Comments on: Twitter and Pentair Pool Pumps http://www.orlandogolfblogger.com/2009/10/22/twitter-and-pentair-pool-pumps/ A Golf Blog, written by a guy living in Orlando, the golf capital of the world Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:42:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dave http://www.orlandogolfblogger.com/2009/10/22/twitter-and-pentair-pool-pumps/comment-page-1/#comment-71025 Dave Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:17:57 +0000 http://www.orlandogolfblogger.com/?p=2418#comment-71025 Hey Jack, Thanks for your comment. For the record, no, I do not work for Pentair. :) Based on the energy usage, for the period of time I've included in the post, less energy was consumed with the new Pentair pump. It's a nominal amount, only 198 kWh, but it is the evidence you stated was lacking in the post. Something to consider, I went from running the pump four hours a day to 12 hours a day and saw a 198 kWh decrease in the energy usage. That's three times as long and has reduced my pool chemical expenses by at least $75 per month. I agree with you on the variable weather point, it could easily have been a milder season than the previous year and I cannot (and did not say) that the decrease was strictly due to the pump, but I can say that since using the pump, I've seen a decrease. The average lifespan of a "normal" pump is 8-10 years, not 15-20, so if you can squeeze that much life out of a pump than you should consider yourself fortunate. Time will tell on the lifespan of the new variable speed pumps, but in my case, I had to have a vital component replaced after three years, that was several hundred dollars. There is a on the front control panel that leaked and water got in and fried the circuitry. So that is definitely not good. You take a pump that is at least double the price of a standard pump and after 3 years it needs a couple hundred dollar repair. But aside from all of the variable factors, the IntelleFlo in my experience, uses less energy than standard pumps and allows me to run it three times as long. This has favorable impacted my monthly pool chemical purchases. It stands to reason that if I ran the IntelleFlo pump four hours a day like I did with my previous pump, I would see a more noticeable impact on my monthly energy expense. Hey Jack,

Thanks for your comment. For the record, no, I do not work for Pentair. :) Based on the energy usage, for the period of time I’ve included in the post, less energy was consumed with the new Pentair pump. It’s a nominal amount, only 198 kWh, but it is the evidence you stated was lacking in the post.

Something to consider, I went from running the pump four hours a day to 12 hours a day and saw a 198 kWh decrease in the energy usage. That’s three times as long and has reduced my pool chemical expenses by at least $75 per month.

I agree with you on the variable weather point, it could easily have been a milder season than the previous year and I cannot (and did not say) that the decrease was strictly due to the pump, but I can say that since using the pump, I’ve seen a decrease.

The average lifespan of a “normal” pump is 8-10 years, not 15-20, so if you can squeeze that much life out of a pump than you should consider yourself fortunate. Time will tell on the lifespan of the new variable speed pumps, but in my case, I had to have a vital component replaced after three years, that was several hundred dollars. There is a on the front control panel that leaked and water got in and fried the circuitry. So that is definitely not good. You take a pump that is at least double the price of a standard pump and after 3 years it needs a couple hundred dollar repair.

But aside from all of the variable factors, the IntelleFlo in my experience, uses less energy than standard pumps and allows me to run it three times as long. This has favorable impacted my monthly pool chemical purchases. It stands to reason that if I ran the IntelleFlo pump four hours a day like I did with my previous pump, I would see a more noticeable impact on my monthly energy expense.

]]> By: Jack Frost http://www.orlandogolfblogger.com/2009/10/22/twitter-and-pentair-pool-pumps/comment-page-1/#comment-70654 Jack Frost Sat, 24 Sep 2011 04:18:25 +0000 http://www.orlandogolfblogger.com/?p=2418#comment-70654 Seriously you must work for Pentair. The extra cost for the $1,100 to 1,300 price tag of a intelliflow will never be made up in power savings. There is no evidence the pool pump saved you any money in your power bill comparison. Easily could be power consumption changes year over year based on variable weather. I could by 3 - $400 pumps and they would probably last me 15-20 years. No way your intelliflow will last that long. Pool pumps in general are a racket they are way overpriced. The margins are huge in these things. Seriously you must work for Pentair. The extra cost for the $1,100 to 1,300 price tag of a intelliflow will never be made up in power savings. There is no evidence the pool pump saved you any money in your power bill comparison.

Easily could be power consumption changes year over year based on variable weather. I could by 3 – $400 pumps and they would probably last me 15-20 years. No way your intelliflow will last that long. Pool pumps in general are a racket they are way overpriced. The margins are huge in these things.

]]> By: Omar http://www.orlandogolfblogger.com/2009/10/22/twitter-and-pentair-pool-pumps/comment-page-1/#comment-55425 Omar Mon, 02 May 2011 22:29:46 +0000 http://www.orlandogolfblogger.com/?p=2418#comment-55425 I have 2 pumps for my pool, one is a Pentair whisperflo 1.5 hp used for everything including water features and spa. The second pump is a Pentair booster pump 3/4 hp used only for vaccum. Wondering if I could replace both pumps with a more energy efficient pump? Presently looking at IntelliFlo Ultra-Energy-Efficient pool pump, part number 011018. I have 2 pumps for my pool, one is a Pentair whisperflo 1.5 hp used for everything including water features and spa. The second pump is a Pentair booster pump 3/4 hp used only for vaccum. Wondering if I could replace both pumps with a more energy efficient pump? Presently looking at IntelliFlo Ultra-Energy-Efficient pool pump, part number 011018.

