Update: Oh yea... the booster pump!! Hi all, I'm new. Time to replace the pump.

[MikeyM69]

Hi all,

Merry holidays and greetings from NorCal. I would very much appreciate some input on my pending pump swap. I don't know very much about pools but I do know about plumbing and was an auto mechanic in a past life. I have also replaced a few hot tub motors/pumps so I think I can tackle this job. Our old Century 1081 2hp pump is leaking and I'm pretty sure it's an 80s/90s model and not, at all, energy efficient. After reading up on the forum, I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with the Pentair EC-342001 SuperFlo VS Variable Speed Pool Pump, 1 1/2 Horsepower, 115/208-230 Volt, 1 Phase unit.

We just bought this house from my parents but my dad recently passed so I can't pick his brain anymore about details. According to a pool construction dude, our pool is about 25,000 gallons (to me it's huge), has 1 skimmer, 4-5 little water jets under the waterline (returns??) and seems to be pretty basic. No water features but the wife unit is considering one.

I guess my question is would this pump be a good replacement for the old unit and what kind of energy savings could I expect to see? Any tips for replacing? It seems like a pretty straight foward swap but wanted to post up here just to make sure. I can post up pics if anyone is interested.

Thanks very much from the new guy

Mikey

 

[Bperry]

Hi all,

Merry holidays and greetings from NorCal. I would very much appreciate some input on my pending pump swap. I don't know very much about pools but I do know about plumbing and was an auto mechanic in a past life. I have also replaced a few hot tub motors/pumps so I think I can tackle this job. Our old Century 1081 2hp pump is leaking and I'm pretty sure it's an 80s/90s model and not, at all, energy efficient. After reading up on the forum, I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with the Pentair EC-342001 SuperFlo VS Variable Speed Pool Pump, 1 1/2 Horsepower, 115/208-230 Volt, 1 Phase unit.

We just bought this house from my parents but my dad recently passed so I can't pick his brain anymore about details. According to a pool construction dude, our pool is about 25,000 gallons (to me it's huge), has 1 skimmer, 4-5 little water jets under the waterline (returns??) and seems to be pretty basic. No water features but the wife unit is considering one.

I guess my question is would this pump be a good replacement for the old unit and what kind of energy savings could I expect to see? Any tips for replacing? It seems like a pretty straight foward swap but wanted to post up here just to make sure. I can post up pics if anyone is interested.

Thanks very much from the new guy

Mikey

Welcome! You can expect a big savings as long as you run the pump at a slower speed. You can probably run 24X7 at lower speed for less money than your current pump running only part of the day.

It’s not hard to swap, other than making sure the pump fitting match or getting new fittings that match from the start, electrical swap should be simple.

 

[MikeyM69]

Thank you very much. So no issues with the volume / capacity of this pump and 25-28k gallons? If we do decide to install a water feature, would this pump do the trick? It would likely be a small waterfall kinda thing.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Mike,

It is easy to spend your money, but I am a big believer in bigger is better when it come to VS pumps. I have a 3 HP IntelliFlo that runs 24/7, mostly at 1200 RPM, for less than $20 bucks a month... And, my pump is over 10 years old, so not near as efficient as today's pumps. You can always turn a large VS pump down.. you can't turn a small VS pump up. My IntelliFlo is so quiet at 1200 RPM, that when it was new, I actually had to touch it to make sure it was still running..

Large VS pumps move more water at lower RPMs than small VS pumps.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[1poolman1]

Thank you very much. So no issues with the volume / capacity of this pump and 25-28k gallons? If we do decide to install a water feature, would this pump do the trick? It would likely be a small waterfall kinda thing.

Ultimately, you would be happier with an Intelliflow (a high-head pump) over the SuperFlo VS (a medium-head pump), especially if you are going to ever install a water feature. It is always best to get the higher total horsepower pump and run it slower to get the same performance at lower energy cost, especially paying PG&E.

 

[MikeyM69]

Really good info, thanks very much everyone. So just out of curiosity - any idea what this old Century pump costs to run? Our electricity bill is Dang high and I'm trying to work on things to bring it down, this pump hopefully being one item.

The Inteliflow pumps are nice but that price... man! I mean, if it comes down to it, and I can get approval from the Finance department, I'll do it. But are there any 3hp variable speeds worth looking at that don't cost so much? In the end, I don't want to make the mistake of going too small with this size pool. Again, about 25000 gallons and possible future water feature. I, too, am a fan of going bigger to work easier, just want to make sure we're getting the best bang for the buck. What about the VSF model?

Thanks again,
Mikey

 

[rowiac]

I have a similar size pool with a 1.5 hp Superflo VS pump, and it works fine for me, but I don't have any water features. To future-proof your pump for a lower cost, you could look into this Calimar 3hp VS pump.
It has a lot more flow than the 1.5 hp version at the same speeds/heads, but it's also an off-brand, so I don't know if it will last. On the other hand, it's one fourth or less the cost of a 3hp Intellifo. It probably doesn't have quite the same performance, but it might be enough for what you need, and the price sure seems good.

