Pool Pump Brand/Sizing Help

[samendolaro]

The pool pump finally went to pump heaven.. There are no markings on the Pump other then a painted plate which I was only able to get. It resembles a STA-RITE design but not exactly.. I was able to discern that the pump was an A.O. Smith 1.5 HP and 1.5 inch connections. But that was it. ( I have some pics)


I only have a 10k-12k pool and I think the guy oversised the hell out of the motor. I was only running the pump 5 hours a day and it was working fine.

I really want to put a high efficency single speed pump as a replacement but I don't exactly know what brand and I don't want to oversize it.

I was looking at the Northstar 1/2 hp but am afraid of undersizing it.

Any help offered would be greatly appreciated..

Thanks,

Scott

[tenax]

sure does look like a sta-rite. i think it's more likely it's a sta-rite with an a.o. smith motor section that was added to it..(a.o. smith is a premier motor maker so that's a good thing) you can buy just the ao smith motor on ebay, but you would want to match the pump parts itself to the motor if you went that route. if it were me, i'd likely go with a 1/2 hp sta-rite. that small a motor isn't going to be very costly to run. (you were talking 12,000 litres..not gallons, right?) i have about a 12,000 gallon pool currently using 3/4 hp but going to a 1 hp for a little more oomph on turnover..i calculate 2 -6 hour turnover times per day to do my pool right. i think the northstar's while pretty efficient are very costly and i wouldn't spend that kind of money for a small pump anyway.

if you are looking for a good used pump, myself and a few others here have found a good guy on ebay who rebuilds pumps and has a great track record. i can send you a link to him if you pm me and you can chat with him yourself.

[samendolaro]

It is 12,000 Gallons not Liters... I'm still not on the metric system unless I am drinking a soda...

That current moter is a 1.5 HP from that sticker. I could change it to a 1HP Super II... I just need a reliable one, the pump runs 365 here in SO Florida.

I was thinking of sticking with a Haward. The northstar is pricey but only the 1/2 comes with 1.5 inch lines all the others come with 2-2.5 so . I noticed that the flow rates of the 1/2 are just better then the 3/4 Superflow II.

I just don't know anything about my current pump so it is is hard to compare.

[waste]

Scott, the most imortant thing is to size the pump to the filter. Your 1.5 hp pump may have been 'over driving' your filter. A bigger filter is fine, but having a pump too big for your filter is an invitation for problems.
Not to 'dis' Hayward, but we've had problems the past couple of years with pumps failing way prematurely on the Northstar, if it were my pool I'd go with a Superpump. If pipe size is a problem, reducers are easy to install.
Hope this at least a little help. :)

[samendolaro]

I oversized the filter 2 years ago... so I am in good shape there (was too lazy to clean it all the time so I figured a bigger filter=less time between cleaninges)

So SuperPump or Superpump II ?


Looked at the Specs and the Super II is equivelent in Flow to the Super Pump 1.5... ( If not a bit better pressure) So I will give that a try...

[waste]

Scott, Super or Super II, whichever will allow you an easier time to do the changeout (though we switched to Northstars 4 years ago, we still have a very large number of Superpumps (& II's) on pools that haven't shown the Northstar's propensity for premature failure).

[RavenNS]

I'm still not on the metric system unless I am drinking a Soda...

Actually in Nova Scotia CANADA (where the metric system is used),
it's called " POP" not 'soda' .... :p :D

[mas985]

A few more things that will hopefully help with your decision.

The Hayward Super pump uses a standard efficiency motor and has a lower max head while the Super II is a high efficiency motor and has a much higher max head. You will probably save quite a bit on electricity over the life of the pump going with the Super II over the Super.

Also, Sta-Rite makes very good pumps as well and if it means less plumbing changes, then thats what I would go with.

[mas985]

Actually in Nova Scotia CANADA (where the metric system is used),
it's called " POP" not 'soda' .... :p :D

It's called POP in Chicago as well but now that I am in California, I have had to learn to say soda, NOT.