Must I run pump to meet minimum rate?

[drummerman951]

I was reading a thread yesterday and it got me thinking.....

For a few weeks now I've been running 1200rpm 24/7 except for 1.5hrs each day at 3450rpm. At 1200rpm my filter gauge is a whopping 3psi. I believe minimum for Hayward C4030 is 18. If I have to run at a minimum of 18 that will put the pump at about 2650rpm... at least based on my quick test. If I need to do this, I think it defeats the energy savings of 1200rpm 24/7 and I would return to running for 8-10hrs a day at minimum rpm to achieve 18psi .

Heck, even when I was running 3450rpm 8-10hrs a day, filter psi was 20-22. My water looks great and I want to keep it that way, but also trying to keep my energy bill down.

What is the best path to take? Should I be concerned about running below minimum rate?
Thanks as always!

 

[Richard320]

There is no minimum rate. The thing will filter if you just pour buckets through the element and let it gravity feed. You can have high pressure that may damage the paper or blow around seals.

I just went through the manual using ctrl F on "pressure" and nowhere do I see a minimum pressure. I see a maximum of 50 psi; I see a 6 psi rise in clean pressure indicative of cartridge replacement; I see 7-10 psi increase meaning time to clean. Nothing at all about minimum pressure or minimum flow rate.

Lots of people here run at the slowest speed possible and still enable the SWG and nobody has reported any problem. Usually they just boast at how much lower their bill is now.

 

[Jimrahbe]

951,

I run my pump at 1200 RPM and my filter pressure is about 1 lb... Filter pressure is just the effort it takes to push water though the filter and the return plumbing.. Lower, is almost always better..

The only time you even need to think about running faster is if you need to close a flow switch on a SWCG or close a pressure switch on a heater...

There are zero reasons to ever run a VS pump at full RPM...

If your salt cell works at 1200 RPM, that is where I would run most of the time... If not, I would increase the speed until the cell comes on and then add 100 RPM.. That would be the lowest speed that I would run... I can't think of any reason to be running your main pump if you are not making chlorine..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[drummerman951]

There is no minimum rate. The thing will filter if you just pour buckets through the element and let it gravity feed. You can have high pressure that may damage the paper or blow around seals.

I just went through the manual using ctrl F on "pressure" and nowhere do I see a minimum pressure. I see a maximum of 50 psi; I see a 6 psi rise in clean pressure indicative of cartridge replacement; I see 7-10 psi increase meaning time to clean. Nothing at all about minimum pressure or minimum flow rate.

Lots of people here run at the slowest speed possible and still enable the SWG and nobody has reported any problem. Usually they just boast at how much lower their bill is now.

Thanks. I saw the number on the filter label, but I was going a little quick and I may have misread it. I'll snap a picture and post. Once it stops raining.... at almost the end of May of all things. I think this summer is going to be weird for weather.

 

[drummerman951]

951,

I run my pump at 1200 RPM and my filter pressure is about 1 lb... Filter pressure is just the effort it takes to push water though the filter and the return plumbing.. Lower, is almost always better..

The only time you even need to think about running faster is if you need to close a flow switch on a SWCG or close a pressure switch on a heater...

There are zero reasons to ever run a VS pump at full RPM...

If your salt cell works at 1200 RPM, that is where I would run most of the time... If not, I would increase the speed until the cell comes on and then add 100 RPM.. That would be the lowest speed that I would run... I can't think of any reason to be running your main pump if you are not making chlorine..

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thanks for the positive reinforcement! So far my SWCG and heater flow switches are working as they should so no worries there.

 

[drummerman951]

There is no minimum rate. The thing will filter if you just pour buckets through the element and let it gravity feed. You can have high pressure that may damage the paper or blow around seals.

I just went through the manual using ctrl F on "pressure" and nowhere do I see a minimum pressure. I see a maximum of 50 psi; I see a 6 psi rise in clean pressure indicative of cartridge replacement; I see 7-10 psi increase meaning time to clean. Nothing at all about minimum pressure or minimum flow rate.

Lots of people here run at the slowest speed possible and still enable the SWG and nobody has reported any problem. Usually they just boast at how much lower their bill is now.

I clicked on the manual and instantly saw my error. I was looking at a clearance dimension of 18". Oh lordy, I think I need to start posting a little later in the day to avoid stupid errors like this.

 

[Richard320]

I clicked on the manual and instantly saw my error. I was looking at a clearance dimension of 18". Oh lordy, I think I need to start posting a little later in the day to avoid stupid errors like this.

Well it all worked out happy, then! You aren't running your pump on the expensive setting for no reason!