Variable Speed Pool and Spa Pumps – The Future in Swimming Pools

Pentair IntelliFLO pump - THE BEST PUMP ON THE MARKET!

Variable Speed Pool Pumps – The Future of Swimming Pools

By choosing the proper pump, Swimming pool owners can expect savings of at least $400/year.

Very few swimming pool owners understand the energy usage of their very own pool and spa pump.  In fact, the pool motor is probably one of the most electricity guzzling appliances they have in their home.  That’s because most pool pumps use very energy friendly single stage motors that run at 1HP and up.  With electricity supply in excess, and energy conservation a low priority – this has been the industry standard for years.

My existing pool and spa pump is using how much electricity? A recent study found that to operate California’s 1.2 million swimming pools consumes about the same output as one nuclear power or two conventional energy plants (study by Davis Energy Group for Pacific Gas & Electric – 2004).  Imagine the energy consumption of ALL the swimming pools across the United States, and how this much impact our energy conservation efforts.  Arizona also has an incredible quantity of residential pools per home, which is why Phoenix pool builders are switching to these incredible new pumps.

The solution? Pumps that work smarter, not harder.

 In the recent years, there have been some dramatic improvements in the pool industry – regarding pool pumps and swimming pool motors.  The variable drive, variable speed pool and spa pump has revolutionized the pool industry and its efforts to save and conserve energy.  Designed and manufactured to use less energy, these new pumps are using permanent magnetic motors.  The standard induction motors used in swimming pools actually use more than 30% more power than the new permanent magnetic motors. By simply programming the pump to work at the least required speed for each pool task (heating, cleaning, filtration, waterfalls, etc.) energy reduction can be as much as 90%!

By operating a pool pump at its slowest speed necessary to complete a task, it will drastically cut the energy usage (simply because it takes less power to move water slowly than quickly).  Did you know?  On a typical pool task, if a pump can reduce the speed by 1/2, then the energy will be reduced to 1/8.  Simply put, these new pumps allow the pool owner to program and “dial in” the pump speed to achieve the minimum electricity use.

Energy Savings of $620 to $1,350

According to Pentair Water Pool and Spa, their IntelliFlo® and IntelliPro™ variable drive pumps routinely reduce energy use up to ninety %, depending on the models and circumstances for average savings of $620 to $1,350 annually.  Many pool owners are having their out-dated pumps replaced because the huge financial savings will actually pay for the new variable speed pump. 

Electricity delivery charges are even higher in Arizona, and with Phoenix’s huge pool count, this new pump has become an absolute necessity for pool builders in AZ when designing swimming pools.  California’s attention to eco-friendly products makes switching to an energy efficient pump even more necessary.

Specific Examples of how IntelliFlo pumps can be designed in your pool:

This pump can be used for an in-floor cleaning system booster pump, and it’s set at 3050 Rev’s per minute, which is about the same as a two HP swimming pool pump.  The same pool pump can be dialed down to a half horsepower pool pump to circulate & filter the water of the pool and spa.  Imagine a low and fast speed spa therapy mode… this can be obtained with a variable speed pump, some simple pool automation systems, and the press of a button!)  Another common use is the setting to control the flow volume of a fountain or pool water feature (it is also known to be used by high end residential Phoenix landscape design companies to control the sound & flow of detailed landscape waterfalls or waterfeatures).  The IntelliFlo Pentair pump can be set for 2 speeds (actually more!) -  giving the pool owner a low speed water feature for a quiet evening outside on the patio, or you can turn the speed higher for MAX PRESSURE for a backyard party!

 

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