Hey Liz and Welcome !! You'll need part #s for the equipment and extras so the pros know whats being installed other than 'VS pump upgrade'
Heat pumps shine at making the warm pool even warmer during the nice months but become expensive to run when it gets cool early/late in the season. They stop working altogether about 10 degrees (air temp ) sooner than a gas pump. The gas pump shines in heating a cool pool quickly early/late in the season. If it costs $100 to heat the pool for a weekend in Oct/Nov, you'll be thrilled to swim in Oct/Nov. It also costs the same to heat the pool from 80 to 85 for a weekend during the warm months so its better as an on-demand heater. Its hard to choose for most people because we all want a little of both.
new pool build. This is my first pool so I have no clue what I’m doing besides what I have read on this forum.
DEFINITE KNOWNS:
-leisure pools, elegance 30’ in graphite grey
- 14x30” fiberglass pool rectangular (NO SPA)
- 16,000 gallons of water
- salt water system (Hayward aquabrite 925)
- gas heater (Hayward H-series 250 BTU)
- 330 cartridge filter
- 2” rigid plumbing pipe
- Hayward brand equipment is what the builder uses
QUESTIONS:
1. Based on the above info what size type pump should I get? Currently he has a 2HP pump but I have read it should not be oversized because it can overwhelm the system and cost more than it needs to to run. However the plumbing is 2” and the filter is oversized for the pool so that shouldn’t matter correct. At one point I thought about a variable speed pump but read it’s not good for a salt system pool or one with a heater since it needs to run at full speed anyway for those two things to work, plus my pool guy doesn’t like that they are more complicated. So then I’m thinking I should be fine with the regular pump, but should I go with the 2 HP? The pool guy likes it bigger to handle if there is ever an algae problem or something like that in the pool so it can be rectified quicker since it’s pumping more in a shorter period. Or should I do a 1.5 HP because it will cost less to run but run longer not leaving the water stagnant for too long. Will 1.5 HP cause any problems with the swg or the heater not being able to perform properly.
2. what Salt water generator should I ask for to make sure it’s able to produce enough chlorine? I read you should double the volume of ur pool so instead of 16,000 I should go with more than 32,000. Any suggestion for a specific model? He currently has in contract for Hayward Aquabrite 925.
3. does the gas heater Hayward h-series 250 BTU look ok?
I’m not looking for the best most expensive system. I’m looking for an easy to maintain pool that still keeps things simple.
thanks,
Liz