Pump replacement recommendations

[ccp79]

My pump started making periodic screeching noises about a week ago (or that's when I started noticing it) and yesterday it would start up and then after a few minutes make a loud buzzing noise and then shut off. Now when I power it on it just makes the buzzing noise suggesting capacitor but with the screeching noise I'm thinking there's more wrong than that.
So I think it's time to replace it. I haven't got much info on the current pump/motor except what is included in the attached photos. The pump is at least ten years old (that's when we bought the house) and possibly original (house was built in '95; don't know when the pool was installed).
Looking for a recommendation on which way to go. I'd prefer not to have to change plumbing around too much. Double-speed or VS would be a plus, HOWEVER it is currently controlled off of an Intermatic timer with freeze-protection and keeping the freeze protection is a must (we're in the high desert here).
Additional info: 14,600 gal in-ground; not salt water; three returns; 2" piping at the pump.
TIA for recommendations

 

[mas985]

VS pumps come with a builtin controller/timer so you won't need a separate timer for that. Intelliflo is a good choice.

If you don't want to change any plumbing, you could replace the current motor with a two speed motor but given the age of the pump, it is probably not a great idea.

 

[ccp79]

Hi Mark. Intelliflo pumps would be my first choice but I need the external timer because of the freeze protection built into it (it has saved my butt a few times).

 

[Bri1gut]

I do believe that the Intelliflo has built in freeze protection. If it turns out that it doesn't, then you may consider what I am doing.
I just recently upgraded to a Pentair SuperFlo, but it does not have built in freeze protection. Since I do not have an automation control panel, here's the plan that I came up with. Wire the SuperFlo into the external timer/freeze protection system, just as the previous pump was wired. On the pump timer, I would enter a time/speed program to cover a full 24hrs. Even though the pump is programmed to run 24 hrs, I would actually use the external timer to control the power to the pump. The idea is that external timer would send power to the pump at 8am and cut off power to the pump at 6pm on a daily basis. Between those times, the pump would run at the programmed speeds. In the end, since the pump has been programmed for 24 hrs, anytime that either the external timer or the external freeze protection system sends power to the pump it will run the programmed speed settings on the pump for that time frame.
The caveats are that using an external timer/freeze protection will not cause issues or problems by turning on and shutting off power to the pump. From what I have read, as long as power is not turned off to the pump for more than 24 hrs that the memory will retain the speed/time program that I have entered.
The other option that I have considered is to let the pump run for 24hrs, mostly at low speeds overnight, which would remove having to rely on external freeze control.
As with anything else, both options have other external factors that you would need to be take into consideration - flow rate for heaters, chlorinators, etc - based on your specific setup.

 

[mas985]

Hi Mark. Intelliflo pumps would be my first choice but I need the external timer because of the freeze protection built into it (it has saved my butt a few times).

First, do you really need freeze protection? Just because temps drop below 32F does not always mean you need freeze protection:

The Physics of Freezing and Freeze Protection

Recently, there have been a lot of questions from those living in moderate climates about using automatic freeze protection or running pumps to prevent freezing and what a pool owner should do when temperatures drop so I thought it might be useful to have a thread which dealt with the issue from...

www.troublefreepool.com

Second, the Intelliflo does have built in freeze protection although it really isn't meant to protect the pool. But a VS is not meant to be run off an external timer either.

 

[ccp79]

First, do you really need freeze protection? Just because temps drop below 32F does not always mean you need freeze protection:

The Physics of Freezing and Freeze Protection

Recently, there have been a lot of questions from those living in moderate climates about using automatic freeze protection or running pumps to prevent freezing and what a pool owner should do when temperatures drop so I thought it might be useful to have a thread which dealt with the issue from...

www.troublefreepool.com

Second, the Intelliflo does have built in freeze protection although it really isn't meant to protect the pool. But a VS is not meant to be run off an external timer either.

In the 10 years we've lived here I've seen the temperature go as low as 15F, and one year it did go low enough to freeze and crack the manifold on the pool heater. So yes, freeze protection of the pumping equipment is a requirement.

I'm not aware that the intelliflo has freeze protection; I guess I need to reread the manual as I did not see it the first time through. Maybe it has enough protection for my needs.

 

[ccp79]

I do believe that the Intelliflo has built in freeze protection. If it turns out that it doesn't, then you may consider what I am doing.
I just recently upgraded to a Pentair SuperFlo, but it does not have built in freeze protection. Since I do not have an automation control panel, here's the plan that I came up with. Wire the SuperFlo into the external timer/freeze protection system, just as the previous pump was wired. On the pump timer, I would enter a time/speed program to cover a full 24hrs. Even though the pump is programmed to run 24 hrs, I would actually use the external timer to control the power to the pump. The idea is that external timer would send power to the pump at 8am and cut off power to the pump at 6pm on a daily basis. Between those times, the pump would run at the programmed speeds. In the end, since the pump has been programmed for 24 hrs, anytime that either the external timer or the external freeze protection system sends power to the pump it will run the programmed speed settings on the pump for that time frame.
The caveats are that using an external timer/freeze protection will not cause issues or problems by turning on and shutting off power to the pump. From what I have read, as long as power is not turned off to the pump for more than 24 hrs that the memory will retain the speed/time program that I have entered.
The other option that I have considered is to let the pump run for 24hrs, mostly at low speeds overnight, which would remove having to rely on external freeze control.
As with anything else, both options have other external factors that you would need to be take into consideration - flow rate for heaters, chlorinators, etc - based on your specific setup.

Thanks for those insights. I'm going back through the intelliflo manual now.

 

[ccp79]

Thanks for everyone's feedback- I'm going with the Intelliflo!