New Pump for Above Ground Pool (with heater)

[howdoo]

Hi,

My pump kicked the dust and need recommendations for a new one. I'm trying to get it right so as to be efficient as possible. It is a simple set-up:

~5000 gallons
12x18x4 oval
S180T Hayward Sand Filter.

Now... about two years ago, I had a plumber friend utilize my heating oil boiler to heat the pool -- and it has worked out pretty well. The connections to the boiler run out of the 'return' from the filter. So, it's a basic set-up... with the exception that instead of the water being returned right back to the pool it is diverted to the boiler (unless I set the valves to bypass this). As shown in the pictures, the pipes run along the base of the house, up about 5' to where it enters/leaves the basement <about another foot past the edge of the picture> to the two copper pipes that run vertically in the basement picture (to the right of and behind the hot water heater). The pipes and connections in the middle of the basement wall are all pretty much for the pool. So, there are multiple turns, feet of pipe, etc.

So, armed with all this information, it would be greatly appreciated what pump would be recommended. Note that I was in the process of changing sand, which is why the multiport was not connected. If it's felt that an upgrade to the "barrel" of the filter is needed then now would be the time to do so before the new sand is added.

Thanks in advance!

 

[CJadamec]

Welcome to TFP

Can you tell us what your previous pump was?
Was there something your didn't like about the pump you had?
Are you considering a 2-speed pump to save on electric costs?

 

[howdoo]

Thanks for responding!

The previous pump was a 1.0hp Waterway BN24 Pump.

I can't say there was anything I didn't like about it. I've been doing research on how to appropriately match pump flow with the equipment I have -- not sure how many people actually do that. What is getting me is resistance and whether or not the additional piping post-filter adds to that resistance so that I would need a stronger pump regardless at the expense of possibly making it more powerful than what the filter can handle (which is why I left open the possibility of upgrading the filter if necessary), but don't want to needlessly spend the extra $ for a relatively small pool.

I never really had an issue with electric costs. I typically had it run for about 3- 4 hrs in the AM and then another 3 - 4 hrs in the PM.

 

[CJadamec]

I'm of the opinion if it isn't broke don't fix it. You can probably just replace the motor on the pump and be on your way. For a pool your size you really don't need much of a pump and I don't think that heat exchanger is adding all that much extra head to your plumbing for it to be taxing on your pump. What pressures were common on your sand filter? If you were running under 20psi on the sand filter I wouldn't change anything if you were happy with the system.

 

[howdoo]

Sorry for the delay in responding.

Funny thing is... when the heating system was installed, the pressure on the filter actually went down to close to 0. Truth be told, not sure if that's a good thing or bad.

 

[CJadamec]

How is everything plumbed in did you somehow bypass the filter when you plumbed in the heater?

 

[howdoo]

Doesn't appear so. Water goes from pool, to pump, to filter, and then out. If heat is needed then the T's are adjusted to divert the water to the boiler through all that piping. Otherwise, it would go straight back to the pool.

 

[CJadamec]

If your gauge reads 0 on your filter when you are putting water thru it and it used to read more pressure I would say the gauge is bad.

 

[howdoo]

I don't disagree.
Will see if i can order a replacement motor (and gauge). Thanks for your time!