Best settings for variable speed pool pump

[Cmoylan2]

Hi TFP! New pool owner here, and working on learning the ropes. I have my chemicals and testing down, now I am fine tuning my set up. I have around 11,000 gallons and just had the Pentair IntelliFlo Variable Speed High-Performance Pool Pump installed. What would the best settings be to have my pump running at? Right now I am running for about 13 hours, 10 at 1500 RPM, 2 at 2300, 1 hour at 2800. This was sort of a guess based on one post I saw on reddit but I have no idea if that is actually helpful in my situation.

Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[Jimrahbe]

C2,

Why?

We suggest that you run the pump for a reason. What is your reason for each of these speeds?

You normally run a pump to generate the chlorine your pool needs if you have a SWCG, or you use a chlorine tablet feeder. You also want to run the pump so that your pool is skimmed the way you want. Then, of course, if you had water features, you want a speed for them to look the way you want.

What is your goal for the speeds you have now?

The whole point of having a VS pump is to run as slow as you can and still accomplish your goal. If your pool works at 1500 RPM, what is it that you need to have happen that requires 2300 or 2800?


Edit.. I should have added that each pool is different, each pool owner is different, so there is no one "correct" way to run your VS pump. You just adjust it for how you would like it to run.

I run mine 24/7, mostly at 1200 RPM as that is what works best for me. To do that costs me less than $20 bucks a month.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Cmoylan2]

C2,

Why?

We suggest that you run the pump for a reason. What is your reason for each of these speeds?

You normally run a pump to generate the chlorine your pool needs if you have a SWCG, or you use a chlorine tablet feeder. You also want to run the pump so that your pool is skimmed the way you want. Then, of course, if you had water features, you want a speed for them to look the way you want.

What is your goal for the speeds you have now?

The whole point of having a VS pump is to run as slow as you can and still accomplish your goal. If your pool works at 1500 RPM, what is it that you need to have happen that requires 2300 or 2800?


Edit.. I should have added that each pool is different, each pool owner is different, so there is no one "correct" way to run your VS pump. You just adjust it for how you would like it to run.

I run mine 24/7, mostly at 1200 RPM as that is what works best for me. To do that costs me less than $20 bucks a month.

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thanks for the help! I guess to answer your question I am not sure why. I know the goal is to cycle your whole pool once a day, and that running at a lower RPM saves over a higher RMP over the same time but that is the extent of my knowledge. No SWG so my only goal wiht my pump is to push water through the filter I guess.

 

[Jimrahbe]

C2.

The idea that you have to "Turnover" your pool water once a day is a myth. It is just not true.

If you do not have a SWCG, I suspect that you are using a chlorine table feeder. If that is true, you need to run the pump long enough for it to generate the chlorine your pool needs each day. Without water passing through the feeder the tablets will not dissolve.

Each pool is different, so you will just need to experiment with your pool to see what works. I suggest that you measure your FC (Chlorine) and then run your pump for X hours and then test your FC again. Then adjust the run time so that you are making about 3 ppm of FC per day.

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Cmoylan2]

C2.

The idea that you have to "Turnover" your pool water once a day is a myth. It is just not true.

If you do not have a SWCG, I suspect that you are using a chlorine table feeder. If that is true, you need to run the pump long enough for it to generate the chlorine your pool needs each day. Without water passing through the feeder the tablets will not dissolve.

Each pool is different, so you will just need to experiment with your pool to see what works. I suggest that you measure your FC (Chlorine) and then run your pump for X hours and then test your FC again. Then adjust the run time so that you are making about 3 ppm of FC per day.

Thanks,

Jim R.

It would probably help if I had my signature filled out, but like I said, still new and trying to balance work and pool management ha. I am using liquid chlorine. I need to get better at monitoring frequently but with fall closing in and being new home owners, we decided to just be "good enough" with our pool to be usable but that is not ideal long term. Next season I plan to be more diligent with weekly full testing, daily FC testing, and learning how much I need to add daily to maintain an acceptable level without full testing.