Intex pool filter and pump upgrade options/considertions

Hi all, new forum member. First, what a great forum!! I lurked for a few days before deciding to join and yes, I will become a paid member in a few more days. This is a forum very much worth supporting.

I am wondering some options and opinions from you guys who have been through this. Let me start the story from the beginning. Three years ago, we had the 5 foot hard plastic pool from WalMart for the then 2 year old grand daughter that lives with us....that's another story we can get into later...I put a small intex filter/pump on it and used a undercounter point of use heater with a pond pump to circulate heated water so she wouldn't get cold. Next year, all hardware the same, 8 foot x 18 inch easy set and this year......I finally got much more serious about the pool.

Currently have 10 foot metal frame x 30 inch intex pool using the 2500 pump/filter combo and the intex salt generator which was actually put on last years pool for over half the season. I almost went to the 12 foot pool with the 15 a consideration. I will never go bigger than the 15 foot pool. This year I also wired/plumbed for SwimMax 11KW electric heater which does a superior job heating the small pool as you would expect.

I am not having any real issues with the pool other than occasional cloudiness and I am continuing trying to get chemicals to proper levels. I have been using test strips and yes, I just ordered the recommended Taylor testing kit using the Amazon link. The pool has full sun until around 2pm and I have a 12 foot debris cover modified to keep the pool covered all the time it is not in use. I use basically a filter a week. Not a great expense, but am wondering opinions if I should just keep what I have or go with a D.E. system. I see that Hayward makes a system for above ground with a 1hp motor and D.E. filter for around 600 dollars from InTheSwim.com. From all the lurking I am seriously concerned with the possibility of to much suction and all the dangers from that big of a system. I gave myself a good scare with the Intex system when I stuck my hand infront of the intake of my little system the other day to check "suction". I can see everyone's concern here about oversized systems. I am concerned.

On a side note, I am sure my heater is sucking my wallet dry and the Intex 2500 series filter/pump uses less juice than most of the "real" pumps, even on low, so other than adapting a power inverter which would be used from single phase to three phase motor control (to control speed) and adapting a three phase motor to a typical pool pump housing, I think I may have answered my own question as to "upgrading" my pump.

Wondering some of your guys thoughts on the subject. Especially since I will NEVER go bigger than 15 feet round, I should probably keep with the cheap Intex stuff and just plan to replace as necessary components as the break/wear out. I should note that for now I have the pump running 24/7........is that stupid?

Thanks for your input,

Bob E.

Bob,
I'll let one of our equipment gurus talk more specifics with you about your pump/filter setup, but you are right that in the case of pumps, bigger is not better and can be very dangerous.

Once you get your kit, (good decision to buy it, by the way), please post a full set of numbers for someone here to take a look at and maybe we can help you determine the reason for your occasional cloudiness.

Thank you for subscribing and thank you for your kind words. We take great pride in doing a good job on our forum and we are very glad to have you as a new member. Hope you enjoy participating with us.

Your right, the 11kW electric heater is what's killing your electric bill. I don't think rigging up a VFD will pay out as much as a thermal blanket and some sort of solar heat. There are lots of DIY options for solar.
You can wash of the filter carts and reuse them.
I wouldn't run the pump / filter and heater when anyone is in the pool for fear of electric shock, these pools make no provision for bonding.

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Originally Posted by SafetyBob

This year I also wired/plumbed for SwimMax 11KW electric heater which does a superior job heating the small pool as you would expect.

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Uhh, Bob, what were you thinking?? Anybody who knows what a KWH is . . .

Whatever. Kick that thing to the curb! (No wait, it probably has scrap-able metal - take it to the recycler!)

As I once had an Intex 15' donut I'm vaguely familiar with what you can and cannot do. I agree: Lose the heater.

If you have a 10'x4' patch you can put a flexible solar heat panel on, or one of those new "Solar domes" (with the coils in a spiral) you can get VERY effective heating for your little pool, without killing your electric bill, EVEN USING YOUR LITTLE FILTER! No joke! I had the even smaller filter they put on it 14 years ago and I successfully ran the 10x4 panel with--got the water up to 105 deg one day! You'll save the cost of the panel and external hoses in electricity savings.

Plus, you can wash out and reuse the filters several times before you must discard them.

Thank you all for the responses. I had given especially those solar domes for a little over a 100 bucks a serious look last year and it looks like I need to get one or two, space is somewhat a premium, but I will make/find room if it will save THAT much money. It is nice to have the heat when you need the heat, but boy it sure can zap the bill alot.

Actually, my walls are insulated by 1/2 inch closed cell foam insulation and also my DIY cover is made of the same stuff. That made a huge difference on heat loss.

Bob E.