Pop-Up Head Cleaning in a SW Florida Lanai??

[ArmyChief]

I posted this in the getting started area (forced too)...but thought might get more feedback here.

Pop-Up Head Cleaning in a SW Florida Lanai??

Was curious as to how feasible it is to have a pop-up cleaning system in a in-ground pool in Florida..if it is inside a screened in lanai?? Seems pool pumps have to generate more pressure to activate them and you would not need them since there should not be much if any debris. Pollen at the most..which would be filtered by the pool filtering system...and I missing something?

Looking to minimize the pool pump power usage. Will be using a solar panel array with a grid-tied inverter during pool pump usage hours. My thoughts based off the Hayward Eco VFD pumps, is that they use about 250 watts at 1000-1500 RPM (will vary based upon filter, piping..etc..etc). However, it appears 15-19 PSI is needed for pop-up cleaning heads..which would mean the VFD pump would have to be ramped up to over 2000-2700 RPM to achieve this (please advise if you have REAL numbers for verification). That would mean about 2500 watts during the cleaning phase.

Any assistance would be appreciated....maybe move this to the Cleaning section after review

[PoolDoc]

In-floor cleaning systems are MASSIVE energy-wasters. A vacuum robot would be much more efficient. If you do get an infloor system, a single speed pump on timer would be probably the most efficient way to manage it -- but it would require that the cleaning system discharge points be separate from the regular circulation return.

However, Mark (mas985) likes working this sort of question; I'll email him.

Ben

[ArmyChief]

Thanks...so I'll wait. Would you agree that since it's in a covered lanai...in-floor might not be needed?

[PoolDoc]

Yep.

[ArmyChief]

I take it that's a yep to they are not needed?..thanks

[PoolDoc]

A covered pool can do quite well without pop-up cleaners. Also, they don't work all that well in the Eastern 1/2 of the US, where pools often have a lot of tree & grass debris that can't be swept into the main drain nicely.