Any opinions on an Ikeric Dyna-miser pump?

[tphaggerty]

I have a new (2nd season) 20x40 IG vinyl with a 2nd story solar heater. No spa, no pressure or suction side cleaners. 2" piping throughout, 2 skimmers, main drain, 60sf Hayward DE filter.

This is a new pool, only 2nd season. PB installed a 2HP (uprated I believe, I need to check tonight) Hayward Superpump on a timer (it says High Efficiency on a sticker on the motor) before I knew enough to get something different (I did ask him about 2 speed pumps, he said no one used the low speed so it wasn't worth it). It works, pushes water nicely BUT it is LOUD and I think it sucks electricity like mad.

So, I have been looking at possibly going to a slightly smaller 2 speed pump (1 1/2 hp) and adding an automatic switch so that when the solar kicks in, the pump goes to high speed, otherwise it would run at low speed. The Pentair Whisperflo and the Sta-rite Max-E-Pro are possibilities that seem to fit the bill. With a switch, it looks like these pumps would run in the 500 to 700 range. I am looking for 2 things: sound reduction (otherwise I have to build some type of sound wall/enclosure) and long term cost savings.


BUT, there is another option that appears to fit the bill as well. The Ikeric Dyna-Miser VS pump is made by Pentair but not sold by them, it is sold by Ikeric only (generally through dealers). This pump has 3 speed levels and they are all adjustable. They have a very inexpensive Solar Switch option that is basically a flow meter that goes in the solar supply line to kick the pump from low to high speed. The "advantage" of this pump is that you can precisely dial in the pump RPM for each speed setting so that the pump is optimally set. The pump with solar switch is around 1200. Quite a bump, but the claimed energy savings are very large, with a 2 to 3 year ROI.

My question, does anyone have or have experience with this pump or the company? It appears that they distribute (right now) only in the West, but will ship East on special request.

[salinda]

I am interested in a response too. I am getting bids from a pool efficiency company and the Ikeric is what they recommend, but they would also go with the Intelliflo 4 x 160. (They claim programming the more expensive Intelliflo is very tricky.) They really want me to research Ikeric, so here I am!

[tphaggerty]

I saw the posts on the Intelliflow (earlier thread on replacing a pump) too. I think the Intelliflow 4 x 160 is very similar to the Ikeric (which says their pump is made by Pentair). Looks different though and the Ikeric is less expensive.

Somewhere I read that the Ikeric is based on a lower line of Pentair pumps.

Anyone have one out there??

[salinda]

Funny thing...I heard that the Ikeric were the founders of VS pumps. Sounds like someone is trying to spin this their way!

[tphaggerty]

I think they were. If you go to the Ikeric web site, they have a History link that says that a pool builder thought this idea up and had Pentair build it for him. I am guessing that he gave Pentair the rights to build some derivative of his idea (I know I would).

But, it seems that Pentair is going for the really high end (electronics built in, etc), versus Ikeric which (from my discussion with them) has a separate control box that is simpler. Also, it appears that the Ikeric is using a lower end line of Pentair pumps as the starting point, whereas Pentair is using there premium line. Just my thoughts from looking at both websites and product descriptions (and talking with an Ikeric sales person).

Can you get your pool efficiency guy to get you a local reference where they have used the Ikeric pump? Maybe you can get a first person account!!

[salinda]

I am working with Pool Power (the efficiency people) on the bid right now and they have several customers who are willing to talk and let me see their systems. It may be a couple of weeks, but I can update the posts with the information I find out.

Just talking to the engineer, who is a long-time certified plumber, from Pool Power, he says that they have been installing the Ikeric for 4 years and have never had a service call on those pumps. They are able to use the flow switch(es?) in tandem with the solar system to get enough flow to fill the solar and then ratchet back the flow to just enough so that the solar system is not kept under pressure.

The Ikeric has a Sta-rite max-e-glas pump body. All the seals etc are readily available at any local pool supply. Ease of servicing was a concern of mine with going with the Ikeric, but knowing this is very helpful.