Black and Decker 1HP Variable Speed Above Ground Pump Review

[rtstrider]

Hey all! I wanted to provide a review on the Black and Decker 1HP Variable Speed Above Ground Pool Pump. This was ordered and arrived to the doorstep exactly 14 days ago 8/27. We had a Hayward 1.5HP single Speed motor with bearing whine so wanted to make the jump to Variable speed for cost savings. It took a few hours, and a very expansive vocabulary, to get the Black and Decker installed. Now that's more or less on the installer (me) than the product. I have a very strained relationship with anything that involves cutting/gluing PVC lol Anywho once the pump was installed it went through the initial priming cycle and it was good to go! The pump speed was changed to run on the lowest factory default speed of 24/7 and it, and the cooler weather, knocked off a good $70 or so in the 13 days this ran. The old Hayward was set to run 12 hour cycles daily. Now fast forward to yesterday 9/9...I get up in the morning to let the dogs out and admired how quiet that pump is. It was quiet because it wasn't running! The gfci outlet was tripped and there was an E-8 error on the pump display (under voltage error). No biggie it's been 5 years or so and those outlets can be sensitive so didn't think anything of it. Reset and bam tripped again. Off to the hardware store I went for a new gfci outlet. Anywho got the outlet replaced, plugged it in again and BAM! Outlet trips again with E-8 then E-4. I dug out the manual and it recommended seeing if there may be anything caught in the impeller. There was nothing I could feel and the impeller spun freely so scratch that. Left power off for an hour or so, plugged it back in and BAM! Same errors. I figured what the hey, unplug the pump and make sure the ac cord terminals weren't loose on the pump itself. I removed the 4 screws the held the display on and that when the strong smell of burnt electronics hit. Needless to say it's RMA time. I get a wild hair and decide to read the 1 star reviews on Amazon for this pump and lo and behlod....Darn near all of them describe the same exact issue to a capital T! After some online sleuthing it sounds like these may be rebranded Blue Torrent pumps. A quick search for Blue Torrent here on Trouble Free Pools shows those may not be the most reliable pumps. This pump will be going back to Amazon and I will not be reinstalling this brand/model. I've lined up an installer this time. My vocabulary is already expansive enough and I'd like to save any wandering ears from learning new words lol! It was recommended to try a Dohenys branded pump, by the installer, so that's what I'm doing. Just ordered this with the 3 year warranty.

Doheny's Pool Pro Variable Speed Above Ground Swimming Pool Pump | Above Ground VS 1.0 HP Pool Pump, 115V, Max Flow 75 GPM | Programmable Timer | Energy Efficient| 1.5 Inch Internal Threading Amazon.com

Hopefully this will have way better results! Hopefully this helps others that are looking at this model too!

 

[Newdude]

We have a bunch of members using the B&D who are happy with theirs. They are more expensive than their sister pumps u Der different names but have a better warranty. Sorry yours wasn't a good experience. It very well may have been an electrical surge / storm.

May you have better luck with the new one.

 

[ajw22]

We have a bunch of members using the B&D who are happy with theirs. They are more expensive than their sister pumps u Der different names but have a better warranty. Sorry yours wasn't a good experience. It very well may have been an electrical surge / storm.

May you have better luck with the new one.

This B+D pump is a different model with a different motor and more importantly drive electronics then the inground pump that a bunch of members are happy with.

The only thing it has in common is the B+D branding.

Buyer beware.

 

[dave_w]

I am very happy with my 1hp above ground B&D pump. Super quiet. Been running just fine.

 

[Lumber-jack]

There isn't much selection or information on the net regarding variable-speed pool pump for above ground pools, unfortunately.

Seems there is limited AGP variable speed pump options:

1. Black and Decker
2. Doheny's Pool Pro VS Variable Speed Above Ground Pool Pump

While In-ground pool pumps are more robust than above-ground pumps, however An inground pool pump added to an above ground pool will move the water too quickly through the plumbing and the filter won't be able to properly do its job. So my thought is looking at the performance curve if you lower RPM so the TDH pressure wouldn't exceed 30-40 would this work?

Black + Decker Pool Pump Initial Review / Unboxing​

 

[Newdude]

An inground pool pump added to an above ground pool will move the water too quickly through the plumbing and the filter won't be able to properly do its job.

This is nonsense. A 1hp pump is a 1 hp pump. If you put a 3 hp pump on a rinky dink filter, then yeah. But inground/above ground isn't the problem there.

Inground pumps are self priming. That's the only difference. If the HP and impeller are the same, both will move the same water.