 

[newdude]

The Inteliflow pumps are nice but that price... man! I mean, if it comes down to it, and I can get approval from the Finance department, I'll do it. But are there any 3hp variable speeds worth looking at that don't cost so much?

The Calimar 3 HP is $519 at PSU. I absolutely LOVE my intelliflo but if I had to replace it at today's prices, I'd gamble that less than 4 Calimar's would fail in the warranty period. Statistically speaking the 1st one would last just as long as the intelliflo.

And lemme say 2000 more words about a large HP pump :







1200 RPMs skims a little better at 110W and I splurge all the way to 1500 RPMs / 220W for the look of the water running more.

 

[MikeyM69]

Thanks. I'd rather stay with a known brand so if spending the cash is the way to go, so be it. So I'm seeing a bunch of different options; would I need the I/O board and touch screen and all that?

Thanks,
Mikey

 

[proavia]

Your present pump is probably using around 2500 watts.
A 3hp Intelliflow running at 1000rpm would use somewhere around 120 watts.
If this is the case, you could run the VS pump at 1000rpm for almost 21 hours for the same electrical usage as running your present pump for 1 hour.

As a very rough approximation, running a VS pump at 1750rpm will use around 1/4 the electricity of a single speed pump (3450rpm).

 

[mknauss]

So I'm seeing a bunch of different options; would I need the I/O board and touch screen and all that?

The I/O board is if you wish to control a light or SWCG using the Pentair App. If so, get that. The touchscreen is so that you can control the pump if the internet is down. I would suggest getting that.

 

[1poolman1]

Thanks. I'd rather stay with a known brand so if spending the cash is the way to go, so be it. So I'm seeing a bunch of different options; would I need the I/O board and touch screen and all that?

Thanks,
Mikey

A good option is the Waterway Power Defender 270 (2.7THP, high-head pump). Pool Supply Unlimited has it for $1242.38. A very good pump that uses the Nidec Neptune NPTQ270 motor, so if it ever dies it is a less expensive replacement. A good company, also. I've installed several of these as well as other Waterway products with good success.

Waterway Power Defender 270 Variable Speed Pump | 230V 2.7HP | PD-270

Pool Supply Unlimited has some of the best prices when shopping for Waterway Power Defender 270 Variable Speed Pump | 230V 2.7HP | PD-270

www.poolsupplyunlimited.com

At an online supply I have no experience with is the Waterway Power Defender 300 (3.0THP high-head pump). They have it advertised for $848.30.

Waterway Power Defender 300 Variable Speed 3HP 230V Pump - PD-VSC300

Waterway Power Defender 300 Variable Speed 3.0 Horsepower 230 Volts Pump PD-VSC300 features a user-friendly programming, the option of mounting your controls away from the pump and a display that can be viewed in any light. The Power Defender 300 is compliant with all energy legislation and...

poolsupplydelivery.com

Either pump would serve you well and, if you do pay PG&E, will pay for itself very quickly in energy savings.

 

[MikeyM69]

Man.. thanks, everyone. And thanks Poolman for the Waterway link. This info is hugely helpful. So I've been seeing the intelliflo 3hp models anywhere from 2500 bucks to about 1700ish - I think. These days I work in technology but I'm a big fan of manual control, if all else fails, so the touchscreen would likely be in the mix. I don't think I'll need the I/O board since our pool light is controlled by a switch. On the Intelleflos what's the difference between "trade grade" and I guess just the standard model? At this point, if we go with Intelliflo, it looks like I'll need the 011077. Does this sound about right?

Poolman, I'll look into the Waterway... thanks again, all.

Mikey

 

[MikeyM69]

Update: Again, thank you for all the very helpful replies. So now comes the matter of the booster pump for the Polaris 280 sweeper that I completely overlooked. It's an old Century Centurion B121. I believe it's 3/4hp and does not seem to be leaking but is pretty loud. If I'm going to replace the pump, should I replace this, as well? Seems Polaris makes a drop in replacement booster pump but would replacing it be of any advantage?

Thanks again from the new guy

Mikey

 

[1poolman1]

Update: Again, thank you for all the very helpful replies. So now comes the matter of the booster pump for the Polaris 280 sweeper that I completely overlooked. It's an old Century Centurion B121. I believe it's 3/4hp and does not seem to be leaking but is pretty loud. If I'm going to replace the pump, should I replace this, as well? Seems Polaris makes a drop in replacement booster pump but would replacing it be of any advantage?

Thanks again from the new guy

Mikey

Polaris PB4-60 is the replacement for that if you want to stick with Polaris brand. Actually, any brand booster pump will run your 280 just fine. Polaris makes the PB4-SQ as an energy-efficient replacement. It costs more and hopefully they have solved the problems they had with the pump body. As a booster doesn't run that long, the energy savings take a while to make up the extra cost.
Pentair and Hayward also make good booster pumps. If your existing motor doesn't have Polaris' name on it, it is a replacement. If there is nothing else wrong with the pump, that is a less-expensive way to get the pump working well again. Would also need a body O ring and a PS-1000 seal. If the impeller is in any way deformed (they do that if the pump runs dry for a period of time) it is usually better to just replace the entire pump as the sealplate/bracket can also be damaged. Added bonus, the new Polaris and Pentair pumps come with new hoses.

