New Pump for In - Floor system

[Dilbydog]

I need to replace my existing pump, which I hope I can limp it along to the off season. With the new pump, I’m also going to upgrade our automation. I’m fairly settled on the Intelliflo series of pumps, which seems to get high praises on this board. Here is the rub, my only plumbing returns are: a 5 zone in floor system, or spillover from the spa to the pool. I use a robot to clean the pool and no longer need the pop ups for cleaning. Ultimately, I want to create as efficient of a system as I can. Do I remove the nozzles in the pop-ups and / or gut the valve system that rotates between zones? Depending on the solution, which pump do you recommend?

Thank you,
Dill

 

[chiefwej]

I’m running the Intelliflo pump and have abandoned the infloor cleaning system. If you just remove the valve body it flows through all pop ups simultaneously which reduces the back pressure to almost zero. As you probably know, the spa spill over will result in constant rise in pH.

 

[Dilbydog]

I’m running the Intelliflo pump and have abandoned the infloor cleaning system. If you just remove the valve body it flows through all pop ups simultaneously which reduces the back pressure to almost zero. As you probably know, the spa spill over will result in constant rise in pH.

Chiefwej… thanks for the response. That was one of my concerns, if I removed the valve body, would be enough pressure to for the pop-ups to “pop” without running the pump at high speed constantly. May I ask your run schedule and RPM’s? Did you leave the nozzles in your pop-ups when you pulled the valve body?

 

[chiefwej]

The pop ups don’t rise but with water being supplied to all zones simultaneously there seems to be plenty of flow, with little back pressure. I have a SWG which requires about 1500 rpm for the flow switch, so I run 1600 rpm from 9am to 4pm for the SWG this time of year. When my solar system is heating the pool, it ramps the speed up to 2600. Otherwise it runs at 1000 rpm.

 

[Dilbydog]

Anything you don’t like about the Pentair system? Is your controller accessible via WiFi?

 

[chiefwej]

I don’t have or want an automation system. My pump is programmed using it’s onboard controller and my solar controller changes the speed when heat is called for and available.
Lots of reading and further info here:
Alexa pool control on a shoestring budget