Need advice on variable speed pump upgrade

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teberlein

0
Sep 8, 2017
8
Folsom, CA
Newbie member about to enter contract for a 500sf free form pool.

The standard pump included in base price of the pool is a Jandy Stealth 3/4HP single-speed. It would cost $1,100 to upgrade to a Jandy FloPro variable speed. Doesn't make any sense to me - checking prices online it looks like I could buy the Stealth single speed for ~$525, and the FloPro variable speed for $690 - only $165 more. The $1,100 upgrade is almost 2x the entire cost of the FloPro variable speed. I can get a $350 rebate for variable speed from my utility company, but $750 more still seems steep, especially since we will have a very basic config - pool only (no spa), no solar, small 30" waterfall. Baseline energy cost is around $0.11/kWh.


Appreciate any advice / suggestions!
 
I would ask contractor for $500 off for no pump. He'll say it doesn't cost him anywhere near that, so maybe settle at $250-$300. Then buy the VS pump myself, and set it by the pad the day the plumber comes.
 
Welcome to the forum.

You do not state how you plan to chlorinate. With SWCG - which is the best way to chlorinate in my opinion, especially in areas we do not close our pool - a VS pump allows you to run at low RPM's and thus low electric consumption. The SWCG needs a minimum flowrate that in most cases equates to a low RPM. My Pentair setup is such that it costs me $0.03 per hour to run the pump (same elec cost as you). Check the kW/hr consumed by the 3/4 hp. I suspect it is quite a bit more.

Take care.
 
teberlein said:
...pool builder said they don't do these anymore due ... too many probs causing customer satisfaction issues. Was kinda surprised.
Click to expand...

Not surprising at all. Too many PB's don't know the first thing about how SWG's operate or the pool chemistry needed to maintain them. They also would sell them under the notion that an SWG means you have a maintenance free pool. Then, too many pool owners would buy into the hype, get lazy with their pool care and next thing you know their water balance is either too corrosive (destroying hardscape) or too scaling (causing the cell to clog up with calcium deposits) and then it would all get blamed on salt water....so, rather than deal with all the warranty calls (a money loser for PBs), they'd just gave up on SWGs.

Believe me, I love my salt pool and would never want to own a pool without an SWG, but they are not "maintenance free" and having one does not absolve the pool owner of actually caring for their pool. They are a great way to chlorinate your pool and you can add it in yourself later as there are many DIY models out there.

As for the VSP, I agree - tell the PB you'll buy your own VSP and pay the plumber on the side to install it. When the PB realizes he's about to lose a good bit of profit margin, I bet he'll make a deal. Since your pool has no spa and only a single waterfall, a VSP is a bit overkill for your pool ( a simple 2-speed pump would work fine) BUT, the federal government has recently released new energy standards for pool pumps that will eventually phase out all single speed pumps over a certain HP rating. So you might as well get on the VSP train now before the sudden scarcity of pumps makes them more and more expensive in the future (law of supply and demand).
 
So how do you plan to chlorinate?

Liquid chlorine is your only real option if not SWCG. You might wish to look into a Stenner pump installation so you will only have to lug jugs of chlorine once a week or so.

Good luck.
 
I personally would not build a pool without a salt water chlorine generator and a variable speed pump.
 

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Glad you came here :) Ditto and +1 re: salt water chlorinator, VS pump, and no chlorine pucks.

The only alternative for your climate and circumstances is chlorinating liquid, which you can semi-automate with a dosing pump.

Solid chlorine includes stabilizer (aka cyanuric acid, CYA, or conditioner). At the right amount, CYA protects your free chlorine from sunlight, and also buffers the 'harsh' part of free chlorine so that swimmers can't detect that your pool even has chlorine in it. In a climate like yours with a long swimming season, solid forms of chlorine (trichlor pucks or tablets, or dichlor powder) will cause CYA to build up too much, requiring ever greater amounts of chlorine, and likely leading to a green pool (Murphy's law - this happens the day before a pool party!). When you see that happen to a pool, usually the CYA got too high and rendered the chlorine ineffective. Your pool builder might say 'yeh, but you just drain half the water and refill' which is crude and avoidable.

Trichlor and dichlor also reduce the pH of the pool. You can manage this with other chemicals, but sometimes people do it poorly and corrode heaters and coping with the acidic water, and also experience sore eyes and tight itchy skin.

That's a new one for me: too many customer satisfaction issues. Haven't heard that one before!
 
Pool builders may know how to build a pool, but most haven't got a clue as to what it takes to properly maintain one. They use single speed pumps only because they won't be paying the electric bills. I didn't know that single speed pumps were even still allowed for new builds in California. They are being phased out nationwide.

As for puck feeders, spend a little time reading Poool School (button at the upper right of this page) and you will discover that using pucks for daily chlorine needs is a recipe for disaster.
 
Hi mknauss! I am curious about this Stenner pump? Can it be added to existing VSP and filter set up? I am trying to just eek out another 3 weeks or so of season before a drain. The stupid pucks are horrible and I am lugging the jugs. lol Can you advise? Thanks in advance.
 
Sure. Do a search of this forum. Lots of folks run them. I do not - but there are many that do.

Biggest issue in Phoenix is keeping your chlorine tank in the shade and cool. Your chlorine will degrade pretty quick in your summer sun and heat.

That is why SWCG's are so popular ---

Take care.
 
mknauss said:
Sure. Do a search of this forum. Lots of folks run them. I do not - but there are many that do.

Biggest issue in Phoenix is keeping your chlorine tank in the shade and cool. Your chlorine will degrade pretty quick in your summer sun and heat.

That is why SWCG's are so popular ---

Take care.
Click to expand...

+1 to what Marty has said.

In the southern Arizona climate you are MUCH better off going with an SWCG than using manual chlorination methods or a liquid Stenner pump. Outdoor temps can easily hit 115F up where you are (Tucson is a tiny bit cooler) and stay that way for weeks on end. Liquid chlorine won't survive long in a tank at those temperatures unless you find a way to cool it. Even in the shade, the liquid temp can easily hit 100F.

Since you're draining the pool anyway (I'm going to do that in a few weeks too....1250ppm CH after 4+ years on my last fill), cutting an SWG into the equipment pad should be fairly easy. They are an expensive, up front cost but the economics of them work out that they are the equivalent to manual chlorination, you just happen to be buying all of the chlorine up front.
 
Teberlein,

You can replace the motor only with much less cost and no re plumbing. I just did it and it runs great. BTW, how did you get the rebate from utility company. I live in Texas. Not sure if I am eligible.

51V3wcXqf%2BL._SL500_SS75_SS75_.jpg
Regal Beloit America - Epc ECM16SQU 1.65HP 230V Variable Speed Pool Motor Pump Square Flange
by REGAL BELOIT AMERICA - EPC
Link: http://a.co/hR5872v
 
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