Performance Chart for Pump

[Frank in FL]

Hey folks! 1 week old new pool owner here.
I have a Jandy 2.7 hp VS pump. Obviously the reason for the VS pump is to try and conserver energy. With that being said, how accurate are these performance charts?

I have a total of approximately 60' of head. Whats the best way to read this chart so I know how much water I am flowing starting at 1000 rpm up to 3450 rpm in 500 rpm increments? I saw that they sell a flow meter that you attach inline on your pressure side and it gives you a reading on how much you are flowing.

 

[mas985]

Welcome to the forum!

First, I have to ask why do you care about flow rate? In most cases it doesn't really matter and knowledge of it doesnt really help maintain a pool.

There are several ways to determine flow rate without a flow meter. But I would need more details about your setup.

 

[Frank in FL]

Everything I have read tells me you want to be able to turn your entire pool over in a given time frame.
I don’t see a need to run my pump at full RPM and turn my pool over in three hours at 2400 watts when I can do it over a 10 or 12 hour period at a much lower RPM and save significantly on the electricity side. Isn’t that the main reason for a VS pump?

What else do you need to know about the set up ?

 

[setsailsoon]

Franky ,

Welcome to TFP!!

We do things a lot different than most "rules of thumb" approaches. It's amazing to me that even many pool supply stores still size pumps that way. TFP uses simple, proven science to help ordinary people maintain beautiful pools with generic chemicals very cheap. We are experts and pool enthusiasts that use TFP methodology and just have a strong desire to "give back" a little by helping others to learn the methods and with everything pool. Proven science shows you don't need a certain "turnover rate" to set your pump. You need to run it long enough to get the desired FC added or distributed and to filter any debris that's added. For a liquid chlorine pool this can be way less than a full turn in a given number of hours. Many people here successfully maintain a gorgeous pool with a VS pump running 24/7 at min speed and they save a bundle on electricity. I recommend you look at TFP for beginners at the bottom of this post and read Pool School. Any questions are most welcome. Truly knowledgable people will respond quickly. Please also add the information about your pool in the "signature". You'll also get superb advice on how to set your speed for minimum cost and have a safe gorgeous pool. One of our top pool pump experts is already following your posts.

So, to get back to your question yes the pump curves are typically very accurate. But the "turn" method is not a good way to set the speed. You'll learn all about this in Pool School and from one of our pump experts like Mark. If you want to use this methodology figure out very soon which recommended test kit you want to get. Then you'll be ready to start. Oh and one more thing, we don't sell anything so all you get is unbiased advice that is never conflicted. I've found it to be the one and only place that works for me since I joined 5 years ago and there are thousands others like me on here.

Good luck to you and I hope this helps.

Chris

 

[mas985]

Everything I have read tells me you want to be able to turn your entire pool over in a given time frame.

Unfortunately, that is not true. It is a myth started within the pool industry a long time ago and propagated throughout the internet. You might want to first read on what our position is on run time here: Determine Pump Run Time - Trouble Free Pool

Second, there is a run time study link in my signature that you might to also read. Basically, it is a fairly detailed study of over 100 pools in Florida. The conclusion is that nearly all pools can get away with 4 hours or less of run time (independent of flow rate) and for more than half of the pools, less than 2 hours is sufficient.

To optimize your setup, you first need to determine what your minimum run time should be. Is that a SWG in the return line? If so, the run time is likely going to be driven by that. You need to be able to generate enough FC during the time the pump is running.

The next critical item is skimming. The best way to minimize RPM (and energy use) is to determine the lowest RPM of the pump needed to ensure that water travels over the top of the weir door in the skimmer. This makes sure the skimmer is doing it's job.

Assuming run time is sufficient for FC addition, at this point any more run time is simply about aesthetics. How long it takes depends on much debris drops into the pool and how much it bothers you. Removing debris from a pool makes it no more sanitized than with it left in the pool. Only FC sanitizes a pool and makes it safe to swim. Some people choose to run 24/7 because they don't want to have any debris in the pool ever (even in the middle of the night ). Some people like me want to minimize the amount of energy they use because they pay a lot for electricity. But again, this part is purely optional and based on your tolerance of floating debris.

The most important thing you can do to maintain a trouble free pool is to make sure the FC levels are set properly according to this table: Chlorine / CYA Chart - Trouble Free Pool


Also, I noted that you have the skimmer shut off in the picture. Is there a reason for that? I would recommend pulling mostly from the skimmer and a tiny bit from the main drain. This will allow you to run at the lowest RPM possible while still maintaining good skimming action.

Lastly, please read this: Read This BEFORE You Post - Trouble Free Pool

 

[Divin Dave]

Hi Frank,
Welcome to TFP.

mas985 has got you covered. And Im one of those guys he talks about who wants my water perfect, even in the middle of the night! I sleep better than way, and my electricity is cheap.

I run my VSP at 1500 RPM and at that speed, i burn 186 watts. 1500 (with a 3 HP pump), is where my SWG is happy, and my flow rate is just great. It skims well and keeps the water circulating to help my pool stay sparkly clean.

 

[jonpcar]

Unfortunately, that is not true. It is a myth started within the pool industry a long time ago and propagated throughout the internet. You might want to first read on what our position is on run time here: Determine Pump Run Time - Trouble Free Pool

Second, there is a run time study link in my signature that you might to also read. Basically, it is a fairly detailed study of over 100 pools in Florida. The conclusion is that nearly all pools can get away with 4 hours or less of run time (independent of flow rate) and for more than half of the pools, less than 2 hours is sufficient.

To optimize your setup, you first need to determine what your minimum run time should be. Is that a SWG in the return line? If so, the run time is likely going to be driven by that. You need to be able to generate enough FC during the time the pump is running.

The next critical item is skimming. The best way to minimize RPM (and energy use) is to determine the lowest RPM of the pump needed to ensure that water travels over the top of the weir door in the skimmer. This makes sure the skimmer is doing it's job.

Assuming run time is sufficient for FC addition, at this point any more run time is simply about aesthetics. How long it takes depends on much debris drops into the pool and how much it bothers you. Removing debris from a pool makes it no more sanitized than with it left in the pool. Only FC sanitizes a pool and makes it safe to swim. Some people choose to run 24/7 because they don't want to have any debris in the pool ever (even in the middle of the night ). Some people like me want to minimize the amount of energy they use because they pay a lot for electricity. But again, this part is purely optional and based on your tolerance of floating debris.

The most important thing you can do to maintain a trouble free pool is to make sure the FC levels are set properly according to this table: Chlorine / CYA Chart - Trouble Free Pool


Also, I noted that you have the skimmer shut off in the picture. Is there a reason for that? I would recommend pulling mostly from the skimmer and a tiny bit from the main drain. This will allow you to run at the lowest RPM possible while still maintaining good skimming action.

Lastly, please read this: Read This BEFORE You Post - Trouble Free Pool

Mark, you need to copy and simply paste that entire post every time a new member asks a related question. That is one of the most precise and explanative posts for this site’s philosophy that I have seen posted. @Frank in FL I’ve learned a lot from the users and experts on these boards, welcome!