpg


Pool builders mostly do not understand how modern automation and Vs pumps are designed to operate. They can be game changers and builders give the same advice they have for decades.

We have over 300,000 members here with hands on experience which is more then any builder has.
Thank you
 
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