Pentair SuperFlo Variable Speed Pump Test (dual suction lines)
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This is a continuation of variable speed swimming pool pump bench tests to determine flow rates and electrical consumption for variable speed pool pumps operating at various RPM speeds. This article is looking at a bench test that has this pump installed with dual suction lines, a 2" suction line and a 1.5" suction line, and a single 1.5" discharge line. For this test the pump is installed with a 240 Volt electrical service. To see these additional bench tests you can view these articles:
Pentair SuperFlo Bench test 1.5" pipes / 240 Volt
Pentair SuperFlo bench test 1.5" pipes / 120 Volt
Pentair SuperFlo Bench test 2" pipes / 120 Volt
Pentair SuperFlo Bench test 2" pipes / 240 Volt
Pentair SuperFlo Full Flow 2" test (with filter) / 240 Volt
In this bench test the SuperFlo has been provided with a both an 1.5" and a 2" suction line, and while the pump still only has a single 1.5" discharge line, you can see an increase in both flow rate and efficiency for a given RPM setting. The point of this test is to illustrate just how important pipe size is and how you can move more water for less electricity with larger plumbing lines. 1.5" pipes are extremely limiting, especially at higher flow volumes where the friction, turbulence and resistance to flow is significant. Flow rate is the most important number that pool owners need to know in order to get the most value from the variable speed pump, however almost no residential pools have flow meters. For more information about the importance of flow and flow meters you can read this article about swimming pool flow meters.
Pentair SuperFlo Variable Speed Test
Voltage - 240 Volts
Suction Line - Dual (2" Manifold with 1.5" and 2" pipes)
Return Line - Single 1.5"
750 RPM
Flow Rate - 14 GPM
Current Draw - 0.88 Amps
Power Consumption - 92 Watts
1000 RPM
Flow Rate - 18 GPM
Current Draw - 1.01 Amps
Power Consumption - 134 Watts
1250 RPM
Flow Rate - 28 GPM
Current Draw - 1.17 Amps
Power Consumption - 188 Watts
1500 RPM
Flow Rate - 36 GPM
Current Draw - 1.42 Amps
Power Consumption - 264 Watts
1750 RPM
Flow Rate - 43 GPM
Current Draw - 1.81 Amps
Power Consumption - 372 Watts
2000 RPM
Flow Rate - 50 GPM
Current Draw - 2.38 Amps
Power Consumption - 514 Watts
2250 RPM
Flow Rate - 57 GPM
Current Draw - 3.12 Amps
Power Consumption - 692 Watts
2500 RPM
Flow Rate - 64 GPM
Current Draw - 4.05 Amps
Power Consumption - 915 Watts
2750 RPM
Flow Rate - 70 GPM
Current Draw - 5.27 Amps
Power Consumption - 1200 Watts
3000 RPM
Flow Rate - 77 GPM
Current Draw - 6.63 Amps
Power Consumption - 1510 Watts
3250 RPM
Flow Rate - 85 GPM
Current Draw - 8.30 Amps
Power Consumption - 1900 Watts
3450 RPM
Flow Rate - 92 GPM
Current Draw - 9.88 Amps
Power Consumption - 2260 Watts
What is most interesting to note is that the flow rates for this bench test are all greater than the flow rates from the bench tests that use only 1.5" suction lines. Having multiple suction lines, and especially having at least one larger 2" pipe, makes a significant improvement in flow for a given amount of power consumption. Further to this, while the maximum flow rate achieved was greater than any flow rate achieved using only 1.5" suction lines, the greatest improvements in efficiency were all at the lower RPM range. While having multiple suction lines, and 2" suction lines will increase your highest potential flow rate at maximum RPM, the low RPM flow rates see the most substantial improvements.
Also worth noting on this bench test is that the maximum volume of water we were able to move through a single 1.5" suction and return pipe was 82 gallons per minute but in this test we were able to achieve 92 GPM by having multiple suction lines. This is almost a 10% increase in potential flow rate while only changing the suction side of the pump - the discharge side still only has a single 1.5" line! Be sure to subscribe to the Swimming Pool Steve YouTube Channel to see if changing the size of the suction and return pipes, or changing the number of pipes used, has a measurable result on the electrical consumption and flow rates.
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Swimming Pool Steve is an award winning, second generation swimming pool specialist from Ontario Canada and one of the most trusted voices in the swimming pool industry. With over 20,000,000 views on the Swimming Pool Steve YouTube Channel, winner of the Pleatco Pool & Spa Industry Leadership award and author of hundreds of pool and spa articles both online and in print. Steve is committed to helping pool and spa owners as well as pool and spa industry workers learn more about the technical side of building, renovating, repairing and maintaining all types of swimming pools and spas. Follow Swimming Pool Steve on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
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