Considering these upgrades...new VS pump and salt system....few questions

[Donny]

You sure do NOT need a 3HP pump for that pool. 3/4 should be plenty.

[YearZero]

Thanks Carl for the info....I had actually already looked into the "BBB" system after seeing that while browsing these forums and although interesting, the chemistry part is not for me....Ill leave that to my wife who is a science teacher and loves dealing with that kind of thing. lol Me? Im more of the "mechanical tinkerer" type, hence all my questions on how my proposed system will operate. I will definitely go the SWCG route if only to not have to deal with replacing those tablets anymore. For me thats a huge plus. I just don't like handling them, just opening the bucket irritates my eyes. I will also try to get my wife more involved with checking the levels and look into a good test kit as well. Since we also have a detached spa, we have found a few times that we are wanting to use it on a night but the water is just not right and the cheap test kit we have now is either not very easy to use or not accurate.

Donny, I am aware that a 3hp pump is overkill..the one I have now is 1.5. I don't know if its the age of the pump or other parts of my system but it can hardly push the Baracuda MX8 around while having the skimmer on. I am comfortable with the price of the variable speed pumps and I really like the idea of precise control over the speeds and the programability they offer over say a simple 2 speed pump.

I visited a few local shops this weekend to ask some of these questions but I kept getting the same type of answer...."When our techs come out to install it they will set it up for you... don't worry...ect.." I really dislike when a business treats a potential customer like they are idiots and they have to dumb it down because this guy who walked in off the street cant possibly comprehend the technology of a water pump....I am a field application engineer with a video display manufacturer, integrated display systems costing nearly a million dollars in some of our government's top facilities yet somehow a simple water pump makes my head spin...lol...

All I want really want to know is, what do most people do during off hours like during the weekdays? Do they leave the pool cleaner (my Baracuda MX8) plugged in all the time with a combination of suction from the skimmer and/or main drain at low speed? Low speed turning water at least once a day and more efficient filtration, skimmer sucking in surface crap that lands on the water but the cleaner pretty much sitting idle ......ect....

THEN at a certain time, the pump ramps up to a faster speed giving the whole works a boost in suction and the MX8 would then run around like mad for an hour or two and grab all the crap that settled to the bottom?

Only reason why I ask it this way is that in my experience, with my current equipment. I have never been able to run both the MX8 and the skimmer at the same time. Its either had to be one or the other and as Im sure you can guess....involves switching valves or better said, FORGETTING to switch valves

[PoolDoc]

. . . membership updated.

Looks like Carl covered most of your questions. I will add one note: VS pumps are essentially un-repairable when the electronics fail. The cost of replacing that module typically runs around 70% of the cost of a new pump. That's not a huge problem in areas with stable power, say Arizona. But, in areas with summer thunderstorms, it can be a major issue, since the pump electronics do not handle voltage surges well, much less nearby lightning strikes..

It is possible to install full blown protection ($400+) that will probably preserve the pump unless lightning strikes YOUR house or power-line. But that's a significant additional cost . . . and complication.

[nefretrameses]

I'm also in central Florida. It sounds like you want the pump and SWCG to make maintenance "automatic". Using tabs (Tri-chlor) exclusively drives ph down and sends your stabilizer (CYA) higher and higher over time, unless you are replacing water from anything other than evaporation. Higher CYA requires higher chlorine levels to sanitize and keep algae away. Check out the best-guess chart under Doc's signature block. No matter how you chlorinate your pool, tabs, SWCG, bleach, etc. you need to test and monitor these levels. If your chlorine to CYA ratio drops below about 1 to 10, your going to continue to be frustrated. You need to know your CYA level.

You don't need a bunch of stuff if you do get algae - just chlorine to get to shock level in the best-guess chart time and patience.

Yeah, if you have a noisy pump, fix or replace it. If you run your pump at the minimum to just turn the SWCG on, will it make enough chlorine with your CYA?