Want to upgrade 1.5 HP motor to variable

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R

RANDY M

0
Silver Supporter
Jul 19, 2010
49
Santa Clarita, CA
Hello to everyone,

Hoping to get some input on what kind & size motor/pump to purchase.
Want to upgrade Pentair WhisperFlo 1.5 HP / 1.47 SF / 230 volt pump to a variable speed pump.
Diatomaceous filter.

One 2" return that goes to 3 eyeballs.
Two 2" suction. One to skimmer thats connected to wall drain directly below skimmer intake. No floor drain.
The other to wall port for Haywood XL vac. These two attach to diverter at pool equipment to control vac suction?

Spa with waterfall thats spills into pool only when water diverted to spa.
California Edison rates. .17 cents @ tier 1, .25 @ tier 2 and .35 @ tier 3.
I usually start getting into tier 3 in summer.
Thanks
 
Check your rebates. That may drive which VS pump you get. Size does not matter much as they are really a variable horsepower pump. You only run them at the speed you need for what you are doing. Sounds like you will have a slow speed for filtering and an higher one for your vac. Eventually you may want to think about a robot cleaner. They use little electricity compared to running your pump.

Can you add a location? Sounds like California, but is that Needles or Eureka?

Take care.
 
InyoPools has a line of VS pumps with a good warranty for DIY install. Just be sure they meet your rebate requirements, if applicable.
 
Randy,

I would use the 3 HP Intelliflo... since is has 2" plumbing...

The fact that it is a 3 HP pump is not an issue as you only run the HP you need...

The cost to run one at 1200 rpm, 24/7, is only $20 bucks a month in Texas... More in your area, but still pretty cheap to run..

See this link as a reference... https://sunplay.com/products/pentair-intelliflo-variable-speed-pump-011018

No matter what pump you get make sure you use "pump unions" to connect it...

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
mknauss said:
InyoPools has a line of VS pumps with a good warranty for DIY install. Just be sure they meet your rebate requirements, if applicable.
Click to expand...

Mike, what VSP's does inyo provide that would be most compatible to an Hayward SP3400VSP EcoStar?

If it's their brand/label, do you know who makes it? I believe the HP on Ecostar is 2.7 - 2.9..it says "up to 3HP", but I cannot find a specific place that states the HP - thanks
 
Your pump is a 2.2 total hp pump and uses about 2,000 watts. The single speed pumps are so horribly inefficient that they are illegal for builders in some states to install now unless the pump is less than 1.0 hp total (total hp = hp x sf).

The intelliflo uses about 2,400 to 3,000 watts at 3,450 rpm depending on the flow rate, which depends on feet of head.

The power decreases by a cube factor. For example if the rpm is double, the power is 23 = 8 times as much. If the rpm is 3 times, the power is 33 =27 times as much.

So, if the power is 2,800 watts at 3,450 rpm, the power will be 2,800 ÷ 8 = 350 watts at 1,750 rpm, or 2,800 watts ÷ 33 = 104 watts at 1,150 rpm.

So, an IntelliFlo at 1,750 rpm will use about 1/5 as much power as your current pump.

http://aquaticmechanicaldesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/IntelliFlo-Pump-Curve.jpg

Check your utility for rebates.
 
SCE rebates program for VSP is locked at $200 for as long as I can remember.

My lack of knowledge about VSP gifted me with Hayward TriStar SP3202VSP, 1.85THP. But glad it has the flexibility to install the control interface remotely. A big plus in my case because our existing pool plumbing is crammed. Automation sounds cool and nice to have but I have no desire for one.

@James, thank you for the calculations. I hate Math, still.
For reference, our TriStar shows 1400 rpm @ 111 watts, 1750 rpm @ 191 Watts, 2300 rpm @ 407 Watts and 3000 rpm @ 865 Watts. I run the pump at 1400 rpm to satisfy the SWCG and let the robot do the cleaning. I think the plumbing restriction has impact on the energy consumption, so YMMV!
 

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Looking for your opinions. Would either of these pumps be sufficient for my pool?
Wayward Tristar 1.85 HP with a 1 year DIY warranty. Around $780.
Jacuzzi J-VSP 1.5 HP with a 5 year warranty & free installation from Leslies. $869.
My 1.5 HP is really 2.2 with service factor. But with no deep end drain I kind of figure I could go a little less HP?
My unedjucated guess is my lift is around 30.
Or something else? I think the 3 HP Intelliflo might be a little overkill?
Thanks
 
You don't need a lot of hp. Either of those pumps will be enough. The only advantage of the larger intelliflo is that it can run at a lower rpm to get the same flow rate.

Lower rpm translates to a quieter pump.

Does your utility give a rebate?
 
The power used is roughly equal for the same gpm.

So, the intelliflo will use the same amount of power as the smaller variable speed pump at the same gpm but it will be quieter.

You should be able to run at about 200 watts most of the time unless there is some reason that you need more flow.
 
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