Reason #: Energy Savings
For a relatively small investment, a variable speed pool pump motor can pay for itself in energy savings alone. The Pump Affinity Law can be used to explain the relationship between motor speed, flow rates, and energy consumption. As motor speed is reduced, the flow rate is as well. This relationship to energy consumption is not linear, though. When motor speed is cut in half, the flow rate is cut in half. However, the power consumption is reduced to 1/8 of the original consumption. Table 1.1 shows the dramatic energy savings associated with running a motor at lower RPMs.
States, such as California through its Title 20, have recognized the energy saving impact that variable speed motors can have on the environment. Variable speed motors are increasingly preferred by regulatory agencies, over single and two-speed motors, for their ability to conserve energy. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Energy has mandated that pool pump replacements after July 2021 be variable speed.
Energy Saving With A Variable Speed Pump
So a variable speed pump is generally going to be retro-fitted into an existing system. Being parachuted into hostile territory the new variable speed pump is up against plenty of well seasoned opposition.
The existing filter, the pipe diameter, valves, multivalve and bends are all conspiring against the new VS pump strutting its stuff. Really showing off the maximum energy savings that can be achieved.
Just by replacing the the old timer with the new variable speed pump youll see a difference in your energy bills straight away. The much more efficient PMM motor and lower pump RPMs take care of that.
Most owners notice around 50 60% energy reduction simply by swopping out old for new. Thats a nice sum of money, but to fully optimise for energy saving you need to look at the surface plumbing and appliances and see if they can be fine tuned or replaced too.
The Importance Of Pool Water Circulation
One key factor in maintaining a healthy pool that is often overlooked by pool operators is the importance of pool circulation and turnover rate. Your pools turnover rate refers to the number of times the entire volume of the water is circulated in a 24-hour period. According to the Gage-Bidwell Law of Dilution, water that is recirculated with a turnover rate equal to one turnover in each 6 to 8 hour period will provide 95 to 98 percent dilution of contaminated pool water with water that has been filtered and disinfected.
Three to four turnovers per day, or one turnover every 6 to 8 hours, has become a standard in public pools and is highly recommended in residential pool owners who want a healthy pool that doesnt require large quantities of chemical disinfectants. For example, AOP systems make it possible to drastically reduce chlorine use to drinking water levels of 0.5 ppm or less in residential pools, but this requires the use of variable speed pool pumps running at an optimized flow rate 24 hours a day and with a minimum of three turnovers per day.
For those who are used to running their pool pump for only 8 or 10 hours a day, it may seem counterintuitive or wasteful to run your variable speed pump 24 hours a day. But remember that running your variable speed pump for a longer period of time is still much cheaper and more effective than running a single speed pump for a short period of time.
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What Is The Pentair Intelliflo Variable Speed Pump
This product gives pool owners a chance to let their pool water circulate at a low flow rate for a more extended period without increasing energy consumption. Variable speed pumps, in general, are known to be more energy-efficient compared to single-speed pumps. This is the reason why many pool owners in Arizona have chosen to use the Pentair Intelliflo Variable Speed Pump.
Energy Savings Equals Money In Your Wallet
The number 1 benefit of a Variable Speed Pool Pump is energy savings. The savings come from the Variable portion of the VS Pump. By lowering the RPMs, the pool pump will consume less energy. As energy consumption goes down, the money in your wallet goes up.
Screenshot of Pentair Energy Savings Calculator Using a Variable Speed Pump
A common misconception is that more is better – this is not always true when it comes to pool pumps. An overworked pool pump will consume more energy and potentially fail prematurely.
This simple Energy Calculator from Pentair will give you a basic understanding of just how much money you can save. If you have a water feature you can create even more savings by using a VS Pump to control your water feature as well. Take a few minutes using the calculator and see how much money you can save.
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Harris Inground Vs Variable Speed Pool Pump
This variable speed pump is designed to operate your swimming pool filtration system as well as your spa, waterfall, cleaner, heater, salt chlorine system and other water applications. Using the control panel, you can run your pump on one of three scheduled programs:
- Regular mode: use three quick start button ECO /CLEAN/BOOST, and then adjust the pump to run at the speeds you selected
- Mode 1: 16 hours for each clean cycle.
- Mode 2: 24 hours for each clean cycle
The control panel also has LED indicators for speed as well as alarm indicators and error messages to warn the user against under and over voltage, high temperature, over current and freeze protection.
