New pool owner here! I bought a used 16x32x4' rectangle AGP and installed at my home. It came with everything, including a Hayward S210T sand filter with 200 lbs sand and a Hayward Power Flo Matrix pump. The pump is pretty old, rusty and it needs a jump-start with the screwdriver every time I go to run it, so it's on its way out. I'm just trying to eek it along until next year and I'll buy something new. The pump is model SP1515Z1ESC, which is 1.5 HP with 1.00 SF. It does fine along with the sand filter, but I'm wondering if I could get away with a 1 HP replacement. Everything I see online when looking up specs for the S210T sand filter pairs it with a 1.5 HP pump.
For some more context, my pool has a pair of bottom drains connected via Sched 40-T about 4.5 feet apart and then into 1.5" flex pipe underneath the pool and to the pump which is 6 feet away from the pool on the short side, a bit downhill. There is a single skimmer and single return. The skimmer and drains first go into a 3-way valve, then into the pump. The pump then into the sand filter and then out to the return about 12 feet. The filter gauge has never read outside of 20-22 PSI for the past 3 months of operating the pool. I have backwashed a couple times and did the deep clean procedure recommended here for good measure; pretty much the same reading and the sand appears in good shape. I run this setup only overnight usually about 8 hours and it does fine. The skimmer picks up pretty much everything off the surface
Any recommendations? I have read quite a bit of the forums and see a lot of recommendations for variable speed pumps, but I'm not enthused about the up-front expense and I already have 115 V wiring. The single speed does just fine in my setup, but I'm wondering if I can go down to 1 HP and still get good filtration and skimming action.
Side note: I appreciate this forum! My pool school started out as one-on-one instruction from friend who is a retired chemist. He came over after I filled the pool and showed me the ropes. He recommended I check this forum out and I'm glad I did. I have been to a few pool stores, but only for parts; never chemicals or test results. Since doing this, my water has looked great and with a lot less maintenance than I thought it would require.
For some more context, my pool has a pair of bottom drains connected via Sched 40-T about 4.5 feet apart and then into 1.5" flex pipe underneath the pool and to the pump which is 6 feet away from the pool on the short side, a bit downhill. There is a single skimmer and single return. The skimmer and drains first go into a 3-way valve, then into the pump. The pump then into the sand filter and then out to the return about 12 feet. The filter gauge has never read outside of 20-22 PSI for the past 3 months of operating the pool. I have backwashed a couple times and did the deep clean procedure recommended here for good measure; pretty much the same reading and the sand appears in good shape. I run this setup only overnight usually about 8 hours and it does fine. The skimmer picks up pretty much everything off the surface
Any recommendations? I have read quite a bit of the forums and see a lot of recommendations for variable speed pumps, but I'm not enthused about the up-front expense and I already have 115 V wiring. The single speed does just fine in my setup, but I'm wondering if I can go down to 1 HP and still get good filtration and skimming action.
Side note: I appreciate this forum! My pool school started out as one-on-one instruction from friend who is a retired chemist. He came over after I filled the pool and showed me the ropes. He recommended I check this forum out and I'm glad I did. I have been to a few pool stores, but only for parts; never chemicals or test results. Since doing this, my water has looked great and with a lot less maintenance than I thought it would require.
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