Equipment Info and Runtime

[PoolDoc]

"Special" as in "New and Improved" as in (we've found a better way to separate you from your money!).

[mastamoon]

The little info I can find online seems to indicate that SPL on pumps is sort of like Peak ratings on audio amplifiers. Its calculated at the point of turn on and seems to be the measurement of power it takes to get that coil spinning up to speed not the power at constant speed.

Either way, I seemed to think that the pump was too much for the filter, not underpowered so what ever the actual output of mine is, it seems fine.

Actually its rather annoying as when I clean the strainer with the pump running.. it tends to start pulling in air from the strainer sans basket. But changing the strainer with the pump off is messy so I just try to do it quickly and make sure there is ample water in the pool.

"Special" as in "New and Improved" as in (we've found a better way to separate you from your money!).

[CarlD]

We find that what people usually think of as "undersized" pumps means not over-sized. With a 1hp full-rated pump generally your filter would be too small and you would need a 200-250. sand filter. But if the calculation is correct and it is really equivalent of a 3/4hp full-rated you should be fine, and your pool doesn't need any more than that.

[PoolDoc]

The little info I can find online seems to indicate that SPL on pumps is sort of like Peak ratings on audio amplifiers. Its calculated at the point of turn on and seems to be the measurement of power it takes to get that coil spinning up to speed not the power at constant speed.

That's the rationalization for SPL; not it's true meaning!

I think I was right the first time!

[mas985]

Not to mention that a typical 1 HP up rated (non-SPL) AG pump is smaller than a typical 1 HP uprated IG pump. So a 1.5 HP SPL will be smaller than a typical low end 3/4 HP full rated IG pump. I think I might of posted this graph before but it illustrates the difference between AG and IG pumps and how label HP can be very deceiving.

Pump Label HP Ratings

Most in the industry have long understood that pump labels can be very deceiving. It is bad enough that manufactures have chosen to have two classes of IG pumps, up rated vs full rated, but AG pumps and combo systems add even more confusion around what these HP labels actually mean.

The chart below shows the flow rates of several Pentair and Hayward low label HP IG and AG pool pumps on two of the CEC plumbing curves, Curve-A and Curve-C. The higher the flow rate, the more powerful the pump.



Even when comparing IG up rated pumps, there is clearly a large difference between the Whisperflo and Superflo line of pumps that have the same label HP. But the difference is just as great when comparing IG to AG pool pumps with the same label HP. Both the Optiflo and Dynamo are significantly smaller than even the Superflo with the same label HP rating.

However, it doesn't end there. If you compare the impellers used in some of the combo systems, you will find that the impeller is smaller than even the up rated version of the same pump. In the manual they call this SPL HP. The bottom line is that a 1 1/2 HP (SPL) Dynamo pump/Filter combo uses a 1 HP up rated impeller which is equivalent to a 3/4 HP full rated impeller but still smaller than 3/4 HP up rated Superflo impeller which makes the pump a very small pump, especially by IG standards.

So the lesson here is that you cannot judge a pump's power or strength just by the label HP rating.

[PoolDoc]

Thanks, Mark.

This is the sort of analysis that is moving us toward being able to actually offer comprehensible and helpful advice on selecting and comparing equipment

[mastamoon]

Ill keep an eye out for a good deal on craigslist I guess. I knew buying a pool package from Namco/Branchbrook would net us the cheapest possible configuration most likely.

All of this for a pool I dont even use. Ah well.

Thanks for the info fellas.