IntelliFlo3 - 32GPM @ 75% Speed (3,000 RPM) - Is Something wrong?

[HeritageHD]

I just installed a brand new Pentair Intelliflow3 1.5 hp model.

It has been running for a few days and everything has been consistent. Right now I am getting 33gpm while running at 75% speed - roughly 3,000 rpm - and pulling 520 watts of power.

Does all of this seem accurate?

Looking at the performance curve from the manual (attached), this aligns with a dynamic head of ~40. I dont know what this means But the lower the head, the better the gpm gets. Is there a way to do this?

I have 1.5" copper plumbing for my suction and return lines.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Jimrahbe]

H,

Let's see of me can get Mark to chime in... @mas985

Show as several pics of your equipment pad so we can see what you have and how it is plumbed..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[mas985]

What is the filter pressure at full speed?

Could be the plumbing is just very restrictive.

 

[HeritageHD]

The pipe on the left is for my skimmers. The one in the right is for my bottom drain. I believe the pipe for my bottom drain is damaged somewhere underground between the pad and pool. When I open the valve I lose prime and over the winter I always get a thousands of worms in the bottom of the pool coming out of the drain. I say all that to say I'd be open to removing the Y if necessary.

 

[Jimrahbe]

H,

We need to see the all the plumbing and equipment AFTER the pump..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[HeritageHD]

Sorry about that. Here you go....

 

[HeritageHD]

@mas985 my filter pressure gauge appears to be broken. I will take a reading after I replace it.

I did a backwash prior to posting the gpm if that adds any context.

 

[Jimrahbe]

H,

A question for you... What was your GPM with our old single speed pump?

The real question is does the return water seem to have the same force now, as when you had your single speed pump running?

I'd also be interested in your filter pressure now vs. the filter pressure with your single speed pump.. (Once you get the gauge replaced.)

I guess my point is.. Is there really less flow now, or is it just that you now have a way to look at GPM?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

Let’s begin with you have a 1.5 HP Intelliflo3 and will need to run at a higher speed then you see all the folks with 3 HP Intelliflo3 running.

75% of 3450RPM IS 2600RPM.

33 GPM using 520 watts is not unreasonable.

I would remove that Y into the pump suction if you want to try to improve things a bit. I would not spend time doing anything else.

 

[HeritageHD]

H,

A question for you... What was your GPM with our old single speed pump?

The real question is does the return water seem to have the same force now, as when you had your single speed pump running?

I'd also be interested in your filter pressure now vs. the filter pressure with your single speed pump.. (Once you get the gauge replaced.)

I guess my point is.. Is there really less flow now, or is it just that you now have a way to look at GPM?

Thanks,

Jim R.

You may have hit it on the head - I don't have any reference on the GPM with the old pump.

I do know I have a small air leak in the multiport valve of the filter. Could that be an issue? Unfortunately I cannot replace just gasket - I've been told I need to replace the entire valve. The cost of just the valve is about 60% of an entirely new set up.

 

[HeritageHD]

Let’s begin with you have a 1.5 HP Intelliflo3 and will need to run at a higher speed then you see all the folks with 3 HP Intelliflo3 running.

75% of 3450RPM IS 2600RPM.

33 GPM using 520 watts is not unreasonable.

I would remove that Y into the pump suction if you want to try to improve things a bit. I would not spend time doing anything else.

Hi ajw - the 1.5hp has a max rpm of 4k. Am I missing something on why you used 3450?

 

[Jimrahbe]

H,

I am pretty sure the max speed is 3450.. that is the max speed of every pool pump I have ever seen or heard about...

I would not think that a small air leak on the pressure side would have any effect on water flow..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[ajw22]

Hi ajw - the 1.5hp has a max rpm of 4k. Am I missing something on why you used 3450?

I have never seen that but I have not dug into the specs of that pump.

Every pool motor max RPM has been at 3450.

Still if you are trying to compare your numbers to what you read others reporting, your 75% is equivalent to others 2600 RPM.

You lack any baseline of comparison to say you have a pump performance problem.

 

[mas985]

 

[mas985]

 

[mas985]

By chance are you running this pump on 115v vs 230v?

 

[mas985]

Looking at those copper pipes, they look to be less than 1.5" I.D. . Are you sure it is 1.5"? What is the O.D.?

 

[ajw22]

Interesting spec. Thanks for posting it.

Pentair engineers simply choked down the amps to 6 at 230V limiting the motor power to 1350 Watts versus the 3HP motor that gets 2600 watts.

 

[mas985]

The impeller has to be smaller to accomplish that.

Theoretically, there really is no limit on RPM only on the power in the drive. I think they may have used 4000 RPM simply because of the impeller that was chosen and so they could get a bit more flow out of the pump while still keeping the 115v current below 15 amps (14 gauge).

 

[ajw22]

The impeller has to be smaller to accomplish that.

Theoretically, there really is no limit on RPM only on the power in the drive. I think they may have used 4000 RPM simply because of the impeller that was chosen and so they could get a bit more flow out of the pump while still keeping the 115v current below 15 amps (14 gauge).

Pentair could have let 115V current go up to 16A as many 115V SS pumps do and require a 20A CB but they decided they wanted this pump to cover the 15A 115V market. This pumps primary design criteria is not performance oriented. It looks to be a compromised pump from a performance viewpoint.