- Volt: 230V
Harris Pool Pumps Installation Tips:
- Install pump on firm, level base or pad
- Fasten the pump using screws or bolts to reduce vibration & stress on pipes or hose joints
- Ground and bond the pool pump motor before connecting to electrical power supply
- Do NOT ground pool pump to gas supply line
How To Set Up Speed
Press the right navigation button to enter the speed menu. The screen will show speed one name. This is where you can rename the speed number one that you are going to set up. Once you have renamed it, you will have to move to the next item, which will be the speed one duration. This is where you can set the duration of this particular item.
Again, move to the next item by pressing the right button. The screen will then show you the speed ones speed. This is where you can configure the speed of this item.
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How To Save Money Using A Variable Speed Pump
If you are a pool owner and looking to save money on your energy bill, a variable speed pump is the way to go. A variable speed pump allows you to lower the motors RPMs to the minimum speed needed to turn the water over or to maintain your pool equipment. Using a variable speed pump can cut associated energy costs up to 90%. When you run the pump at lower speeds, that means youre using less kW, or energy, from your power company. This translates to a lower energy bill.
Once you have a variable speed pump on your pool, the goal is to find the lowest RPMs at which you can run the pump yet sustain a clean pool.
Choosing The Right Size Pool Pump
The key to choosing the right pump size is to know which ones will be able to filter all your pool water within an 8 hour or less timeframe. If the pump can do this, it should be big enough.
If we consider some pool standards, a smaller pool will generally have a pump filtering 40 gallons per minute, while a larger pool will be double that.
Yet, to be more precise, you can use a calculation to find out the exact needs for your pool:
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How Much Can A Variable Speed Pool Pump Save You
One important thing to understand about how pool pumps work is that running your pump at lower speeds for longer periods of time will cost much less than running it at high speeds for shorter periods of time.
It might seem like if you run a pool pump at half the speed for twice the amount of time, the energy consumption would even out. However, because of a principle known as the Pump Affinity Law, the energy savings grow disproportionately larger the more you lower the speed of your pool pump. According to this principle, if you reduce your pump speed by 30 percent you will see a 70 percent reduction in power consumption. When you lower the motor speed by half, power consumption is reduced to one-eighth of the original draw.
For example, lets say it costs $2.20 a day to run your single speed pool pump for 8 hours then it will only cost one-eighth, or $0.28, of that to run a variable speed pool pump at half of the same speed for 8 hours. If you run the variable speed pool pump for 24 hours for maximum circulation, it will still only cost $0.84. That is an energy savings of 62 percent while running your pool pump three times as long.
Programming Options For Variable Speed Pool Pumps
Some variable-speed pumps have built-in programming features that make them super energy efficient. These pumps allow you to program them so they use just enough power to perform a particular task, such as operating a waterfall.
With these automation options, you dont have to remember to switch speeds yourself. The pump does it for you automatically. Its pretty simple to program, too. If you can set your pool timer, you can automate your pool pump.
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Installing A Variable Speed Pool Pump
Imagine running your car at 3450 RPM all the time! Think of the gas expense and the wear and tear on your engine, if you raced around with the tach at 3500!
Well, thats what your standard pool pump does everyday. The motor shaft inside spins at over 3400 rpm, which uses a lot of energy and puts out a lot of heat, about 150° too hot to touch.
A Variable Speed pool pump operates at several speeds low, medium or high, to optimize energy usage. The long-life, permanent magnet motor is cool to the touch, and is quiet as a breeze. But the best part is, VS pool pumps can save up to 80% in electrical cost.
most new pool pumps sold in the U.S. are required to be Variable Speed, as mandated by the US Energy Dept.
How To Set The Variable Pump Preset Speed
This model operates using any of the preset speeds that are set in the factory. You can easily use its control panel button to preset or even reset your preferred speed.
Follow these steps:
You will be choosing amongst these four speeds:
- Speed 1 LED/button will select the first speed which is 750 RPM.
- Speed 2 LED/button will select the second speed which is 1500 RPM.
- Speed 3 LED/button will select the third speed which is 2350 RPM.
- Speed 4 LED/button will select the fourth speed which is 3110 RPM.
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Whats It Going To Cost You
A Pentair Intelliflo VSF installed by The Pool Boys starts at $1750.00 + Tax. Every pool system is different, therefore making every install unique so the price may vary depending on your situation.
There are many different manufacturer rebates as well as energy company rebates that come available from time to time. By taking advantage of these rebates you could save hundreds on your VS Pump install, so be sure to inquire about them.
Low Pool Pump Speeds Mean Low Noise
Think of the sound your single-speed pump makes when it kicks on. Has it ever woken you up at night? Well, when you switch to a variable-speed pump, youll never again bolt awake in bed wondering if a helicopter just landed in your yard.
