Need to replace pump

[sasgharian]

We have a 50K IG pool with a Hayward DE-6000 filter. We think the pump is orginal equipment(we've only been in the house 2 yrs). We want to replace the pump with a more efficient model. What would you suggest? I don't know if it matters, but we use a commercial Dolphin for the pool cleaner. Thanks!:)

[mas985]

Need some background

What size is current pump?

What diameter/length are the suction and return lines?

Do you have a spa or water feature? How many jets? Run off same pump?

Do you also have a heater and/or solar?

All these things are important when deciding pump size. Also, here are a couple of good sites to help you decide what pump you need:

http://poolplaza.com/pool-pump-sizing-2.shtml
http://www.poolspa.com/publications/sin/stories/pumps.htm

[madgame8]

hi, I am also in a similar situation in need to replace my pump. Here is my setup:

1) Hayward dual speed 2 HP pump using 230v and 9.1/3.4 AMPS (Model SP-1615-Z)

2) ~26000 gallon concrete pool

3) 1.5" incoming and return pvc pipes

4) Pool is approximately 15ft from pool.

5) Nautilus FNS 60 filter

I also use a Polaris automatic cleaner. What brand and HP would recommend to save electricity. I probably would only use the pool a few times a year. A pool repair guy suggested that I get a new Pentair 3/4HP Whisperflo pump and would do it for $625 total with labor. Anyway I can do it for cheaper? Also I am a total newbie when it comes to pools but I am willing to learn as long as the mistakes are not costly.

Thanks!

[PoolDesignnet]

Hi, Are you sure the suction (incoming) line is only 1.5"? With a 2 hp pump the suction should have been 2.5 although many builders will install 2".


hi, I am also in a similar situation in need to replace my pump. Here is my setup:

1) Hayward dual speed 2 HP pump using 230v and 9.1/3.4 AMPS (Model SP-1615-Z)

2) ~26000 gallon concrete pool

3) 1.5" incoming and return pvc pipes

4) Pool is approximately 15ft from pool.

5) Nautilus FNS 60 filter

I also use a Polaris automatic cleaner. What brand and HP would recommend to save electricity. I probably would only use the pool a few times a year. A pool repair guy suggested that I get a new Pentair 3/4HP Whisperflo pump and would do it for $625 total with labor. Anyway I can do it for cheaper? Also I am a total newbie when it comes to pools but I am willing to learn as long as the mistakes are not costly.

Thanks!

[mas985]

Madgame, I assume that you must have several suction and return lines at 1.5" in parallel. If not, as Zina pointed out, 2 HP would be way overkill.

If the pump does not also run a spa, water feature or cleaner, you can probably go with the 3/4 HP pump. Otherwise stick with the 2 speed.

Also, you can do it for cheaper only if your willing to install the pump yourself. Otherwise, seems like a pretty reasonable price.

[madgame8]

Sorry for the misinformation as I'm a newbie and learning as fast as i can. The pipes coming from the ground attaching horizontally into the pump is 1.5". The size of the piping between the pump and filter is 2". The return pipe going back to the pool is 2" but soon decreases to 1.5". Again I may be wrong about this as there are other things attached to the pipes including a heater that is not being used and a booster pump for the polaris.

On average, how long would it take to replace a pool pump? Thanks again!

[PoolDesignnet]

Hi,

If the suction lines are in fact 1.5" I would go with a full rated 3/4HP or an uprated 1HP. It will turn over your water in about 7 hours a day. And since you are using a Polaris cleaner with a booster pump you will be fine. I'm not a fan of 2 speed pumps..... the gpm drops to next to nothing at around 21ft of head.

I definately would not do a 2 hp because of the plumbing sizes.

[mas985]

Actually, for 2-speed pumps, the GPM drops to half of the original value since GPM is proportional to RPM which also drops by half. The turnover doubles but the current draw is much less than half so the overall efficiency goes up. Also, head is proportional to square of the GPM so head is 1/4 of the original head.

However, there is only a minor cost advantage, ~10%, of a 1HP at low speed compared to a 3/4 HP at full speed.

I ran a few head calcs for a similar pool (I can't be exact without knowing all the pumbing) and using Northstar pump curves:

3/4 HP = 73 GPM @ 50' head - 231 kwh / month for 1 turnover
1 HP = 82 GPM @ 63 ' head - 300 kwh / month for 1 turnover
1 HP @ 1/2 speed = 41 GPM @ 16' head - 205 kwh / month for 1 turnover

[PoolDesignnet]

Hi,

It's not half....

If you look at the curve they show for the low speed it stops at 15 ft. of head. I had them fax me a curve for 2.5 hp last week for the pool I was working on. According to their chart... it has 0.0 gpm at 22.45 ft of head.

[mas985]

One thing to remember is that head loss (pipe friction loss) is dependent on the flow rate. So you cannot use the same head loss on the pump curves for both speeds or even changing HP of a pump. For a 2-speed pump, the low speed head loss is 1/4 of the high speed head loss. Those with 2-speed pump notice a PSI change on the filter of a factor of four between high speed and low speed. For example, a pool with 50' of head (18 psi) at high speed will have 12.5' (4.5 psi) at low speed . If you look at the GPM at each curve you will notice that the low speed GPM is half of the high speed GPM at those head loss points. For the the Whisperflow WFDS4, at high speed 50' of head is 90 GPM and at low speed for 12.5' the flow is 45 GPM.

Whisperflow WFDS4 Pump curve:
http://www-1.pentairwater.com/jwcs/wcsstore/ToolTech/images/pool/WhisperFlo_curve.jpg

Check out these references for more information how head and GPM changes with pump speed.

http://www.mcnallyinstitute.com/02-html/2-01.html
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/AE004