Advice: Don't fix what's not broken

[salinda]

My new pump is a variable speed. I am saving money, but at a cost. Also, my old pump was nowhere near giving up the ghost. My pump was pushing a tremendous gpm even with solar. Without solar, the turnover rate was probably shorter than 5 hours, especially with the booster-driven Polaris 280.

With solar, I had been running the pump 13 hours on the longest summer days. I am getting at least 50% energy savings with the new pump/cleaner, but I believe that is based on previous pump run times of 10-13 hours. There are many ways to save money on a larger pump, including shorter run times and short-cycling to clear the pool surface a couple of times a day before debris sinks into the pool water.

At any rate, it was a simple pump that worked. I could have just installed appropriate bypasses to address restrictions and seen if that lowered pressure and I could have run the pump for shorter times.

[Sumo1]

Thanks, Salinda. I've been thinking about making some "optimizing" changes to my system, including downsizing a pump to reduce energy costs as well as admiring some brand new pool heaters I've seen being installed in my neighborhood. However, my pump still works and so does my ancient heater, so I guess I'll sleep on the idea a little longer. Good luck!

[salinda]

So glad to have saved you the agony of buyer's remorse that I am having.