Looking to replace pump...need guidance

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Silhyboy

Silhyboy

Well-known member
Apr 6, 2021
49
Belvidere, Il
Pool Size
18000
Surface
Vinyl
Hello again all,

Well, I did a VERY DUMB thing the other day. After checking chlorine levels in my vision2 and cleaning my filter out, I FORGOT TO OPEN THE VALVES on my system before letting my daughter turn on the pump. It ran for about 10 hours before I noticed the problem. Thankfully, the only immediate casualties were that the intake shut off valve/union had come very loose and the output 3 way valve had blown it's seals. Only a 70.00 fix for both parts, but it also showed me that the threads on both orifices were expanded. I have it working now with only a 1 drop per minute leak, but I am sure that that will only increase in time.

So... The meat of my question, I have a 115v Hayward LX 2 H.P. single speed using 1500w running 24/7 right now and want to switch to something a lot more efficient. Looking through the forums, I see that there are talks about vacumes, SWGs and water features. I only have a Vision2 system that I am using only as a chlorine generator so I don't have to do much to keep my FC in check and a Hayward 200k btu heater to keep the water at a temp my family enjoys.

What should I move to? I have been looking at 2 speed and variable speed pumps but the prices are everywhere from $300 to $2000.... What should I be getting? I'm just getting a bit lost in it all...

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
 
Check with your energy provider for rebates. Some energy providers require professional installation.

My vote would be either a Pentair 1.5 HP SuperFlo VS or 3 HP IntelliFlo VS. You'll reduce energy consumption significantly by running at lower speeds. Each comes with a 60-day warranty for DIY installs. If you buy from an authorized Pentair E-Commerce dealer, you get an additional one-year parts warranty. Eligible model number will begin with "EC".
 
I just swapped out our Whisperflo to an Intelliflo VS. I was a little bummed at the price, but wanted to swap in preparation for the SWG I'm hopefully installing tomorrow. I haven't connected the pump to the automation yet and have been using the controls on the pump (connected this way, the automation timer does turn the pump on & off, but not the speed). Running at 1100 rpm it's using about 72watts and this is enough for the weir doors to open. And it's quite. You hear water flowing through the pipes but not the electric motor!
 
In my opinion, unless you need to run the pump at full-speed, you're really only paying for one (low) speed. There is a strong chance you can run your pump at less than half speed and save more energy.

Doubling the speed of a pump results in 7 to 8 times more energy use. Here's an example from my pump display:

1628382069986.png
 
Keep in mind also, with a 2-speed pump you'll need to add a 2-speed pump timer and wiring. The VS is controlled by the drive on the pump. If you ever plan to add automation, the IntelliFlo is the better choice.
 
I never thought about needing automation. I know these are newbie questions and if I make you roll your eyes, sorry. By the way, I have a 110v circuit at the site, so the 240v unit isn't an option. I am plain maxed out for conductors in the conduit.

I looked at the Superflo VS at almost $1000. At its lowest setting (according to the details in the manual), it would turn over my water in about 7 hrs. At its highest, it would do so in 3hrs. I can see the max draw (amps) at 13.2A, but there is no data showing for the rpm differentiations. Is that just a straight calculation of

Max rpm/max load = target rpm/target load
3240rpm/13.2A = 1400rpm/5.7A?

My current single speed draws the max of 13.2A at 2HP. I figured it out at one time that it is turning the water over every 2.5hrs. with a flow rate of about 120gpm which is crazy for my lil pool.

Who knew owning a pool would force me back into algebra... Oh my poor high school math teachers...
 
Turnover is not a factor of importance in maintaining in your pool water chemistry. Your pool pump is for creating/distributing your chlorine and skimming the surface.
 
Yep...don't worry about turnover. Run the pump based on your pool's needs.

www.troublefreepool.com

Determine Pump Run Time

To figure out how many hours you need to run your pump, you need to know how fast your pump works. You can find this here.
www.troublefreepool.com www.troublefreepool.com

If you do plan to automate, the SuperFlo VST (Trade Grade 342002) may be a better choice. It must be purchased from a brick/mortar, pool builder or pool supply to qualify for an extended warranty. The VST offers, "New RS-485 connectivity for improved interface with automation systems and IoT devices to allow more flexibility." This allows the use of data cable for communication between the automation controller and pump. You'll have to shop for price/availability in your area.
 

