Flow Rates & Electrical Demand For Pool Pumps
If you are going to make an informed decision on your pool pump purchase you need to be aware of an important aspect to how pool pumps operate. The law of affinity for pumps is an important concept that you need to understand to appreciate the advantages of the variable speed motor design. In simple terms, any reduction in motor RPM by half will reduce the power the motor needs to operate by 8 times. This means that using a variable speed pump is more than just a linear increase in efficiency compared to, say, a two speed pump. Dialing down the RPM on the motor drastically reduces the power the motor needs to operate. For this reason, the maximum flow rate for each pump becomes very relevant. Simply knowing which pump can move the most water is not especially important, until you consider that the lower the motor RPM, the lower the electrical demand. A motor running at full speed, 3450 RPM, might use around 2000 Watts of power, while the same motor at 1800 RPM would use only around 250 watts. This non-linear drop in electrical demand is the foundation of the technology that variable speed pumps are built on. At the lowest end of the spectrum, around 600 RPM, this example pump would only be drawing a scant 9 watts of power. People who argue that variable speed pumps do not save you all that much money do not understand this important law of electrical consumption in relation to motor RPM.
How you treat the Hayward and Pentair will play a significant role in the heaters’ longevity, but in a general sense, both of these units should work for more than five years with minor maintenance issues here and there. In addition, neither of these two uses sheet metal so there’s no risk of rusting.
As you can see from our review, the Hayward W3H150FDN and the Pentair 460792 are very similar to one another. The only significant differences between the two are a) their maximum heat output (BTU) and b) their physical size. After you’ve determined whether your pool would benefit more from 150,000 or 175,000 BTUs, your decision is practically already made.
Conclusion: Finding a spot to place the Hayward or Pentair isn’t causing too much headache, especially since they’re both extremely compact by pool heater standards. If you want to get technical about it, the Pentair leaves a tinier footprint and is just as easy to install and therefore, the “better” of the two.
The digital control panel on both the Hayward and Pentair allows you to set up the desired temperature of your pool or spa (spa going as high as 104°). Setting up the machine is pretty straightforward, even if you’ve never owned a gas pool heater before.
Considering how much water flows through these pool and spa heaters every minute, the tiny error is more than tolerable.
If you are looking for a salt system, consider the Hayward Aqua Rite Salt system. This salt system is equally good as the Pentair Intellichlor. Moreover, you might find it at a lower price. Besides, this Hayward salt system is simple to use and offers high longevity.
These pool pumps are slightly better than the Hayward pool pumps. But it depends on the type of pool pump. For instance, the Hayward Super II and the Pentair Whisperflow pool pump are pretty much similar in functioning. But, without question, Pentair makes the best variable speed pumps. The company constantly upgrades their products. Thus, you rest assured that all their pool equipment are of high quality.
Pentair is well known to offer the best pool equipment in the industry. But consult your pool contractor before purchasing any pool equipment.
Although Hayward has a lower percentage market share than Pentair, they have fantastic products. Hayward pool equipment provides high longevity and efficiency. In particular, Hayward pool filters are simple to install and use. Besides, they keep your clean pool and incur fewer repair costs. The best thing with Hayward pool equipment is that they are more affordable compared to Pentair products. The majority of pool owners purchase Pentair pool products due to their appealing exterior layout. However, if you happen to find a less expensive Hayward pool filter, don’t hesitate to buy it. Hayward pool equipment are equally as good as Pentair pool equipment.
Today, there are numerous pool equipment brands. Choosing the right pool equipment for your pool goes a long way in boosting your pool’s longevity. So, before buying, conduct thorough research on the available pool equipment. Today, the most common pool equipment manufacturers are Pentair and Hayward. Both brands have managed to establish an excellent reputation for themselves. I mean, almost every pool contractor recommends both these pool equipment. But which is better?
FAQ
Does Hayward own Pentair?
Is Pentair a good product?
Which variable speed pool pump is best?
- BEST OVERALL: Hayward W3SP2610X15 Super Pump Pool Pump.
- BEST BUDGET: Pool Pump by Blue Torrent, 1 HP Maxiforce In Ground.
- BEST SINGLE SPEED: Hayward W3SP2307X10 MaxFlo XL Pool Pump.
- BEST DUAL SPEED: XtremepowerUS 2HP In-Ground Pool Pump.
- BEST VARIABLE SPEED: Hayward W3SP2303VSP MaxFlo Variable-Speed Pool Pump.
