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.