Replacement Chlorine Pump & Filter Suggestion For A 28x56 foot x 7.5 Depth & 3.5 Depth Inground Pool?by Mac
I was hoping that you could advice on my pool size as well. I think that I would prefer a cartridge filter and a variable speed pump, but I am not sure what brand is most dependable. Also, I was wondering if I should replace the 1 1/2" plumbing wherever possible to 2" or 2 1/2"? I am assuming the main drain would be impossible to change as well as the skimmers, so I think I will need to use adapters at these points. Thank you for any advice that you would be able to offer. Mac Thanks for the question and comment Mac I personally think a cartridge filter is the best way to go. Although a sand is the least amount of maintenance, it doesn't filter as good as a cartridge. A DE filter is the best for filtration, but what a mess to clean and maintain. You pretty much can't go wrong with either a Hayward or Pentair cartridge filter and variable speed pump motor. Many of my customers have had them and, with the exception of age for the filter, I've never had a problem with them. I burned up the hot tub Hayward pump motor, but this was because I didn't clean out the pump basket for a month and it clogged up with cotton from people wearing T-shirts in the hot tub. Now I clean it out every week. It's always better to oversize the filter, not the pump. Many guys think that the "bigger is better" works for everything. That's not so. Many pools have much too large motors. You get this "whirlpool" effect when the water comes out the returns too fast. You pretty much have a cloud of dirt rather than a nice gentle flow of water. You can also destroy the cartridges and grids by the water moving too fast. Most pools can get away with a 1/2 - 3/4 HP motor. If it were my pool I would go with the largest reasonably priced pipe and a variable speed pump. It's easy to add resistance if needed, but it's pretty hard to lower resistance without re-piping. Flow resistance in pipes is measured in feet of head. Every pipe and all fittings have resistance. They all contribute. Larger pipes and fittings have less resistance than smaller pipes If you have a 2" pipe for the entire run except for the ends at 1.5", the total head would be less than if you used 1.5" pipe throughout the run. Smaller pipes force the water through at a higher speed and could tear cartridge filters or DE grids. Low head is good because it means resistance. Less resistance = greater flow rate. This = less electricity used to circulate the water. In my opinion the pipe size is more important on the suction side of the pool. I would use at least 2.5" on the suction side and 2" on the return side. A good chart to look at is this one: http://www.thepooltech.com/uploads/Variable_Speed_Pool_Pumps_specs.pdf. You can also contact the California Energy Commission for specs. on variable speed pumps. I looked for a link but can't find it. Look at the motor efficiency percentage. You should find it goes from 58% to 92%. This depends on the make and model. Here's a good chart to look at as well:
Hope this helps and good luck with your pool. Have a fun and safe swimming season. Robert |
