Sound Level on Pentair SuperFlo 1.1hp Single Speed

[ripit3]

Had a new single-speed Pentair SuperFlo 348190 pump installed. Running fine, has strong water flow, but the sound from it is much higher pitched and can be heard around the house to the patio sitting area and even inside the house if it’s quiet inside. Have been here 10 years and coming from a 1.5hp single speed, have never experience this.

Had the pool tech come out and they said it was normal, but having a hard time verifying if this is what the pump is actually supposed to sound like that would make an upgrade to the WhisperFlo worth it.

Steady 88 dB, 1281 Hz on the decibel meter. Aside from the normal motor sound, to my ear, it sounds like there is an added, higher pitched sound on top of it.

Thought perhaps it was an electrical hum and issue with the wiring. Double-checked the 115/230 and that appears correctly set based on the breaker.

Anybody familiar with this pump?

 

[Jimrahbe]

3,

My 3 HP IntelliFlo runs at about 1200 RPM and is so quiet, that I sometime have to touch it, just to make sure it is still running...

I would not install a single pump, if it was given to me for free...

Every pool that I have visited, that had a single speed pump, always seemed very noisy to me.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[PoolStored]

Welcome to TFP!!!

Jim is spot on. Lots of threads on noisy single speed pumps.

A variable speed pump will cost less to operate and will operate at very low ambient sound...

 

[ripit3]

Appreciate the replies, PoolStored & Jim, and hear you on the variable speed. As the single-speed is already bought / paid-for / installed, really trying to determine if there is an issue with it or if it just is what it is.

If it helps, here is a video of the sound from the pump: IMG_0430.MOV

You can really hear the higher pitch from a distance a bit further away and walking around to the other side of the pump towards the end of the video.

 

[JamesW]

New single speed pumps have a TEFC motor, which has a back mounted fan.

The fan definitely adds more sound than the older style pump motors.

At 3,450 RPM the fan can get quite annoying.

The pump sounds louder than expected, but they are loud anyway.

Maybe remove the fan as a test to see how much sound is made by the pump with the fan vs. the pump without the fan.

Do not leave it running without the fan for a long time or the motor will probably overheat.