Pump for Small Fountain

[geekgranny]

I still haven't decided on a "permanent" use for my dedicated pressure cleaner return driven by an AO Smith 3/4 HP booster pump that is still in system.

I stopped using my Polaris. Mainly because it became cost prohibitive. With my microscopic "cementous" dust I was running the Polaris minimum 10 hrs a day and using expensive disposable EZ bags, the only bag that will catch most of the dust. I got a little over 30 hours use from each bag, rinsing it a couple of times a day, before the bag began to disintegrate. The cheapest I found the bags for was $4-$5 a bag; 2-3 bags a week. The Polaris kept the dust stirred up too much too.

Anyway, I hooked my little fountain up to the pressure cleaner return with and without the booster pump running. Without booster pump running, with just the water going to the return just with main pump running (~ 20 gpm) I'm getting ~ 36" rise but with the booster pump running it is > 20 ft rise with the relief valve almost fully open. The fountain is a little Splash Pool gadget I picked up on Amazon for $25. The thing I really like about it, and why I purchased that fountain, is because it has a valve at the wall fitting to adjust how much water goes to the fountain. It is variable. Opening the valve lets water to the pool like a return. With the booster pump running I have to open the valve almost full open and I still get 20+ rise.

The 3/4 booster pump is just too much. If the fountain could handle it, it can't btw, if I shut the relief valve the rise would probably be 40+ ft.

I have my other returns finely adjusted (restricted down) so that I can get enough flow going to the Pool Skim. In a few weeks I'll be adding in the second Pool Skim as plant debris and winds will start to increase so fine tuning the returns will be even more critical to get enough flow to both Pool Skims. I originally put the fountain on the shallow end, end wall. With no additional return adjustments I was getting about 30" rise, and enough flow to Pool Skim, main pump ~ 20 gpm. That place is where the second Pool Skim will go in a few weeks.

So, bottom line is looking for suggestions for much less powerful pump, or replacement motor, to drop in where the Polaris booster is currently located. CHEAP.

My pumping station is all 220 volt.

I have the old Challenger 2.23 SFHP, taken out when Intelliflo installed; great working condition. (220 volt and not switchable to 120 volt).

I have a new Challenger 3/4 (dual voltage) that I got to use as a trash pump. It is a "main" type pump with pump pot, and not a booster

I have a low flow spa circulation pump that I had replaced when spa guy was here a few years ago. It was working but bearings getting noisy. At the time I didn't know that I could have taken care of that myself. (220 volt) It's been stored inside. The circulation pump is a separate function from the two 5 HP jet bumps and blower.

Suggestions please. I don't want to do any replumbing; just drop it in where booster is using the same hose connections.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my Intelliflo VF? :lol:

Thanks, gg=alice

 

[Melt In The Sun]

I would think the 3/4 hp pump could work, but I don't think the existing small-diameter hoses would work at all. You definitely need to replace the pump (not just the motor) since the booster's impeller is designed for high pressure and low flow. Can you replace the hoses with pipe, or is the line to the pool buried?

 

[geekgranny]

I would think the 3/4 hp pump could work, but I don't think the existing small-diameter hoses would work at all. You definitely need to replace the pump (not just the motor) since the booster's impeller is designed for high pressure and low flow. Can you replace the hoses with pipe, or is the line to the pool buried?

Thanks for commenting Melt.

All plumbing comes up from underground right under the deck and about 3 ft from the railroad tie steps. The station is below grade, flooded. There's enough room to do some plumbing. The vertical drop from skimmer and returns to where the plumbing comes out from under the railroad tie steps and then elbows up to pad is about 6-7 ft. The horizontal distance from dedicated return is only about 25'.

I'll have to look at it again to see if the reducers are glued. The pressure side from booster pump goes into a Jandy 2-way via a reducer. That valve is 1.5" to the 1/5" PVC to the dedicated return. The suction side going to booster pump comes from 2" T right before the ball valve that goes to the returns (filtered water). All is below grade "flooded". I have a spare Jandy 3-way valve, 2", but I was hoping to avoid any plumbing work.

I'm was hoping that the freestanding spa pump might work. In the spa it is very low flow, suction side 2" grated, going through 2" pipes and then narrows down to a good amount of pressure at the one, filtered return which is 3/4. I just checked it. It is 1/10th HP and "for indoor use only". Oh well.

Is the smallest 220 volt pool pump 1/2 HP? That would be more than enough. I really hate running a 3/4 HP when I will be sending most of it into the bypass valve. I'm thinking some kind of continuous 1/4 HP would be just the ticket.

Thanks, gg=alice