Single-speed pumps run at 3,450 revolutions per minute . Variable-speed pumps can run as low as 600 RPM. The lower RPMs significantly reduce motor noise, making the variable-speed pump a far quieter option than that old single-speed.
Set your timer to turn the variable-speed pump on at a low setting overnight to turn over your pool water during non-peak power hours. Youll save money, clean your pool, and avoid a confrontation with grumpy, sleep-deprived neighbors.
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When To Run A Pump On Low And High Speeds
In terms of the best setup for a variable speed pump, pool owners specifically want to know how long to run their pump at high and low speeds. Unfortunately, every pool is different, making it tricky to provide a template-style formula that fits every pool scenario. However, through trial and error, you can program your variable speed to operate at its highest efficiency for your pool.
Best Setup For Variable Speed Pumps
For the first few weeks of owning a variable speed pump, you might be playing with the settings until you find the correct balance between RPMs and the length of time. First, we do not recommend running your variable speed pump at 3450 RPMs for 24 hours a day. Its unnecessary and frankly, it defeats the entire purpose of a variable speed pump. The idea is to try and run your variable speed pump at the lowest RPMs as possible while still filtering your pool water properly. If you are running your pool pump to filter and turn your water over, we recommend using the middle and lower speed settings.
For example, for the first few days, you might run the pump at 2500 RPMs to see what your pool looks like. Next, you might dial it down to 1600 RPMs. If after a few days your pool starts to look cloudy or hazy, you can set the pump to run at 2000 RPMs. Every pool setup is different. This makes trial and error the easiest way to find your pumps sweet spot.
Example of Variable Speed Settings
Example 1:
During the off-season, we aim to turn the water over once.
What Is A Vs Pool Pump
Also known as multi-speed pumps, variable-speed pool pumps are one of three types of swimming pool pumps you can buy.
Some newer variable-speed pumps feature drop-in replacement, making the upgrade simple. Some of them can even be programmed to operate at optimal speeds for certain tasks, such as filtering and running deck jets. Theyre also more reliable than the other two types of pumps.
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Finding The Right Program For A Variable Speed Pump
czipper said:So I got this new Variable speed pump. It uses bunch less energy than the old Hayward Superpump, but the hayward was one speed only, I didn’t need to think about it. Now i have an enormous number of possible pump protocols to choose from. Max speed for the same amount of time the Hawyward was doing is easy, but I haven’t found any guidelines about how to figure out the optimal use of the variable speed pump. Can I run the pump for less time, or should I break it up during the day? Maybe running it all day at a lower speed would be best. I would like to hear all manner of viewpoints on this please.
Divin Dave said:I have the same pump.There are so many variations of how speed and for how long to run the pump its sort of ridiculous. Basically, you need to figure out what works for you.I run mine at 1500 RPM 3 times a day for 2 hours each time. I chose this because I have a SWG and that RPM and those times work well for me.I run an additional 10 hours at 900 rpm , just for skimming purposes. I dont like anything floating on top of my water except for a good lookin woman. One neat thing about the pump, is just for fun, you can turn up the speed make really make the water in the pool move…sort of like a big whirlpool.
What growth are you taking about? Cartridges have filter pressure gauges too, if that is what meant.
Hayward Sp23115vsp Maxflo Variable
The Hayward SP23115VSP pool pump is the perfect choice for replacing your existing pump with a high-quality, energy-efficient variable speed pump. This amazing pool pump helps you save money by saving energy. In addition to being extremely quiet, these pumps can help you save up to 80% in energy costs.
Haywards is one of the largest manufacturers of pool equipment with many innovative products. The SP23115VSP MaxFlo is the only 115-volt variable-speed pump available which has permanent magnet motors.
Furthermore, it can easily replace existing single-speed 115-volt pool pumps without making any electrical upgrades. Besides, its rotatable, intuitive user interface is easy to read and operate thus allowing you to customize speed and duration.
In addition, this pool pump has a large basket that is able to hold larger volumes of leaf and debris. Furthermore, the see-through strainer cover makes it easier to determine when it should be cleaned. With the installation of Hayward SP23115 MaxFlo, you can really upgrade and make a difference.
Our rating:
- Self-priming pump provides a suction lift of more than 8 feet above the water
- Permanent magnet motor increases energy savings up to 80%
- Digital interface with eight custom timers and 24-hour clock
- Totally encased fan cooled motor provides reliability and durability
- Digital control can be wall mounted for convenient viewing and access
- Can be installed in stand-alone mode or with competitive control systems
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