Questions on changing to a 2 speed motor on a Hayward Super II pump

[keastman]

OK, I'm still working on this issue and cleaning up the pool. I'll be posting a question on Cl levels in the Chemistry area. For now I have a question on various 2 sp motors. I found some on line that seem reasonably priced and have a digital controller mounted on the motors. I'm curious if anyone is familiar with these. They seem priced better than many 2 speed motors I've seen. Depending on what I decide on changing my set up I"d either get the 2hp or 1hp unit. http://www.americanbestpoolsupply.co...t/961/1089.htm

Concerning my system my two thoughts at this point are:

As Ben suggested eliminate the floor system and heat pump and go with a 1 hp 2sp pump +/- larger filter. I"d need an idea of how to replumb this set up more efficiently concerning the valve problems noted and the SWG entering the skimmer base. Also how to go about deactivating the floor returns on the cleaning system. I'm assuming that all of them would then work passively rather than being zoned and water gear controlled.

The other scenario would be to keep the floor system and eliminate the heater with the idea that maybe another one would be plumbed in for the spa at a future time. Then I'd go with a 2 hp 2sp motor. A larger filter and suggestions on cleaning up the plumbing mess I have going on.

Any comments would be greatly appreciated let me know if you need more info to help. Also if you can point me into how to figure out the energy cost savings for either system vs what's going on now.

Thanks, Kevin

[mas985]

I can't comment too much on US Motors other than most of the OEM pump motors are A.O. Smith if that tells you anything. But usually motors are cheaper for a reason.

However, can I add another option? Because of the spa and in-floor features, have you considered a variable speed pump. This would give you the most flexibility in setting the optimal flow rate for any condition and it may even make your in-floor system work better if you choose to use it. While more expensive up front, the energy saved with this kind of pump will pay for itself over the life of the pump. You can check with your power company to see if they are offering any rebates to help offset the cost. Also, one thing you did not mention was the possiblity of a solar system. If that is added to the equation, then a VS would really benefit you.

[keastman]

Thanks Mark, yeah if cost wan't a factor, I'd like the Pentair Intelliflo, replumb and be done with it, but I'm trying not to spend 900-1000 on a new pump, that's why the US motors unit is appealing as a retrofit, especially since all the timer controls are integrated on the pump and you wouldn't need to get a switch or new timer. FPL is also not offering any rebates for vs pumps when I last checked. The replumbing for better efficiency would also help. The vs is not out of the question though. My one worry with them is from what I've read, if the electonics go, there no replacement modules available even though they are listed on parts lists and you have to replace the whole pump. With the electric storms we have here, it makes me nervous. Solar is out since we live in an Oak Hammock and have not enough sun to support one, along with a northern roof exposure where it would need to go.

[keastman]

OK, I'm getting closer to doing something about my plumbing and pump. I have a chance to pick up a used filter in good shape it' roughly 3X the filter area. The filter is a Model CL 340 by Jandy Any feed back on this model and brand? Soon I'll post on the direction I want to go on the pump and be asking for some design advice.

[keastman]

I'm ready to replace my pump/motor and install the Jandy cl 340 filter that I picked up and have some questions before making the final pump and plumbing decision. iji

Here's what I've come up with so far. Some the heads on the in floor cleaning are starting to fall apart and I can't see that it does much anyway with the load of tree debris my pool gets. So, I'm thinking to remove one or two heads from each zone in the bottom cleaning system. This will allow it to cycle with a much lower head loss I hope and also allow the elevated spa to get circulation. I'm taking the heat pump out for now but may replace it at some point in the future. Spa jet pressure isn't a big issue for me, I'm more concerned with warm water when I decide to use it again. So, with opening up the floor cleaning system, I'm thinking of getting a two speed 1 1/2 hp motor and installing it in the super pump II along with the proper impeller. There is still a slight chance of using a VS motor but I'm having a tough time justifying the expense and payback period with elect rates of 0.12/kwh in NE florida. I'm hoping the 1 1/2 hp might let me vacuum with skimmer line only open since at present I have to have the main drain open so that I don't get bubbles in the skimmer as I do with the 2 hp. I think it overpowers the lines and draw it through the skimmer gasket seal no matter how tight it is or else there is some cavitation going on.

Ben had mentioned cleaning up the plumbing, so since I have to cut lines to put in the new (to me) filter and work on the pump. Can anyone give me some ideas on what I might do in that respect. I'm considering leaving a 3 way valve in the return from the filter in case I decided to put a heater back on line, does that make sense or would I be better off just leaving room to splice in a heater in the future. The SWG would be hard to put on another line since the other return goes to the geared distributor for the in ground cleaning. Though I suppose it could be put in that line and just go through all the zones as they open. As to the "train wreck" valve orientation on the suction side. Jandy's manual for the cl 340 show's valves in the same configuration and I've seen the same on other manufactures web sites, so I'm confused as to try to correct that or leave as is.

Any suggestions would be helpful before I start hacking away. Oh, I'll also be raising the pump off the ground level.

[PoolDoc]

Kevin,

Here's the link to your photo album at PoolForum. Given the questions you're asking, you might want to take some pictures of the pool and span, as well as the QuicClean controller AND an overall shot of the equipment, and let me add them to the album.

The benefit -- in a situation like yours -- of a VFD pump is that it can be 'tuned' to your pool, without having to 'design and select' it to fit. With a 2-speed, the situation is reversed: to be sure it will work well, it DOES have to be 'designed (selected)' to fit. And there are too many loose ends, with your plumbing, for me to even try.

I also don't understand why you'd remove some, but not all cleaning heads. Does your controller rotate from head to head? Or, are there groups of them clustered? If you remove a head from a group, I believe that it's likely that that group will no longer clean.

[keastman]

Ben, yeah, I gets it makes more sense just to unscrew all the the head and let them free flow through the zones. It should make for a heck of a waterfall out of the spa for that zone. The ones on the steps and spill out for the spa would be left intact so I don't have a geyser situation.

I'll get some pics of the whole shebang and send them to you.

I'm just trying to improve the situation as inexpensively as possible and hopefully make pool maintenance life easier. Yes, "inexpensive" and pool is kind of an oxymoron.

[PoolDoc]

I'm just trying to improve the situation as inexpensively as possible and hopefully make pool maintenance life easier. Yes, "inexpensive" and pool is kind of an oxymoron.

In ground pools aren't cheap.

That's one reason I like the Intex pools so much: they ARE cheap, and still are pretty functional pools that allow a LOT of people to enjoy a real pools, who otherwise couldn't do so.

[BigDave]

Not True!
Intex pools are "Gateway" pools that drag unsuspecting homeowners bit by bit into the debauched life of pool owners. My first Intex was $70 at Toys R Us, within the first year I bought a $300 cleaning robot, the next year it was a $250 pool with a $150 filter/pump and a half ton of sand and a week of landscaping. A year or two after that I had to get a "real pool", then Solar heat then new pump then...

But really, I couldn't be happier. The joy my family's had in the big blue bags of water through the 12 x24 AG oval we have now (and the somewhat larger IG we'd love to build soon) has been worth every penny and every minute. The experience of each step has made it easy for me to commit to the next with confidence (mostly because of this forum).

I do remember a time when Ben was very uncomfortable with us Blue Bag types with our low budgets and bad filtration. However, the simple truth behind the pool care methods described here brought us along despite Ben's reservations.

Sorry for the off topic ?rant?

[keastman]

Ben, I got the pics you wanted and sent them