Is the Pentair IC30 Big Enough??

Re: Pentair IC30 or IC40?

Welcome to the forum!

We recommend at least a SWCG rated at 2X your pool volume. So I would suggest at least the IC40. You will most likely need to run your pump with SWCG 10 hours per day or so with the IC40.

The iCHLOR 30 is a new product. I have not researched it much. But it is too small for your pool ---

Take care.

- - - Updated - - -

Just noticed - I certainly hope you are mistaken on the pump type. You must get a Variable Speed if you are going to have a SPA and SWCG. And I would highly recommend automation, at least the EasyTouch and preferably with ScreenLogic.
 
Speed,

Welcome to TFP... A Great place to research all your new pool needs, no matter what your ranch is called... :shark:

We always recommend that a salt cell be rated for at least 2 x the volume of your pool. The reason for this is that salt cells are rated when running 24/7 at 100%. Since you really don't want to do that, you need a bigger cell.

Having a salt cell with a single speed pump is not recommended unless you have dirt cheap electricity.. You really need to go with a 2-speed pump, or variable speed pump, so that you can afford to run the cell long enough to generate the amount of chlorine you will need.

Thanks for posting,

Jim R.
 
Your 2 HP Whisperflo single speed pump will consume about 2250 watts per hour. You will need to run it about 10 hours per day in the summer, consuming 22.5 kWh per day. How much does your electricity cost? I would assume your average is at least $0.25 per kWh. Or about $6 per day, $180 per month.

A variable speed pump will consume about 250 watts per hour at the speed needed to run the SWCG. Or about 60 cents per day.

Your call.
 
Re: Pentair IC30 or IC40?

Why would I need a variable speed for a spa and for SWCG?

Simple cost of operation. With a SWCG more speed does not produce more chlorine.. So running slowly costs a lot less then running at full speed. When running the Spa, slowly won't work ((as you find out with the 1 HP pump) so running faster makes sense. With a variable speed pump you can set the exact speed you want for each situation. If you have any water features you can also adjust the speed so that the water feature looks the way you want.

You don't have to have a 2-speed or VS pump, it just makes more economical sense.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Jim thanks so much. Just called my contractor and left a message to place a hold on my Ichlor order. Would have to stay with traditional chlorine for now. Jim how long do I need to run my 2hp motor now to sufficiently maintain my pool until I can get a variable speed pump as compared to the previous 1 hp pump?
 
Jim thanks so much. Just called my contractor and left a message to place a hold on my Ichlor order. Would have to stay with traditional chlorine for now. Jim how long do I need to run my 2hp motor now to sufficiently maintain my pool until I can get a variable speed pump as compared to the previous 1 hp pump?

speed,

If you are talking about using the IC30, then my guess is that you will need to run your pump for at least 12 hours a day, with the cell set to 100% to generate 3 ppm of chlorine.

In post # 6, I see that Marty says you will need to run your pump for 10 hours a day.. So we are saying about the same thing as this is not an exact number.

This is an estimate based upon the size of your pool and the use of about 3 ppm of Chlorine a day.. It could be a little more or less as each pool is different.

Just to be clear... no matter what size or type of pump you get, you will still have to run the pump the same amount of time to generate the chlorine you need. The difference is what it costs to run the different pumps.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 

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Here is an article for you, Pool School - Determine Pump Run Time.

By the way, California law requires a 2-speed or variable speed pump.

If I was you I would get an IC-60. It will require less pump run time and it will last longer than the smaller sized cells.

What he said... in .CA, especially Rancho Cucamonga, you can only replace a motor with a single speed motor, a 2 speed or Variable is required if you are doing any permitted upgrades. For the cost difference every month and rebates offered from the electric company, you would be dumb to put in a single speed monster like he is ordering.
 
Throwing in my 2 cents

In Southern California, a variable speed pump is a no brainer. It probably pays for itself in less than a year.

I'm pretty sure that mine did.

The IC60 is also a good recommendation for a 18-20K pool. I have a IC40 for my 13K pool, and in the summer I run it at about 60% duty cycle for 10-12 hours per day. When the pool was brand new, I ran at significantly lower duty cycles so I initially thought it was way oversized. But as my pool aged, the chlorine demand went up for reasons that aren't exactly clear.
 
Since you have a new pool you don’t know what the chlorine demand on it is per day. After a year I figured mines was about 1/2 gallon a day. 1/2 gallon is about a 6 hour run of that ic40 people are recommending at 100%, give or take. Now you can run that same swg at 25% for 24 hours a day and get the same output (but your pump will also run 24/7), it’s some give or take.

I dunno what your chlorine demand is, but I took the peoples advice and went at least 2x the generator. Look at the ic30 and the ic40 and look at the lbs of chlorine produced a day. Each lb of chlorine produced is about as equal to 1 gallon of 10% chlorine.

I’d look at that vs the marketing info of rated pool size.
 
Throwing in my 2 cents

In Southern California, a variable speed pump is a no brainer. It probably pays for itself in less than a year.

I'm pretty sure that mine did.

The IC60 is also a good recommendation for a 18-20K pool. I have a IC40 for my 13K pool, and in the summer I run it at about 60% duty cycle for 10-12 hours per day. When the pool was brand new, I ran at significantly lower duty cycles so I initially thought it was way oversized. But as my pool aged, the chlorine demand went up for reasons that aren't exactly clear.

FYI- The age of a pool has nothing to do with chlorine demand. The only things that will ‘consume’ chlorine are UV rays (sunlight) and bather waste/organics/bacteria. If you have an unexplained increase in chlorine usage, you either have too low of a CYA level for your location, a nascent algae bloom, or both.
 
I think you will find that with many builders they live in the pool days of 25 years + ago and have done nothing to keep up with their trade. Salt water chlorine generators are literally blue smoke and mirrors to them. Do your own research and tell your builder what to order. And since it sounds like you are already built, maybe get someone else to do the work.
 
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