New Pool Construction by Owner - Equipment help!

[Lsanc]

I just wrote a long reply but it didn't post...let me do this again:

Questions:

1) I read that Hayward pump needs 1.5" intake and outlet pipe. Is that good? I was planning in running all plumbing 2". Should I just use a reducer? I was under the impression 2" was the way to go.

2) sand filter size? Price diff between 30 and 24 is small. Should I just go for the biggest?

3) color changing led pool light...yay or nay?

[PoolDoc]

Piping hydraulics and their interaction with the pump are somewhat complex. In general, you won't hurt yourself with 2" pipe . . . but ironically, if you keep your system simple enough, some special design elements may be needed. Contrary to what most people think, pumps overload on high flow, not high pressure.

Look through the equipment list above and the associated costs. They include a link to a Pentair LED light . . . but I'm not ready to recommend those. LED lights *should* last a long time, but Amazon reviews, and reports here, suggest that far too frequently, they fail after a short time. I need to find out why. It may be voltage surges.

Look at the 'Sheer Descent' too. That's an attractive feature option for a small pool, but it MUST be on a timer: running a waterfall more than a few hours per day will screw up your chemistry, because of the constant aeration. The Intermatic timer listed will allow you to run the pump HIGH/LOW/OFF, co-ordinate with the Polaris ON/OFF, and operate a small water feature, like the Sheer Descent (ON, when the pump is on HIGH). However the wiring is too complex for most non-industrial electricians, and must be drawn out in advance for them. Also, use of a complex timer (with electronics) MANDATES installation of high-grade surge protection.

The starting place for you is to assess the pool layout, and what features are important to you . . . and how much budget room is left over, once you have the complete shell and inground plumbing. Once you've done that, you can look at final equipment and feature selection.

Let me remind you again: Pentair equipment is NOT an option if (a) you buy the equipment yourself and (b) the warranty matters.

[Lsanc]

Thanks Ben. Just sent you a PM via gmail.

[Watermom]

A bigger filter is always better.

[BigDave]

A bigger filter is always better.

+1!

[mas985]

Another cleaner you might consider is ThePoolCleaner. Now owned by Hayward. It doesn't require a booster so it is more energy efficient. Based upon reviews, it cleans just as well if not better than the Polaris. I have the suction side version and it has been a great performer.

www.thepoolcleaner.com

Also, the MaxFlo XL is another good Hayward pump and the 1 HP uses about 20% less energy than the 1 HP SuperPump.

[PoolDoc]

@ Mark: I'm not seeing the good reviews here, on the pressure side models. Did you see them elsewhere?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KSMVL6W/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004KSRJZC/

@ Lsanc: I couldn't find 2 speed models of the MaxFlo on Amazon, though I did see them on other sites. I'm pretty sure that Mark is not claiming that a single speed MaxFlo would out-perform a 2 speed SuperPump.

Amazon does ship a fairly inexpensive VS Maxflo. It would be a good option, if you coupled it with the Intermatic PS3000 Pool Surge Protector.