]]> By: Chris Starosta http://www.orlandogolfblogger.com/2009/10/22/twitter-and-pentair-pool-pumps/comment-page-1/#comment-31672 Chris Starosta Thu, 13 May 2010 17:29:30 +0000 http://www.orlandogolfblogger.com/?p=2418#comment-31672 Maybe Pentair would like a case study in southwestern Florida, or Venice to be more specific. I recently purchased a 2-speed pool pump motor for $325 plus installation. A week later the pump started leaking. Probably my fault, as the unit is quite old. Generously, my local pool supply store has offered to give me full credit for the 2-speed pool pump motor (indicating that their Tech should have made the recommendation to replace both pump and motor when he did the installation of the 2-speed motor) if I purchase the new IntelliFlo VS-3050. So, $1,150 plus $80 tax plus $100 for the installation puts my purchase at $1,330. My pump is no longer manufactured, but all of the parts can be purchased. I can do this for around $300. We run the pump 8-10 hours per day 365 days per year. It will be running completely on low speed for these 8-10 hours 4 out of the 7 days per week. I wonder if the Intelliflo model will provide much of a savings under these circumstances to justify the expense or if my new 2-speed motor will do just fine. Pentair, can you convince me? Maybe Pentair would like a case study in southwestern Florida, or Venice to be more specific. I recently purchased a 2-speed pool pump motor for $325 plus installation. A week later the pump started leaking. Probably my fault, as the unit is quite old. Generously, my local pool supply store has offered to give me full credit for the 2-speed pool pump motor (indicating that their Tech should have made the recommendation to replace both pump and motor when he did the installation of the 2-speed motor) if I purchase the new IntelliFlo VS-3050. So, $1,150 plus $80 tax plus $100 for the installation puts my purchase at $1,330. My pump is no longer manufactured, but all of the parts can be purchased. I can do this for around $300. We run the pump 8-10 hours per day 365 days per year. It will be running completely on low speed for these 8-10 hours 4 out of the 7 days per week. I wonder if the Intelliflo model will provide much of a savings under these circumstances to justify the expense or if my new 2-speed motor will do just fine. Pentair, can you convince me?

]]> By: Ben Honadel http://www.orlandogolfblogger.com/2009/10/22/twitter-and-pentair-pool-pumps/comment-page-1/#comment-13282 Ben Honadel Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:52:24 +0000 http://www.orlandogolfblogger.com/?p=2418#comment-13282 Yes a variable speed pump will save you money. A better program for a cleaner pool and to save money is to run your pump 22 and 2. That is 22 hours a day very slow (800 rpm) and 2 hours a day at medium speed (2200 rpm). This will use the same watts as running the pump 12 hours a day. It escapes me why a Pentair salesperson would install a vs 3050 as it does not qualify for a power co. rebate and is meant to be installed with some kind of controller, not stand alone. What you have now can not be scheduled to change speeds and you are missing out on some of the best features of a variable speed pump. Ask for a Pentair Suntouch controller to be installed, then you can schedule 22 and 2. Or Pentair can change the drive on the pump (three screws) and put on the drive for the 011012 or the 011017 model numbers. In the last three years we have installed over 400 variable speed pumps made by Pentair, Hayward, and Jandy. They are all programmed the same way (22 and 2). This program consistently uses 100 to 150 Kwh a month on all pools from 1 1/4 inch copper pipes to 3 inch PVC pipes. You can compare this to a 2 hp pump running 6 hours a day which will use 435 Kwh a month. Variable speed pumps really to do save money but more importantly they will keep the pool cleaner. Yes a variable speed pump will save you money. A better program for a cleaner pool and to save money is to run your pump 22 and 2. That is 22 hours a day very slow (800 rpm) and 2 hours a day at medium speed (2200 rpm). This will use the same watts as running the pump 12 hours a day. It escapes me why a Pentair salesperson would install a vs 3050 as it does not qualify for a power co. rebate and is meant to be installed with some kind of controller, not stand alone. What you have now can not be scheduled to change speeds and you are missing out on some of the best features of a variable speed pump. Ask for a Pentair Suntouch controller to be installed, then you can schedule 22 and 2. Or Pentair can change the drive on the pump (three screws) and put on the drive for the 011012 or the 011017 model numbers.

In the last three years we have installed over 400 variable speed pumps made by Pentair, Hayward, and Jandy. They are all programmed the same way (22 and 2). This program consistently uses 100 to 150 Kwh a month on all pools from 1 1/4 inch copper pipes to 3 inch PVC pipes. You can compare this to a 2 hp pump running 6 hours a day which will use 435 Kwh a month. Variable speed pumps really to do save money but more importantly they will keep the pool cleaner.

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