 

[MikeyM69]

Thanks, Poolman. heck, for all that, I'd rather just buy the entire replacement PB4-SQ you mentioned. OR.. how about this? Again, I'm total newbie when it comes to pool stuff but I really want to save money on energy and do it properly so what about a robot cleaner (I know nothing about these, just seems like a great concept)? Maybe leave the existing 280 and booster pump but store it away? Logically, seems sound to ditch the 3/4hp motor to run the Polaris 280 and go with a rechargeable unit that uses less energy (I would think) but only if they're worth a darn and do what they're supposed to.

I'm open to any and all suggestions. My goal, here is to end up with a main pump that will support a possible future water feature and some kind of sweeper, be it pressure side, robotic, whatever. I'm really open to anything as long as it's energy efficient and does what it's supposed to. By the way.. I took pictures of our ancient setup if anyone is interested

Thanks again for listening to all my ramblings.

Mikey.

 

[sktn77a]

Given that the booster pump only runs for a couple of hours and not that often, I'd just stick with your present pump until you have an issue with it. I've not had much luck with Polaris pumps (noisy, defects, etc). I have a Hayward 6060 and its quiet and reliable.

 

[1poolman1]

Thanks, Poolman. heck, for all that, I'd rather just buy the entire replacement PB4-SQ you mentioned. OR.. how about this? Again, I'm total newbie when it comes to pool stuff but I really want to save money on energy and do it properly so what about a robot cleaner (I know nothing about these, just seems like a great concept)? Maybe leave the existing 280 and booster pump but store it away? Logically, seems sound to ditch the 3/4hp motor to run the Polaris 280 and go with a rechargeable unit that uses less energy (I would think) but only if they're worth a darn and do what they're supposed to.

I'm open to any and all suggestions. My goal, here is to end up with a main pump that will support a possible future water feature and some kind of sweeper, be it pressure side, robotic, whatever. I'm really open to anything as long as it's energy efficient and does what it's supposed to. By the way.. I took pictures of our ancient setup if anyone is interested

Thanks again for listening to all my ramblings.

Mikey.

If you do decide to store the Polaris, you can't coil the hose and then expect to use it with success in the future. Even when taking a cleaner, any cleaner, out of the pool for swimming, it should always be laid out a straight as possible. If not and coiled, the hose will take on a permanent curve that will make it very difficult, if not impossible, for the cleaner to get to all parts of the pool.

Many people love their robotic cleaners, right up until they find out they can't be repaired, or the cost is prohibitive.
Everything about your Polaris can be repaired, though some parts can get expensive, like the pump.
New booster pump - +/- $450.00 (or less) - $600.00.
A good robotic usually starts near $1000.00 (there are less expensive models). How long will it take to save that difference in energy savings?

Polaris stays in the pool unless there are many swimmers using it (usually not a problem for one or two adults who won't try to ride on it). Robotics need to be placed in the pool at each use, then removed and stored the rest of the time.

 

[MikeyM69]

Hi all,

Greetings from NorCal and merry ho=hos, hope everyone had a nice Christmas. So just to close out on this, I ended up going with the Whisperflo 2.6 hp unit, mainly because one of the local pool places had it on sale plus free installation. Once I ran all the numbers, it worked out in my favor to just buy it from them and have them install it. Works great. The booster pump is in and working well, also.

Question on running the main pump - during the winter months, if the pool doesn't have much / any debris, is it still advisable to run the main pump for 8 hours daily to keep the water circulating? I have heard that in the winter months, I might be able to drop down to 4-6 hours a day but wanted to get input from ones smarter than I.

Oh.. and Poolman, thanks for the input on the Polaris. I pulled it apart to see how it works and turns out the belts were broken so I ordered the gears / paddle wheel kit, bearings, water management o-ring and belts, and rebuilt it. Works waaaaay better now. I do think I'll have to replace the hose at some point as even when it's fully stretched out, the 380 sometimes runs on 2 wheels, not flat. I may have developed the hose memory you mentioned.

Thanks very much for all the help and advice,
Mikey

 

[mknauss]

Question on running the main pump - during the winter months, if the pool doesn't have much / any debris, is it still advisable to run the main pump for 8 hours daily to keep the water circulating? I have heard that in the winter months, I might be able to drop down to 4-6 hours a day but wanted to get input from ones smarter than I.

If skimming is not an issue, run the pump for 4 hours per day and see how things go. You can even run it less if you wish, but be sure to run it when you get rain so the non chlorinated rain water does not sit on the surface. Once water temperature is above 50-55F consistently, return to running the pump at your normal levels.