Pool and Spa Pumps
In order to keep your Swimming Pool water clean, filtered and heated, you must have a Swimming Pool Pump. The Pool Pump draws water from the main drains and skims the surface of the pool, and then under pressure forces water through the filters – trapping waste and floating debris. The pool pump then forces the filtered water into your heaters, if you have them installed, and then back into your pool. A properly sized pool pump is the heart of any pool filtration system! So basically, Pool Pumps are what pump the water into the filter to help keep your Swimming Pool sparkling clean!
Best Buy Pool Supply carries many different brands of Pool Pumps such as Jandy, Pentair, Sta-Rite Intellipro, Hayward, Waterway, and Booster Pumps. Some Pool Pumps offer variable speeds, and some offer a high and low speed option. There are many possible choices. The Booster Pump is used for pressure side Pool Cleaners.
Is a variable speed pump right for my pool?
You’ve probably gone down to the local retail store and were told that a variable speed pump will save you 90% of your electricity costs. Am I really going to save 90% of my electricity costs? The answer is no.
Variable speed pumps are designed to operate 24 hours a day. The manufacturer wants you to run the pump on the lowest speed for 20-22 hours then run high speed for 2-4 hours depending on pool size. The only way you would see any cost saving is to operate the pump in this way. Here is where you run into a problem.
Is a variable speed pump right for my pool heating system?
The answer is no. Pool heating systems run about 6 hours a day on average on an uncovered pool. A pool heating system can require anywhere from 30-50 gallons per minute. This will prevent you from running the low speed for 20-22 hours a day. You are required to operate your pump on high speed for at least 6 hours. The pool pump is sized to turn over the entire body of water in 6-8 hours. After running your pump for 6 hours you may not need to run the pump longer. You’d be running your pump on high speed all day. In this case you’d be better off buying the most efficient single speed pump you can find. Highly efficient single speed pumps range from high $200 to the mid $400 range.
In Ground Pool Pumps and Spa/Hot Tub Pumps
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Is a variable speed pump right for my suction cleaner?
The answer is no. Suction cleaners are designed to operate the whole time the pump is running. Suction cleaners require 30-35 gallons per minute to operate. This will prevent you from running the low speed for 20-22 hours a day. You will need to run the pump on high speed to operate your suction cleaner. You’d be running your pump on high speed all day. In this case you’d be better off buying the most efficient single speed pump you can find. Highly efficient single speed pumps range from high $200 to the mid $400 range.
Is a variable speed pump right for my pool if I have a pressure cleaner?
The answer is maybe, but you can save yourself hundreds of dollars by using a 2-speed pump. Pressure cleaners operate for 2-4 hours a day. Pressure cleaners require 30-35 gallons per minute to operate. In this case you would be able to operate the pump for 20-22 hours on the low speed and 2-4 hours on the high speed. You can also achieve the same pump operation using a highly efficient 2-speed pool pump. Highly efficient 2-speed pool pumps range from the mid $400 to high $500 range.
Is a variable speed pump right for my pool and spa?
The answer is yes. If you have a pool and spa that is operating a one pump system then you likely have a hugely oversized pool pump. You are probably running a 2hp pump. The pump is set up to operate your spa jets when you want them. This is good for the jets and bad for your electric bill. You might only need a 1hp pump to filter your water. You would benefit the most by using a variable speed pump. You can operate the 1hp speed to filter water and the 2hp speed to run your jets. This is something a 2-speed pump won’t be able to do. If you are running a two pump system then you have a pump set up for jets and a pump set up for filtration. You can use a highly efficient 2-speed pump for filtration and save money without the need for a variable speed pump. Highly efficient 2-speed pool pumps range from the mid $400 to high $500 range.
Is a variable speed pump right for my waterfalls and other water features?
The answer is yes. If you have water features running on a one pump system you likely have a hugely oversized pool pump. You are probably running a 2hp pump. The pump is set up to operate your water features when you want them. This is good for water features and bad for your electric bill. You might only need a 1hp pump to filter your water. You would benefit the most by using a variable speed pump. You can operate the 1hp speed to filter water and the 2hp speed to run your water features. This is something a 2-speed pump won’t be able to do. If you are running a two pump system then you have a pump set up for water features and a pump set up for filtration. You can use a highly efficient 2-speed pump for filtration and save money without the need for a variable speed pump. Highly efficient 2-speed pool pumps range from the mid $400 to high $500 range.
Is a variable speed pump right for my pool if I only need it to filter water?
The answer is no. You can use a highly efficient 2-speed pump to filter water or buy the most efficient single speed pump you can find. A 2-speed pump will be more efficient than a single speed and you can run the low speed with freeze control. Single speed pumps range from the high $200 range to the mid $400 range. 2-speed pool pumps range from the mid $400 range to the high $500 range.
Is a variable speed pump right for my pool?
There are only a couple of situations where having more than 2-speeds is actually beneficial. These situations are only when you are running an oversized pool pump because you have a one pump system that is operating multiple things. These can be spa jets, water features, and waterfalls. The answer in these situations is yes. You will be the one to benefit from the variable speed pump. You have many different needs for multiple high speeds and you can run the low speed to only filter water. The ability to use the low speed most of the time and the high speeds only when you need them is how you will save money.
Most other situations are set up using two pumps that are properly sized for their application or a single pump that is sized properly for its application. These situations are: solar heating system, gas heating system, electric heating system, suction pool cleaner, pressure pool cleaner, spa jets, water features, waterfalls, and water filtration. The answer in these situations is no. You are not in a position to operate multiple high speeds. You are not in a position to run the lowest speed all the time. Don’t spend the $800-$1200 dollars on a variable speed pump. Buy the single speed or the two speed pump that is right for you.
Above Ground Pool Pumps
Our Above-Ground and In ground Pool Pumps are designed to provide easy maintenance and Crystal Clear water. If you are unsure of the best pump for your pool, Call our experienced Technical Support staff for assistance. We will help you to select the right pump the first time, saving you hours of frustration and additional expense. We have looked at all of the manufacturers and have selected only the best pumps available.
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Do you want to save money on your electric bill? Well if you have the right size pump for your pool, it will do just that! But you must have the correctly sized Pool Pump. If it is too small, or too big, it will not help you save money, or even possibly damage other pool system components. Let the experts at Best Buy Pool Supply LLC help you find that right size Pool Pump! Give us a call at 800-877-1268.
Click here for help selecting the best pool pump for your application.