Recommendation on how long and speed of pool pump

[newbie_pool]

Hi,

I have Pentair VSP and I have been running for years at highest speed for 12 hours a day. I have also read somewhere that you can run at low pump, maybe at 1000 ppm. Is that right? With electricity cost nowadays, I hope I can save a few bucks here and there. What is your recommendation? What other factors do I need to consider the time and speed I should run the pump?

 

[ajw22]

Tell us what equipment you have.

If you have a SWG or a heater you need to run the pump fast enough for the flow switch or pressure switch.

If not then you can run your pump as fast or slow as necessary to skim your pool.

Determine Pump Run Time

To figure out how many hours you need to run your pump, you need to know how fast your pump works. You can find this here.

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[newbie_pool]

Tell us what equipment you have.

If you have a SWG or a heater you need to run the pump fast enough for the flow switch or pressure switch.

If not then you can run your pump as fast or slow as necessary to skim your pool.

Determine Pump Run Time

To figure out how many hours you need to run your pump, you need to know how fast your pump works. You can find this here.

www.troublefreepool.com

We have Pentair IntelliFlo VSP and we have always set at high. No SWG and heater/spa also set at high but only when we use it. What are some other speed that everyone is using?

 

[splashpad]

We have Pentair IntelliFlo VSP and we have always set at high. No SWG and heater/spa also set at high but only when we use it. What are some other speed that everyone is using?

We don't have a VSP, but we only run long enough to skim the surface (we have a pool devil, since AGP) and to mix chemicals (aka Chlorine) when added

 

[ajw22]

We have Pentair IntelliFlo VSP and we have always set at high. No SWG and heater/spa also set at high but only when we use it. What are some other speed that everyone is using?

What model heater for your spa?

Do you have automation controlling your equipment?

Your pool without the heater can be run at 1200 - 1500 rpm.

Your spa and heater will require more then that.

What model number Pentair VSP do you have?

 

[ajw22]

Let me turn you over to @Jimrahbe to discuss how to setup the pump speeds on your EasyTouch for the various modes.

Do you have ScreenLogic?

 

[newbie_pool]

Let me turn you over to @Jimrahbe to discuss how to setup the pump speeds on your EasyTouch for the various modes.

Do you have ScreenLogic?

I have to Google what it is but doesn’t look like I have that. My Easy Touch is wireless which just communicate to the trans receiver. I don’t recall we set up any wireless with it before.

 

[Jimrahbe]

N,

How do you control your EasyTouch? Do you use your phone, PC, or do you use Pentair remotes?

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[newbie_pool]

N,

How do you control your EasyTouch? Do you use your phone, PC, or do you use Pentair remotes?

Thanks,

Jim R.

I have Pentair Easy Touch remote. After spending some time searching, this is what I plan to do (I guess I need to run long hours especially with Texas heat)
5 - 6 am - set at 3450 rpm (using Pool High circuit option)
6 - 12pm - set at 2200 rpm (using Pool circuit option)
12pm - 8pm - set at 1800 rpm (using Pool circuit option)

Is this too much/too long? Can I set any lower than these? Also, I can't figure out how set schedule to pick the low setting (1800) from 12pm -8pm? I check the speed status and it is still at 2200 rpm. Can I just randomly choose different circuit name and schedule that name separately?

 

[Jimrahbe]

N,

Each "Circuit" can only have one speed. "Pool" is a circuit so you can't have two speeds assigned to Pool.

You can use default circuit names from a drop-down list or you can just make up names of your own.

Your system comes with these circuits...

Pool
Spa
Aux 1, 2 3 (ET-4)
Aux 4, 5, 6 and 7 (ET-8)
Feature circuits 1, through 8

You can rename any of these circuits with any name you want, but it is best to leave Pool and Spa alone

You need to assign the lowest speed that you want to use, to the Pool Circuit.

Then add additional speeds by using other circuits. I suggest using Feature circuits.

Here are my speeds..

Set up page 4.JPG

• Jimrahbe
• Apr 19, 2019

You can see that my Pool Circuit is set to run at about 1200 RPM. This is the speed I need to run my SWCG..

Then you can see that when I ALSO turn on Skim Low (I renamed a feature circuit) my pump will increase to 1500

If I then turn on Skim High, (Another feature circuit) the pump runs at 2000 and if I turn on my waterfall, the pump will run at 2800 RPM

When the pump sees two or more circuits on at the same time, it will always run the fastest speed.

