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Pumps & Motors
Swimming Pool Filter pumps
The heart of your circulation system, your pool pump,
pulls water from one or more suction ports (i.e., skimmer & main drain), and then
pushes it through the filter & heater (if you have one) and back to the pools' return
ports.
How
do I know what pump is right for me?
Contrary to the advice given when selecting
a filter, a bigger pump is not always a good thing. Unless you have been advised by a pool
professional, or someone in the know that your existing pump was undersized, it would be wise to
keep the same horsepower as you have now.
How
do I know what Horsepower my pump motor is?
The horsepower should be
listed on the nameplate (left) of the
pump motor (in very tiny letters - hp).
If the motor nameplate is burnt or worn
off, sometimes a part number of the
impeller (right) can tell us which hp
your pump motor is.
If the existing pump has done you well, it is easiest to plumb and wire
with the exact same pump. The heights and lengths are the same, which
makes the job a bit simpler.
Are
all of the pumps at Poolcenter.com the same?
All of the manufacturers of pumps
represented are Major Manufacturers; well respected, very large, international market
leaders. The motors used on the pumps are all nearly the same. There has not been any
really astounding inventions in pump technology in the last few years, so all innovations
have been implemented by most in one way or another. Each pump is slightly different in
its hydraulics, shape, basket and lid, and colors. But these may or may not matter a whole
lot. Read on for more substantial ways to discern between pumps.
You will find that there are
low head pumps for aboveground pools and medium and
high head pumps for inground
pools. "head" refers to the flow rate, in a backwards kind of way.
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Aboveground filter systems and small inground
pools (under 10,000 gals) should use a Low Head pump like a Maxim, or
Dynamo or
Power-Flo.
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Pools from 10,000-20,000 gals can use a
Medium Head pump like a SuperPump, a Pinnacle or
Cygnet.
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Pools over 20,000 gals could possibly use the
High Head pumps like, Super II,
Challenger, Ultra-Flo or the
Sta-Rite pumps.
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Pool/ Spa combos with at least 3
lines influent and 2 - 3 back to the
pool, 2" plumbing may be able to
handle the Ultra High Head pumps
like
NorthStar and the
WhisperFlo.
Remember to match
hp and pump type and
flow rate. Use the Flow Rate Charts,
(see below) based on a sample feet of
head (vertical axis) of 40 or 50 feet.
This is the only true way to compare
pump to pump.
 As
Americans, it's natural to want the big
V8 power plant, but a pump that is too
powerful could actually prevent
filtration while damaging the filter and
heater. Pipes or fittings could even be
blown apart. When matching pumps to
filters, check the Design Flow Rate of
the filter from the nameplate. The
average flow for the pump you select,
should be within 10% of the filter's
Design Flow Rate.
Remember also, that a smaller hp motor
is going to draw fewer amps, which is
going to cost less to operate. If you
are careful to match up flow charts, you
could actually reduce the hp required,
while increasing the head of the pump.
For instance, a
3/4 hp Whisperflo produces the same
amount of flow as a
1 1/2 hp SuperPump. So, you could
replace one with the other, while
electrical costs are nearly cut in half!
So, when selecting a pump, keep it close to the original
specifications, and use the Flow Charts. Most systems could handle a
small increase in pump size, especially if you are replacing the filter
with a larger one.
The water is moved by a brass or plastic
impeller that is shaft driven by an electric motor. On the way to
the pump, the water is under suction or vacuum. After the impeller, the
water is now under pressure until it is released into the pool. The 3/4
- 2.0 hp motor is powered from a breaker on your electric panel (or fuse
box), at 115 or 230 volts. Usually motors over 2 hp need 230V power to
operate, and most smaller Hp pumps convert to accept either 115 or 230
volts. Above ground units may plug into an 115V GFCI outlet. (Be sure to
buy a Pump that will match the correct voltage going to your existing
power supply). Electrical consumption will vary by area, however,
manufacturers have been designing motors and pumps (the wet end) which
are more efficient and consume much less energy than older pumps. The
smaller the Amp draw of the motor, the less expensive it will be to
operate. (continued........)
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