Just registered, but have visited as a guest quite often, so I appreciate the collective knowledge on this board (side note, you guys were life savers in helping convince me to convert from Baquicil to the BBB model). I wanted to run this past those more knowledgeable than myself just to make sure my thinking is OK before I put in the order. I've got a ~13,500 gallon inground pool. Currently I have a Hayward Super II 3/4hp pump with an ancient sand filter. Both leak quite a bit and so I wanted to replace them both and switch over to a cartridge filter. I was looking to do another Hayward Super II, but the 1hp model (1.5" piping) paired with a Hayward 175 Sq.Ft. Star-Clear Plus Filter. Does that seem like a combo that will work? My skimmer/return lines are all 1.5", so I'm looking to keep all the plumbing at that diameter. Thanks!
Looking for pump/filter combo advice
- Thread starter infinity9999
- Start date
I believe this Hayward Super II pump is a single speed pump. You should get a 2-speed pump at a minimum or a variable speed pump. They will pay for themselves with energy/ electricity savings.
So, you're thinking something like the Hayward SP3007X10AZ2? It's still a Super II pump, but two speed. The only thing with that one is that it seems to be hard to come by and only comes in 1.5hp and 2hp models (based on a quick Google search) and I'm not sure that I can really do 1.5hp with just 1.5" plumbing. Or is it ok to have 1.5" pipe go into the pump (with a 2" adapter) then 2" to the filter and pinch it back to 1.5" coming out of the filter to the return line? I've read that the power issue is that you don't want to overload and blow out your filter, but if you're tapering the line after the filter, I would have to imagine you're still going to cause a bottleneck within the filter. 1.5HP would be twice the power of what I'm currently using. Even just looking at variable speed pumps in general, they seem to be much higher HP than I really need. But, that's why I'm looking for advice here. 
After some more research I'm also looking at the Hayward SP23115VSP MaxFlo VS pump (as I only have a 115V outlet running my pump) or maybe the SP26115VSP Super Pump. Would that be more in line with what you were thinking?
I think I'm settling on the Hayward SP26115VSP, which is a 0.85hp variable speed pump. Review comments on it seem to indicate that a pool my size should be fine with that. And then pairing it with the 175sq.ft Star-Clear Plus that I mentioned originally. That has a flow rating of 120gpm, which should be well more than the pump would put out. I don't have any water features or heaters or anything, just a skimmer and two return jets, all running 1.5" piping.