VS pool pump sizing

[Jimrahbe]

Vince,

You should only have to clean your filter at the end of the season, which in Nebraska is about 3 days.

If you have a 30K pool you will need a 60K cell. The idea that you must "turnover" your pool x times a day is just not true. It does not hurt anything, but you should not run your pump just based on turnovers.

I run my pump 24/7 because I like making a little chlorine all the time and I also like skimming all the time. I have a neighbor that has a single speed pump. Obviously not something you want to run 24/7. What I noticed about his pool, is that when the pump off, the pool becomes a trash magnet. It would drive me crazy.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[JamesW]

This is for a brand new install so will I still need the flow gauge?

As noted before, the pump can show the speed, system pressure, power usage and flow.

There is no reason to need more than 2,450 RPM, so just set that as the maximum and you should be fine.

In my opinion, Pentair needs to set the maximum speed to about 2,750 RPM at the factory and then, people can increase or decrease this if needed.

In my opinion, it's stupid for Pentair to send out the pumps set to 3,450 RPM.

 

[JamesW]

The only flow you really need to know is for the heater, which requires a minimum of 40 GPM.

Beyond that, you only need to make sure that the skimmers skim and the SWG gets a good flow light.

 

[Vince34]

Vince,

You should only have to clean your filter at the end of the season, which in Nebraska is about 3 days.

If you have a 30K pool you will need a 60K cell. The idea that you must "turnover" your pool x times a day is just not true. It does not hurt anything, but you should not run your pump just based on turnovers.

I run my pump 24/7 because I like making a little chlorine all the time and I also like skimming all the time. I have a neighbor that has a single speed pump. Obviously not something you want to run 24/7. What I noticed about his pool, is that when the pump off, the pool becomes a trash magnet. It would drive me crazy.

Thanks,

Jim R.

3 days is about right Jim! We always say there is 2 seasons, winter and road construction.

 

[Vince34]

As noted before, the pump can show the speed, system pressure, power usage and flow.

There is no reason to need more than 2,450 RPM, so just set that as the maximum and you should be fine.

In my opinion, Pentair needs to set the maximum speed to about 2,750 RPM at the factory and then, people can increase or decrease this if needed.

In my opinion, it's stupid for Pentair to send out the pumps set to 3,450 RPM.

View attachment 437995

Thanks again James, I really appreciate your insight. I will set the max for 2450 and go down from there. Just curious, and maybe it depends for each pool, but at say 2450 will you see a lot of water movement visually?

 

[JamesW]

Just curious, and maybe it depends for each pool, but at say 2450 will you see a lot of water movement visually?

The flow at any speed depends on the feet of head for a system at each flow rate.

For example, the flow at 2,350 RPM and 45 feet of head will be about 48 GPM.

At 10 feet of head, the flow will be 150 GPM.

So, 2,450 RPM can give plenty of flow assuming the system is designed correctly.

 

[generessler]

Thanks for the response! This is for a brand new install so will I still need the flow gauge? What size of pipe do you have?

Certainly not required. But I like having it because the flow drops when the pump basket starts clogging. I'm sure it's ditto for skimmers and filter clogging, though I haven't had it long enough to know. It's a nice second data point for the health of the system along with filter pressure. I used this one.

Most of the pipe is 2 inches. There's also a bubbler circuit for the spa that's 2 1/2 inches with a 3hp pump! But that only runs when the grand children come over.