I run my Pool circuit 24/7, because I like making a little chlorine all the time and skimming all the time. You do not need to run 24/7, but you do need to run your Pool circuit for the total time you want your pump to run.


I'd start here and then change the speeds and times to meet your needs

Assign a speed of 1500 RPM to the Pool Circuit
Assign a speed of 1800 RPM to Feature 1 circuit
Assign a speed of 2200 RPM to Feature 2 circuit
Assign a speed of 3000 RPM to Pool High circuit

Schedule Pool from 5 am until 8 pm (This is the total time you wanted to run your pump in the above schedule) If you do nothing else, the pump will run from 5 am until 8 pm at 1500 RPM.

Then I'd schedule Pool High to run for one hour sometime between 5 am and 8 pm

If you want the pump to run at 1800 or 2200 you can just add a schedule for Feature 1 or 2.

But keep in mind that we don't recommend running different speeds just to run different speeds. You should set up your schedules for a purpose. Why do you want to run your pump at a particular speed?

You need to run at a speed that will accomplish a purpose.. making chlorine, skimming, running a waterfall, or??? Don't just pull a speed out of your rear to run, unless you are running the pump for a purpose.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[newbie_pool]

N,

Each "Circuit" can only have one speed. "Pool" is a circuit so you can't have two speeds assigned to Pool.

You can use default circuit names from a drop-down list or you can just make up names of your own.

Your system comes with these circuits...

Pool
Spa
Aux 1, 2 3 (ET-4)
Aux 4, 5, 6 and 7 (ET-8)
Feature circuits 1, through 8

You can rename any of these circuits with any name you want, but it is best to leave Pool and Spa alone

You need to assign the lowest speed that you want to use, to the Pool Circuit.

Then add additional speeds by using other circuits. I suggest using Feature circuits.

Here are my speeds..

Set up page 4.JPG

• Jimrahbe
• Apr 19, 2019

You can see that my Pool Circuit is set to run at about 1200 RPM. This is the speed I need to run my SWCG..

Then you can see that when I ALSO turn on Skim Low (I renamed a feature circuit) my pump will increase to 1500

If I then turn on Skim High, (Another feature circuit) the pump runs at 2000 and if I turn on my waterfall, the pump will run at 2800 RPM

When the pump sees two or more circuits on at the same time, it will always run the fastest speed.

I run my Pool circuit 24/7, because I like making a little chlorine all the time and skimming all the time. You do not need to run 24/7, but you do need to run your Pool circuit for the total time you want your pump to run.


I'd start here and then change the speeds and times to meet your needs

Assign a speed of 1500 RPM to the Pool Circuit
Assign a speed of 1800 RPM to Feature 1 circuit
Assign a speed of 2200 RPM to Feature 2 circuit
Assign a speed of 3000 RPM to Pool High circuit

Schedule Pool from 5 am until 8 pm (This is the total time you wanted to run your pump in the above schedule) If you do nothing else, the pump will run from 5 am until 8 pm at 1500 RPM.

Then I'd schedule Pool High to run for one hour sometime between 5 am and 8 pm

If you want the pump to run at 1800 or 2200 you can just add a schedule for Feature 1 or 2.

But keep in mind that we don't recommend running different speeds just to run different speeds. You should set up your schedules for a purpose. Why do you want to run your pump at a particular speed?

You need to run at a speed that will accomplish a purpose.. making chlorine, skimming, running a waterfall, or??? Don't just pull a speed out of your rear to run, unless you are running the pump for a purpose.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thanks very much for the detail explanation. My pump is currently running at high speed (3300) from 8 am - 8 pm which I think is too much and unnecessary. Please correct me if I'm wrong here. This is why I am looking to set different speeds at different schedule that can still to make chlorine, skimming, etc. but can also save a few bucks here and there with electricity. I typically don't run the waterfall all the time, only schedule 3 times a week for 10 mins just to ensure the pump is working. Or if we swim then we turn on waterfall. Since I don't have SWG, is it true that I can't run the pump too low? Maybe I stay just stay ~2200 throughout the day and not have to change to different speed? Thoughts?

 

[Jimrahbe]

N,

I suggest that you run the lowest speed you can and still skim the water. 2200 is a lot better than 3450, but 1500 is better yet.

Whatever works best for you. Try 2200 and see how well it works. Then drop it to 2000 and see if you see any difference. etc..

It is your pool and you can't hurt anything... Just experiment and see what you like.

Thanks,

Jim R.