Success! TexasSplash, your first two guesses were both right. ajw, thanks for your advice on the impeller. And JamesW, thanks for the pics and pump info: your prediction was also correct. The advice on this forum is gold. I don't post often but I intend to remain a gold supporter for a long time. Thanks all!
I had both problems that TexasSplash initially guessed: heater and impeller.
To evaluate the heater, I removed the manifold, disassembled it, and removed the internal piece that separates the inflow from outflow. (The heater is broken, so I aimed to get the most unrestricted flow possible until I replace it). It took a little less than an hour and improved my low-rpm flow dramatically (almost doubled my flow at 1600 rpm).
My high rpm flow was still a disaster: 35 gpm at every speed above 2350 rpm. Which made me suspect an impeller velocity-related problem. I stuck my hand through the pump filter basket and could feel leaf debris adhered to the impeller. Awkwardly and with some knuckle scraping I managed to pull it out by hand without disassembling the pump. The leaves had gotten onto the impeller because the pump filter basket had cracked, allowing some debris through.
After finishing both jobs, the system flow is better than I've ever seen it -- even better than totally bypassing the filter back when I had a multiport valve. I didn't have time to capture every RPM that James suggested, but here is a sampling:
*** Before repair ***
(the filter psi is the analog gauge that came with the Hayward; not sure how accurate it is)
1650 rpm -- 206 watts -- 13 gpm -- 9 pump psi -- 8 filter psi
2350 rpm -- 630 watts -- 28 gpm -- 18 pump psi -- 11 filter psi
2750 rpm -- 1015 watts -- 35 gpm -- 25 pump psi -- 12 filter psi
3000 rpm -- 1256 watts -- 35 gpm -- 29 pump psi -- 13 filter psii
*** After bypassing heater and cleaning impeller ***
1650 rpm -- 324 watts -- 43 gpm -- 8 pump psi -- 6 filter psi
2350 rpm -- 875 watts -- 63 gpm -- 16 pump psi -- 12 filter psi
2750 rpm -- 1390 watts -- 73 gpm -- 22 pump psi -- 16 filter psi
3000 rpm -- 1770 watts -- 79 gpm -- 26 pump psi -- 18 filter psi
Now that I can circulate water, I'm slamming. Best to all.
I had both problems that TexasSplash initially guessed: heater and impeller.
To evaluate the heater, I removed the manifold, disassembled it, and removed the internal piece that separates the inflow from outflow. (The heater is broken, so I aimed to get the most unrestricted flow possible until I replace it). It took a little less than an hour and improved my low-rpm flow dramatically (almost doubled my flow at 1600 rpm).
My high rpm flow was still a disaster: 35 gpm at every speed above 2350 rpm. Which made me suspect an impeller velocity-related problem. I stuck my hand through the pump filter basket and could feel leaf debris adhered to the impeller. Awkwardly and with some knuckle scraping I managed to pull it out by hand without disassembling the pump. The leaves had gotten onto the impeller because the pump filter basket had cracked, allowing some debris through.
After finishing both jobs, the system flow is better than I've ever seen it -- even better than totally bypassing the filter back when I had a multiport valve. I didn't have time to capture every RPM that James suggested, but here is a sampling:
*** Before repair ***
(the filter psi is the analog gauge that came with the Hayward; not sure how accurate it is)
1650 rpm -- 206 watts -- 13 gpm -- 9 pump psi -- 8 filter psi
2350 rpm -- 630 watts -- 28 gpm -- 18 pump psi -- 11 filter psi
2750 rpm -- 1015 watts -- 35 gpm -- 25 pump psi -- 12 filter psi
3000 rpm -- 1256 watts -- 35 gpm -- 29 pump psi -- 13 filter psii
*** After bypassing heater and cleaning impeller ***
1650 rpm -- 324 watts -- 43 gpm -- 8 pump psi -- 6 filter psi
2350 rpm -- 875 watts -- 63 gpm -- 16 pump psi -- 12 filter psi
2750 rpm -- 1390 watts -- 73 gpm -- 22 pump psi -- 16 filter psi
3000 rpm -- 1770 watts -- 79 gpm -- 26 pump psi -- 18 filter psi
Now that I can circulate water, I'm slamming. Best to all.
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