Best Variable Speed Pool Pumps
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There are so many brands of variable speed pool pumps how can you figure out which one is the best? Reading this article will help you to answer this question. In short, there really is not one singular "best variable speed pool pump" and this is because there are different pumps for different applications. Since every swimming pool is unique and has unique demands for things like flow rate and power consumption it really is the wrong question to be asking. The question that you should be asking is which variable speed pump is best for your specific pool. Now this is a question which you might actually be able to find an answer for.
Asking which variable speed pump is the best is like asking which car is the best. At most you might get some opinions from other car owners but this is subjective information and might not be a true reflection of which car (pool pump) is actually best for your pool. Some pool pumps are like pickup trucks while others are like sports cars, and then all points in between as well. At the end of the day you will need to make a technical decision about pump sizing and then a leap of faith for the brand in which you select. If you need a really powerful, high flow pump for your pool, each manufacturer of pool pumps will have at least one option that will meet this criteria. So how can you go about figuring out which one is better than the other? You can't really. You can only list out the common criteria that you should consider and at absolutely best make a somewhat informed decision based upon this information. Let's look at these criteria a little closer:
Pump purchase price - How much you have to pay for your new variable speed pump will be an important consideration. Variable speed pool pumps are all pretty expensive, with the flagship / larger models of pump being up to a few thousand dollars. Definitely the cost of the pump is one of the most important considerations you need to look at when buying a new pump.
Pump warranty coverage - Most pool pumps have between one year to three years of warranty coverage from the manufacturer. When you buy online instead of in a brick and mortar store some pump manufacturers reduce the warranty coverage window to 60 days, or even no warranty at all, making the expected warranty coverage an important consideration when buying a new pump. It will be important to look at the warranty information as many pump manufacturers will void all warranty coverage for "self installed" equipment, which means any pump installed by a non-professional.
Pump power - The horsepower rating for pool pumps has always been the main feature that pool owners look at when buying a new pump. Unfortunately this is a flawed approach as horsepower rating does not take into account service factor, power consumption or flow rates. Each of these are more important than the horsepower rating. When you look at a pool pump you should look at the performance curve provided by the manufacturer and see the amount of flow (in gallons per minute) that a pump can move under a given resistance to flow. If you look at a static number for resistance to flow like 30 feet or 60 feet of head, then you can see how much water each pump can actually move under these conditions. This absolutely levels the playing field and allows you to actually compare the abilities of one pump to another.
See every pool pump compared for flow rates at 30 and 60 feet of head on this page
We now have three very specific pieces of information to compare pool pumps. You can look at the purchase price, the warranty coverage, and the exact amount of water that the pump will move under specific rates of resistance to flow. This alone is enough to make a fairly informed decision about which variable speed pump is best for your pool. There is definitely more to consider as pool systems are technically complex and with a hundred or more pump model options on the market some will be more suitable than others. Let's look at some of the most common pool pumps that I refer clients to buy along with some of the reasons that I recommend them:
Hayward TriStar 900 #SP32900VSP / #SP3202VSP - The Hayward TriStar pump series are one of the most common pumps that I refer pool owners to. This specific model of TriStar uses a 1.85HP variable speed motor. They also make a 2.7HP model (SP32950VSP) which is more comparable to the Pentair 3HP VSF, but the 1.85HP TriStar model is "right sized" for many pool applications that the larger pumps are just too powerful for. At 1.85HP along with 2" / 2.5" port connections the TriStar900 is ideal for many pool installations. It is small enough to operate on 1.5" and 2" plumbing where the 3HP models can not. Hayward offers this "right sized" 1.85HP model in two part numbers, one for brick and mortar purchases (SP32900VSP) and a similar one for online purchases (W3SP3202VSP). Each of these options will carry different cost and different warranty offerings with the brick and mortar pump typically costing more but also having longer warranty protection as well as an upgraded Viton pump shaft seal. There are no pumps which are a one size fits all for pools, but I consider this 1.85HP TriStar to be the closest to this description. This is an extremely versatile pump and pump size that is both very efficient but also capable of impressively high flow rates for the motor size.
Black + Decker 1.5HP #BDXBTVAR150 - One of the newest variable speed pool pump brands available is the Black + Decker series. These are available on the internet only and come with an impressively long 5 year warranty coverage making this the best warranty offering for pool pumps that you can purchase online. The 1.5HP model in particular tested very well for both flow rates and energy efficiency which you can see in this series of articles: variable speed filtration schedules. So while the brand name is newer than the rest, the cost of the pump is markedly lower than the other premiere brands, and the 5 year warranty offering for these pumps (even when installed yourself) is by far the best option if warranty and ability to purchase the pump online are important to you.
Pentair Superflo #342001 / #342002 - Pentair makes an excellent pump option for pool owners who are limited to 115 volt electrical supplies. If you do not have 230 volts available for your pool pump you will have limited options available with the vast majority of pump options requiring 230 volts. Of the 115 volt pump options available the Superflo VS is definitely one of the most powerful. Additionally this pump has dual voltage capability so you can operate at 115 volts right now, and one day upgrade the electrical service to 230 volts to access more power from this pump. At 1.5HP on the label it sounds like a smaller pump but in reality the 2.2 total horsepower of this pump makes it surprisingly powerful. The 342001 model is older and does is not compatible with some automation systems. If you need more ability for the pump to communicate with your other equipment the newer 342002 model would likely be a better option. Pentair limits warranty to pool pumps purchased online to 60 days only, versus 1 to 3 years of coverage if you purchase from a brick and mortar store.
Hayward Super Pump VS #SP26700VSP / #SP2603VSP - The Hayward Super Pump is one of the best selling pool pumps of all time. It then stands to reason that the new variable speed version of this pump is also a good option for pool owners to consider. These pumps are 1.65HP and are more suitably sized to the needs of the average swimming pool. Most pools do not need 2 or 3 horsepower motors and using a pool pump which is too powerful can be unsafe and also cause early failure of the pump. The Hayward Super Pumps VS operates well on 1.5" plumbing lines, which are typically too small for many of the larger VS pump options. The SP26700VSP model available from brick and mortar retailers is dual rated for 115v and 230v where the SP2603VSP is a dedicated 230v pump only. If you have a smaller or medium sized swimming pool then the Hayward Super Pump VS is definitely one of the pumps you should be considering for your next purchase.
This page just scratches the surface of pool pumps and which ones are the most common / popular models. The technical nature of pools is the reason why there are so many different brands, makes and models of pool pumps, and pool industry professionals are the people you should speak with when trying to find the right pump for your pool. Unfortunately many pool owners will not or can not work with a pool industry professional and are relegated to choosing and buying a new pump on their own. There is no stand alone resource to help you make an informed decision, but the pumps listed on this page represent the most commonly purchased pool pumps and there is a good chance that the next pump you buy will be one of these models. If you are still stuck and need help choosing the right pool pump for your pool you can also reach out and Ask Steve directly.
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Swimming Pool Steve is an award winning, second generation swimming pool and spa specialist from Ontario Canada. With over 10,000,000 views on the Swimming Pool Steve YouTube Channel, winner of the 2018 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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New Black + Decker variable speed pumps are available online from www.PoolPartsToGo.com and they are a drop in replacement for many popular pump models including Pentair Superflo and Hayward Super Pumps. With an adjustable platform base, union connections included and a very strong warranty these pumps offer an impressive value to pool owners.
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