| Contrary to the advice given
when selecting a filter, a bigger pump is not always a good thing. Unless
you have been advised by a pool professional, or someone in the know that
your existing swimming pool pump was undersized, it would be wise to keep
the same horsepower as you have now. If
the existing pool pump has done you well, it is easiest to plumb and wire
with the exact same pump. The heights and lengths are the same, which
makes the job a bit simpler. A common misconception is that more
horsepower is better, and this is not always the case. It is as easy to
oversize a pump as it is to undersize it. Oversizing swiming pool pumps
can result in premature wear on the pump itself, poor filtration and/or
damage to the filter media, lower efficiency, excessive noise, and
excessive power consumption/higher energy costs. The goal is for a
hydraulically balanced installation that will minimize energy expenditure
and maximize flow rates, subject to the limitations of the pipe sizing and
overall configuration.
On the subject of horsepower, please note
that there are FULL-rated and UP-rated pumps/motors. Without going into a
lot of detail, it is important to know which one you have so you are not
comparing apples to oranges so to speak.
Here are couple of examples:
|
|
| UP-RATED Model# |
Marketed as |
Brake H.P. |
FULL-RATED Model# |
Marketed as |
| SP3007x10 |
1 H.P. |
equivalent to |
SP3007 |
3/4 H.P. |
| SP3010x15 |
1.5 H.P. |
equivalent to |
SP3010 |
1 H.P. |
The reason this situation exists is because in
the past, certain manufacturers decided to offer both types for marketing
purposes. You are getting what you pay for and are not being scammed,
(note that prices are nearly equal if not identical) but it can seem a
little misleading. The motor's horsepower rating is only one factor in
determining it's output. Service Factor (SF) needs to be considered here
as well. If you take the rated horsepower and multiply it by the service
factor, as in the above examples, the full-rated 1 horsepower has the
equivalent brake horsepower as the up-rated 1 1/2 horsepower. Be sure that
you take this into consideration before deciding on a new pump. |
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