Pentair Pump/Filter match for replacing Hayward

[simsjim]

Hello All:

I did a search but couldn’t find any results that answered my question.

I am in the market to replace my old Hayward 3/4 hp Superpump and Hayward SandMaster 18" TopMount sand filter. For performance reasons as well as ease of installation, I am considering the Pentair 1 HP SuperFlo Pump (single speed 115v) matched with a Pentair SandDollar SD40 (19") sand filter with a 40 gpm max rate (150# of sand).

Here are some additional spex:
Pool Basics: 12K gal IG vinyl liner rectangle pool - no spa.
Model: old "Sylvan Vacationer"
Plumbing: 1.5" dia flex pvc
Head: ~ 60 ft (equip pad is on an uphill grade from the pool, and quite a distance away.)
Suction: 2 skimmers on the same wall, and a main drain - the main drain was added last year
Pressure: two outlets at opposite ends of the same wall with the skimmers

With my current config, I get little to no suction at the drain, and the skimmers don’t seem to "pull in" floating surface debris very well. Additionally, when I vacuum, my PSI in the filter goes down to around 5psi, where normally it is operating btn 10-14 PSI. Finally, when priming on start-up, it takes upwards of 7 minutes for water to reach the pump.

My question is, given the high amount of head, excessive priming time, and additional suction inlet (the main drain), do you think the SuperFlo 1 HP is a good choice for the pool? Do you think it's too big for a 19" sand filter? Will it cause channeling? Should I consider the SD60, which is 22.5" and has a 60 gpm max capacity?

I am pretty sure I want to bump up to 1 HP, since I added a main drain, but never changed pumps to compensate for the additional head. Also, the 3/4 hp was barely getting the job done before the addition of the main drain, especially when coupled with that Hayward SandMaster 18" filter, which is really marketed for AG pools.

Am I really off the mark in thinking about a 1 hp pump? Is my coupling a 1 hp pump with a 19" filter an acceptable config, in light of the amount of head?

Would it be better to go with 1 hp pump and a 22.5 " 200# filter? Should I stick with 3/4 HP and go with a smaller filter?

My goals are to decrease my priming time, decrease turnover time, and increase the ability of the skimmers and drian to capture debis (i.e. keep the pool clean).

Its only March, there's snow in my yard.....but the early bird........

Any advice or tips would be appreciated.

Thanks

[mas985]

I don't think your problem is due to low HP so you may want to consider other things before upgrading the pump. With that size pool, a 3/4 HP should be more than sufficient. The problems you are experiencing may lie somewhere else.

First head is not the distance from the pool to the pad but has to do with the amount of pressure loss in the plumbing. With 10 to 14 PSI on the filter, you probably have about 30-40 feet of head which is pretty low as far as pools go. It could also mean that you have some blockage in your suction lines.

Second, the reason PSI drops with the cleaner is because the suction head loss increases. This is normal but in your case it seems a bit excessive. Are you adjusting your valves properly for the cleaner? It could be you don't need to close off the main suction lines completely for the vacuum to work properly. The other thing to look for is blockage in the vacuum line.

Third, for skimmers to work properly, your returns must be pointed properly. Depending on the placement of the returns and the skimmers, you can either point the returns at the skimmers or along the side of the pool to get the water movement you want. Sometimes they need to be pointed slightly upward to get proper water movement.

As for priming. It could be a couple of factors. Is the pad much higher in elevation than the pool? Your pump should handle 8 feet of elevation.

Another problem could be you do not have any one way valves in your plumbing so all of the water drains out of the pad when the pump is shut off. This should not be too hard to fix.

A third reason for the priming problem could again be due to line blockage.

Given all of your symptoms, it sounds as though there may be some blockage in your suction lines. That is pretty common for pools with 1 1/2" plumbing. Check that first before buying any equipment. The best way to clean them out is to backflush it with a Drain King hose attachment.

[simsjim]

Wow, thanks for that great info. That is very helpful and gives me something to think about. Although I would debate the idea of blockage since I just had all of the plumbing replaced last year. I'll try to flush the lines by forcing water OUT of the suction side into the pool and see what happens. Thanks Again!

Any other thoughts?