Upgrade motor or motor/pump?

[RPSalty]

I have a Sta-Rite Dura Glass 1hp (220v) that has been turning since 1995. The motor has been replaced once along with seals and O-ring when needed. The pump is indoor so not exposed to the elements. The motor is running fine.

Has pump technology/efficiency improved enough to justify replacing both motor and pump or can I replace just the pump? I see there are motors out there that will fit my housing. If I have to replace both, that escalates the price and may not be worth it.

 

[drsipe]

This is not a simple question to answer. Economically, it is difficult to justify the expense of replacing even the motor with a VS motor unless your price for electricity is high. There are other factors to consider, the VS motors can be run for longer periods of time, which provides skimming for longer periods and if you have a SWG you can reduce the % on the SWG on longer pump runs. VS motors running at lower speeds are much quieter.

I live in PA and my total power price is 11.2 cents per kilowatt hour, so economically it is difficult to justify the price of replacing a perfectly good motor with a VS. I have considered replacing the motor with a VS just for the quiet running.

 

[ccbill]

Saying it a bit differently - I wouldn't replace a working/running motor unless the energy savings for running a variable speed motor at lower rpms offsets its cost.

And congratulations on keeping your pump/motor maintained for so long.

 

[ccbill]

It wouldn't hurt to figure out the economics now so that when/if you do need to replace a motor you'll know what to do.

Looks like a single speed replacement motor runs at about 1.7 kWatts.

1.7kW x hours x cents/kW hour

If you can run a variable speed at 300 watts (0.3 kW) for more hours per day it will probably still cost less per day to run it.

 

[mknauss]

Looks like a single speed replacement motor runs at about 1.7 kWatts.

Next replacement motor will be a VS motor. Pump DOE Regulations - Further Reading

 

[RPSalty]

WREC is 11.4 cents per kw. Noise is not a consideration, pump is 30 feet away inside a building.

No response on whether or not my 1995 sta-rite dura glass is any less efficient than the newer pumps. So I'll assume that is a wash.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.