Minimum RPM for Pentair 3050 for popup in-floor cleaning and to prevent freezing

Sorry, multi part question. I live in Las Vegas and it does get cold around here. Anyways, I just had a pool built and now the neighbor is complaining of the pool pump noise. I have been very nice trying to appease this neighbor and running out of options.

anyways, what is the minimum rpm on my Pentair Intelliflow 3050 to make my popups work? At this speed, will it still be effective cleaning and filtering? If not, what RPM is recommended for filtering and for cleaning?


I have a 15,500 gallon pool with about 4 pairs of in floor popups, 4 pop ups on the pool side bench, 3 pairs of popups on the steps and 2 on the splash deck. I have the Pentair VS 3050. For the Summer time, we run the pump from 9 to 5. In winter 10 to 4. Worried about the neighbors complaining.


also, Vegas probably has about 7 to 14 days of really cold weather where my freeze protector actually turned on. Neighbors complained about that too. So, I'm wondering what would be minimum rpm to prevent the pipes from freezing. I'm guessing just need the water to move. Do I need to worry about my bubblers and waterfall during this time. I don't recall that they were turned on during last freeze cycle.

Thanks in advance

I've got no answers that will make you happy.

In-floor cleaning systems are one of those ideas that sounds good in theory, but are an almost inevitable disaster in practice. One of two main problems is that few systems last longer than 5 years, and most can't be effectively repaired. But it is the second 'gotcha' that has got you: in-floor cleaning systems are HUGE energy hogs, often DOUBLING electrical operating costs, as well as requiring high pressure / high flow operation that can damage filters and other equipment.

More to the point, in your case, is that high pressure / high flow operation equals NOISY pump operation. Turning down flow till the heads just pop up is sort of useless, since almost no cleaning will take place. You should look up the website for your brand cleaning system; they'll have design manuals that will tell you -- in a complicated manner -- how much you can 'turn down' flow, and still clean.

You can build a pump & filter house that will reduce noise, but you have to be careful -- especially in Las Vegas -- to make sure it BOTH reduces noise AND vents excess heat. If you build carelessly, it's possible to make a little shed that will reach 200 deg F inside (killing the pump) AND only reduces the noise a little.

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The freeze thing, on the other hand, is easy. Enough flow so you can FEEL water entering the pool via the return should be fine for temperatures above 10 degrees F.

The forum is currently only minimally active. Your best bet, if you still need info is to use the Super Search page, to create special search links will allow you to search PoolForum. A phrase like "noisy pump" may produce answers you're looking for.

Upgraded membership and moved thread to the Equipment section. You may need to log out and back in to see everything.

PS.You can search use Google to search multiple pool sites, using Google's 'advanced search operators" to limit your search to specific sites. This page of mine will create the search links for you. Google knows my site -- and all the others -- much better than those sites internal search functions! And, if you need to post pictures -- of your pool, filter, pump, piping, what-not -- there are instructions on this page

Please note: the Super Search page does NOT search directly; it only CREATES special Google links, that enable a FOCUSED Google search!

Thanks for the information. I have been doing those searches and have found some general answers.

What i have done so far is that pentair has an app that i downloaded, apple phone has the better version, where i was able to adjust the rpms. I had our installer there too. We looked at the popups and at around 2200 rpms it was still pushing water around well. As you mentioned pop ups have flaws, well i aleays had dead spots at 3000 rpm and so 2200 dead spots was not going to bother me.

The noise has come down considerably but now the othet issue is, we have solar heating the pool and was wondering what pump rpm would it take to push water up a single story house. We currently set it at 2500. A little noisy, and it wont stop until the target temp is reached, sometimes hours. I can turn the function off or lower target temp to shut the noisy off but then whats the point of solar. So next quest is to see what min rpm will push water thru solar.

Thanks in advance

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wkndplyr

now the other issue is, we have solar heating the pool and was wondering what pump rpm would it take to push water up a single story house. We currently set it at 2500. A little noisy, and it wont stop until the target temp is reached, sometimes hours. I can turn the function off or lower target temp to shut the noisy off but then whats the point of solar. So next quest is to see what min rpm will push water thru solar.

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Trying to make pumps quiet AND functional takes skill and knowledge, which I have. BUT . . . it also requires detailed knowledge of the local situation, which I do NOT have.

So the most I can do is wish you good luck. (If I was trying to make a solar system quiet AND efficient, I'd use a dedicated booster pump, something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003QSFJPE/ . But picking the right one, setting up the controls properly, and connecting the piping would be tricky. The pool pump would have to run on LOW, anytime a booster pump like this operated.)