Doheny's Energy Efficient Above Ground Pool Pump - 1 HP / 5.6 Amps, .75 HP / 5.3 Amps

[hwy17]

I am looking to reduce the electrical consumption of my above ground pool. It is 18ft round, 7700 gals, 40 sq ft DE filter. Electrical supply is 115v only. Currently I have a 1HP 115v Hayward Powerflo Matrix, rated at 12 amps and pulls about that, plus or minus a few amps depending on the load. I have added rooftop solar this year but still feel like it's oversized for my needs. Previously I reduced consumption by only having the pump come on for 3 hours total per day, but with the solar system I will now want to run continuously 10am-4pm.

I would like to stick with a horizontal discharge above ground pump rather than custom plumb an in ground pump. VS above ground pumps barely exist, Hayward has one they don't sell, and Doheny's has one they don't ship to California. I think two speed pumps are out of the question for me now with the solar system, I doubt the .15-.25 HP low speed on any of them will be adequate.

That brings me to this pump, a rebranded Harris single speed above ground pump. I previously was only considering name brands but this appears to be a special product, I believe it is cap-start, cap-run, and that cap-run will be particularly beneficial to me for efficiency. I know the powerflo matrix are completely non cap, and I'm not sure about the optiflo but it doesn't have a cap hump so I'm pretty sure it's at least not cap-run.

What I'm confused about is the small difference in amperage ratings:

3/4HP - 5.3 Amps

Doheny's Energy Efficient Above Ground Pool Pump, 3/4 HP - Doheny's Pool Supplies Fast

Are you looking for Doheny's Energy Efficient Above Ground Pool Pump, 3/4 HP? Doheny's has this item in stock now. Click to see our low price.

www.doheny.com

1HP - 5.6 Amps

Doheny's Energy Efficient Above Ground Pool Pump, 1 HP - Doheny's Pool Supplies Fast

Are you looking for Doheny's Energy Efficient Above Ground Pool Pump, 1 HP? Doheny's has this item in stock now. Click to see our low price.

www.doheny.com

Considering 1HP to be overpowered I still think 3/4HP is the safe choice, and that the amperage difference will be greater in reality than their ratings. But I'm still curious to know if anyone has an idea what gives here, or a recommendation to go with the 1HP in this case.

(For the eagle eyed, yes those pumps are only available in vertical discharge and Doheny's says they "shouldn't" be purchased for conversion to horizontal, but I'm betting it's possible even if it voids the warranty)

 

[JamesW]

Pump hp ratings are mostly worthless.

They are more for marketing than anything.

The hp has to be multiplied by the service factor to get the real hp of the pump.

In any case the best way to choose a pump is to use the pump's performance curve and the system curve to figure out which pump will provide the correct operating point.

 

[cowboycasey]

With a new pump you are going to have to redo the plumbing and both those will void the warranty turning them...

If it were me and I lived there no way I would put a single speed in... VS in a heartbeat... But you are also looking at price.. under $200 for a pump that costs 200 to 400 a year to run or a vs that costs 800 up front and cost 10 dollars a month to run 24/7 and very little to kick it up for your solar...

I think this is what you should get
here is an above ground VS 1.1 HP 115v plug in Speck 1.1 HP Variable Speed Above Ground Pool Pump (3-Prong Plug) - E71-II VHV - INYOPools.com

Back plan
a 1.65 VS should do the trick nicely, see if someone is giving away on old Pentair pump that the motor is blown and install a V Green VS 1.65 on it

Variable Speed Pool Pump Motors - INYOPools.com

Replace your outdated pool pump motor with a variable speed motor which can save you up to 80% on your operational costs - INYOpools.com

www.inyopools.com

 

[hwy17]

In any case the best way to choose a pump is to use the pump's performance curve and the system curve to figure out which pump will provide the correct operating point.

Agreed unfortunately Doheny's and Harris don't seem to have a detailed performance curve for this pump. There are for Powerflo Matrix and Optiflo, but the efficiency of them is still abysmal.

 

[hwy17]

@cowboycasey

I'm trying real hard not to be the luddite who remains "skeptical" of VS pumps, but I still can't help but imagine that say that pump might run my system on solar circulate at ~450 watts, compared to the 3/4hp Harris pump at ~650 watts, so that's a $400 premium for $75 per year savings or over 5 year payoff... Of course if I were one of those people running their single speed 24h then it would be a different situation.

Luckily we get to skip the entire debate because that pump isn't sold in California.

For now I'm just going to satisfy myself with the 1990's era upgrade from resistive to capacitor run efficiency.

 

[cowboycasey]

Ohh wow, I did not even see that... So they will sell a 1hp single speed but not a VS pump, that is crazzy... and if you could get it it's only $200 more so you would get your money back by year 2..

If you got a Pentair VSF pump you could run your solar system for about 200 to 250 watts (just a guess as I am not exactly sure) Mine runs at 21 watts 24/7 at 800 rpm and kicks up to 1600 rpm and I forgot how many watts that is... The larger the VS motor the lower you can run your system and save massive amounts of money... BUT, you are all over it, it costs so much up front it almost isn't worth it...

This thing is a beast

Pentair IntelliFlo VSF Variable Speed & Flow Pool Pump

I wish I could help more...

 

[hwy17]

Yeah idk what's going on with the CA Title 20 rules. It seems more hung up on manufacturers getting their pumps listed by the state rather than their actual performance compliance with the standard.

I sort of thought I was getting away with something when I built my AGP last year and received my 1HP single speed with a sticker on it that said not for sale in CA.... of course the only thing I was actually getting away with was an inefficient hunk of copper junk.

 

[hwy17]

I am so frustrated with the lack of amperage info available for pumps of all varieties and all manufacturers. How could this possibly not be part of the standard listed specs. I am reduced to searching for a picture that happens to capture the motor rating plate clear enough.

Edit: Finally, 3/4hp Pentair Optiflo 9.2 amps

 

[hwy17]

Update: Got the 3/4hp. First impression, great success.

The pump is totally compatible with conversion to horizontal discharge, and the impeller only came hand tight from the factory so it was a cinch.

There is one large capacitor on top and no cap in the back housing so I believe it is a permanent split capacitor type motor. It runs so nice and quiet compared to my PFM. It's still got that 3450rpm whirr of course but I can't hear whether it's on from across the yard anymore and it's not loud when you're near it.

Draws a hair over 500 watts at the meter under the load of circulating my rooftop solar system. Less the wiring losses that's probably only 4 amps at the motor.