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Some say turnover isn’t important, but I feel that misses the point of filtration. We have a Speck VS that is fantastic. The controller board is very basic, but so was the $560 price. We run it 24 on weekends for bather load @ 2 hrs 800 watts, 4 hours 400 watts, 18 hours 150 watts. Pool spotless and very stable chemically. During the week it’s 1 hour at 800, 1 hour at 400, 10 hours at 125
Specks have a 1 year warranty
 
I was going to recommend the Calimar 3 hp VS pump for under 500 bucks but it is 220v

www.poolsupplyunlimited.com

CaliMar® Variable Speed Pool Pump | 1.5HP | CMAR15VS1.5

Pool Supply Unlimited has some of the best prices when shopping for CaliMar® Variable Speed Pool Pump | 1.5HP | CMAR15VS1.5
www.poolsupplyunlimited.com www.poolsupplyunlimited.com
 
So, what I am seeing is no one runs a 2 speed at all.

The TFP determining pump runtime article is full of information, but more of a trial and error method. It just seems that with all the research I am doing, no one wants to come out and say VS is worth the extra cost over a 2 speed.

I am thinking that my original question is still out there. VS vs 2 speed. A good 2 speed 1.5HP will give me chemical mixing and quick cleaning on high at 13.2A and then maintain at 4.4A, this dropping my operating costs from $45 to $15/month but I can't get a flow chart to show what it's head and GPM are. Ugh... This is just getting frustrating to me... I tried to call around and no one had any black and white numbers except Pentair.

I will continue my search tomorrow...
 
2-speed vs. VSP

Most of the 2-speed units I've looked at run about 650-700 Watts on "low" and about 1800 Watts on High. I run my VSP 24/7 and it runs 80-85 Watts 20 hours and 750 Watts for 4 hours.
Saving 600 Watts for 20 hours = 12kWh, saving 1000 Watts for 4 hours = 4kWh, total = 16kWh. Now you are probably thinking, but it would not run 24 hours a day with the 2 speed pump. And you are right. I would run 16 hours a day, 4 on high speed. So my savings would be ~11kWh. @$0.10/kWh, this is about $400 per year.
And this is a 1 hp / 2 speed pump
 
We recently replaced our old pump with the Pentair SuperFlo VS. I will say it was definitely worth it. It replaced an old 3/4HP single speed pump that last season we ran 24/7. We have our SuperFlo wired for 230 but it can be wired fore either 115 or 230. It has an onboard 24 hour clock and 3 program buttons. You can program the pump to run at up to 3 different speeds in a 24 hour period. The default setup starts at 8am running at 3,000 RPM for 2 hours, then it kicks down to 1,400 RPM for 10 hours, and then kicks up to 2,200 for 2 hours and then goes into an idle mode again till 8AM the next morning. You can change any of these speeds, their duration, and when the program starts. I've been very impressed with how little power this draws and how quiet it is.
 
If it's 2 speed vs the VS pump, def the 2 speed. The VS is not worth the extra cost. Personally, I'd stick with the single speed. I am in the minority on this but wanted to give you another point of view.

You probably have a similar swimming season compared to me. June-August for sure and a bit in May and September I assume in IL? I don't close until late October but I reduce my pump run time per day since we rarely swim in Oct. In summer I run my pump from 11 am - 6 pm so it skims when we are likely to be swimming but it doesn't need to run that long.

The significant additional cost of a VS pump will take, at least, several years to recoup in energy savings. If you had your pool open 8 months or more per year then that may be a different story but in our climates (I'm NY) we just don't run the pump enough each year to justify the cost.

Also, if you haven't done so already, i'd put teflon tape on the unions and that one leak per minute may stop.
Keep us updated.
Chris
 
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