Pentair SuperFlo VST or IntelliFlo VSF Pool Pump to Replace Hayward SP3215EE TriStar?

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StephanieM

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Jul 1, 2016
8
Tucson, AZ
I currently have a Hayward SP3215EE TriStar 1 1/2 HP Pump that my pool builder installed that needs to be replaced after almost 9 years. Below are my pool specs:
- 11,000 gallons pool
- Hayward 325 sq ft Cartridge Filter
- PV3 in-floor pool cleaning system
- waterfall feature with 2 foot drop

I live in Arizona so I need to replace my single speed pump with a variable speed pump. After some research, I decided on the Pentair SuperFlo VST Variable Speed 1 1/2 HP Pool Pump because I thought it met my flow rate requirements and I believe my pump is running off of 120V. But when I called a local dealer and they said I needed the IntelliFlo VSF 3 HP Pool Pump because I had an in-floor pop-up cleaning system. I was hoping someone on the forum could enlighten me on what the extra demand is for in-floor pop-up cleaners and whether the Pentair SuperFlo VST would be up for the job. Thank you!
 
They are correct. Your single speed pump has a 2.40THP motor. The motor is a 1.5 hp with 1.6SF. You multiply those together to get THP.

You could go with a two speed replacement of your current motor, but that would still be a 208-230V service needed.
 
Because of the high pressure and high flow rate requirements of an in-floor cleaner, you may not realize much in energy savings from a VS pump. You will be running the pump mostly on higher RPMs.
 
mknauss said:
They are correct. Your single speed pump has a 2.40THP motor. The motor is a 1.5 hp with 1.6SF. You multiply those together to get THP.

You could go with a two speed replacement of your current motor, but that would still be a 208-230V service needed.
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Thanks so much Marty for the HP vs THP explanation. Looks like I need to spring for the IntelliFlo VSF and wiring for the 240V service. Yikes !!$$!!
 
The negligible difference in energy costs between the new VS and the old SS pumps really only applies while you're cleaning. The savings will occur the rest of the time your running your pump for filtering, because you can do that at a much reduced RPM (and energy use). It'll depend on your cleaning/filtering schedule. If you keep hanging out here at TFP, you might end up with a chlorine generator, and get rid of the ozonator, and that's when the cost savings of the VS will really take off.
 
In most cases, you will not need to run the pump beyond the in-floor cleaning cycle as 2-3 hours is all that is needed for a typical pool. You could run longer at lower speeds but with not much added benefit unless you added a SWG.
 
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Dirk said:
The negligible difference in energy costs between the new VS and the old SS pumps really only applies while you're cleaning. The savings will occur the rest of the time your running your pump for filtering, because you can do that at a much reduced RPM (and energy use). It'll depend on your cleaning/filtering schedule. If you keep hanging out here at TFP, you might end up with a chlorine generator, and get rid of the ozonator, and that's when the cost savings of the VS will really take off.
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Thanks Dirk for the additional information. Looks like the next thing I need to do after I decide on a pool pump is how to set up the time/RPM for cleaning and filtering. After that, I'll look into a chlorine generator. I've actually never known if my ozone generator ever did anything or if it ever worked.
 

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I mostly forgot what I learned here about ozone, because the conclusion (in my mind, which I do remember) was that it was not nearly as effective as chlorine. There are several things that must occur to keep residential pool water safe for people, and ozone doesn't do all those things. Further, it doesn't provide one of the most important: residual protection. When your pool water is properly chlorinated, not only is the chlorine performing all that needs to get done, it does so 24/7, out in the pool, even after the pump is off. The protection is in the water. Ozone and UV systems are "cleaning" the water as water passes through them, but when the water is back out in the pool, they provide no residual protection. For example, if an animal (like a bird, or a human) introduces something nasty into the pool, that material floats around in the water until it is sanitized or oxidized. In a chlorine pool, that happens very quickly, no matter where in the pool that material is, because the chlorine is everywhere. With an ozone system, the material has to get sucked into the pump and then put through the ozonator before it is dealt with. Until then, it's still floating around in your pool, active. That's all I needed to learn about ozone! Even if your gizmo is working perfectly, it's not doing enough. If the recommendations for using your ozone system include to also add some chlorine, that's why. The ozone system's instructions are virtually admitting that ozone can't do a proper job!

Others here can better fill in the gaps of that story, but that's the gist of it, and why TFP promotes and supports only chlorine as the way to go... An SWG doesn't necessarily provide better chlorination than manually adding chlorine, it's just way more convenient, and costs about the same. Oh, except the chlorine you buy in a store might be fresh and fully potent, or it might not, as chlorine degrades over time and even more quickly if it is not stored properly. The chlorine generated by an SWG is as fresh as it gets!

The other thing I really appreciate about an SWG: unless you're fanatical about manually dosing every day, the typical MO is to add a bunch of chlorine all at once, so that it lasts a few days or maybe even a week. Your FC level is really high at first, about right at mid-cycle, then low just before you have to re-dose. This yo-yo cycle repeats and repeats, and your pool's FC level is only optimal for a day or so at a time. With a properly tuned SWG, the chlorine is being distributed into the water about every hour. Which is why I don't mind that I have to run my pump most of the day. My FC level is virtually the same all day long, every day. Not too harsh one day, too weak another. That might help you justify the increased energy costs of an SWG. To be fair, my pump has to run most of the day anyway to heat my pool with solar panels, so an SWG doesn't cost me any extra. But when I am not heating my pool, I run the pump just for the SWG and am comforted by the fact that my pool water is perfectly balanced and safe for my family, no matter which hour or day they swim.
 
Short story, two years ago was called to a pool that I've never been to only to find the water in a total disarray. Took a full 10 days to turn it around rendering the pool unusable in the interim from a health aspect. Last year I opened the pool and in a short few days had all levels near perfect. The problem is that to have a TFP pool not in your backyard makes it difficult when a slam is in order. I had to be out of town and had educated the pool owner how to follow through but in reality it wasn't followed to the T and upon return the once pristine pool was no longer pristine and in fact had been attacked by algae. So again very inconvenient to slam but got through it with great results. At that point I installed a circupool RJ60+ and the rest is history. I had 3 months of smooth sailing with even better quality water then one would imagine. To say the least it was a win win. Even if the money is more over the lifetime of the cell in comparison to chlorine it's still a no brainer. With a stenner pump set up you still have to lug the chlorine.
 
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