Ecostar VSP output safe for rest of the pool system?

[Watermom]

I'm going to let someone else answer your plumbing question but just wanted to welcome you to the Pool Forum!

[Kidney]

Thank you Watermom!

[Kidney]

Later today, I will fill in the PF Pool Chart to better show what I am dealing with. I hope this helps a fellow forum member answer my questions above. I will have more questions coming after that but for now, I'm really wondering if I should reduce the upper speed of my Ecostar VSP...

[mas985]

The most vulnerable piece of equipment is the filter. But with that filter, you don't have anything to worry about since max flow rate is 150 GPM and the EcoStar will never reach that let alone the APSP flow rate of 120 GPM.

Also, the flow rate recommendations for PVC pipes are mainly for water hammer. You can exceed that without much worry about any damage. So you can technically run as high as you want although I would keep the filter pressure below 25 PSI.

Also, how many spa jets do you have and do you know what size? (e.g. 3/8" or 7/16")

Is the spa on 2" pipe as well?

[Kidney]

Thank you Mark! Glad to hear I don't have to worry. The DE6020's manual shows a "design flow rate" of 120gpm. I guess that corresponds to your second number?

I have 4 jets in the spa and the piping feeding them out of the equipment pad is 2" but not sure it stays that way underground. I don't know the size of the spa jets unfortunately.

I filled up the PF Pool Chart. I so far run the VSP for 21h15 a day at 600rpm and at 2400rpm for 2h30 when my Polaris 380 is running its 2h daily cleaning powered by its PB4-60 booster. Since I have the booster pump, could I reduce the VSP speed to the 1000rpm (or less?) at which I often see the Ecostar being recommended to run for max efficiency? How do I know I am getting proper skimming other than seeing all debris not making it in the Polaris ending up in the 2 pool skimmers (spa has none but overflows in pool)?

When I run the VSP at full speed there is no air in its basket (there is air however at much lower speeds, is this normal?), I hear some noises (sounds like small stones) around the 6-position variflow valve interfacing the filter: the equipment installers said this is normal due to the high water flow. I do hope that is nothing bad like cavitation. For information, I made sure more than 10" of straight piping feeds the VSP.

I am reading the "BBB" to get up to speed re testing and what I am learning is very interesting and quite exciting :-) Once this is understood and used, I will look into remotely controlling the system for spa operation...

[mas985]

There is no point in reducing the RPM of VS pump below 800-1000 RPM. That is the most efficient speed and efficiency drops off with lower speeds. And yes, you should be able to lower RPM on the pump while running the booster although it still isn't as efficient as running a pressure cleaner without a booster at higher RPM.

How do I know I am getting proper skimming other than seeing all debris not making it in the Polaris ending up in the 2 pool skimmers (spa has none but overflows in pool)?

That's pretty much it.

Also, I serious doubt you need that much run time for your pump. Run time is mostly for removing debris from the pool. Generally skimming will occur within the first hour or two and after that, not much happens unless something else falls in the pool. So you are much better off with 2 periods of 2 hour run time and set the speeds for optimal cleaning. Adjust the pump run time based upon how well it keeps the pool clean. You will probably find that you do not see any difference at the reduced run time.

I hear some noises (sounds like small stones) around the 6-position variflow valve interfacing the filter: the equipment installers said this is normal due to the high water flow.

That is NOT normal and a good indication of cavitation so I would avoid running the pump at full speed. Backwash valves can cavitate under the right conditions.

[PoolDoc]

What damages the filter is pressure, not flow per se. If the pressure IN the tank, or ACROSS the grids gets to be too high, you will likely damage the filter. This is much, much more likely to be an issue if the filter is dirty than if it's clean.

Within the piping, very high flow can lead to air hammer and/or hydraulic shock especially if air is present. These events will break plastic piping and valves. I once saw someone shatter a 6" S-80 PVC pipe that was connected to the pool's main drain, and was 6 feet below water level. THAT was impressive. I had to wade through 2 feet of flowing water to get to a valve that would shut off the flow.

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