A pool pump that is larger than needed has a more powerful motor and circulates water at a higher flow rate. This uses significantly more energy to pump the same amount of water and puts additional stress on your pipes and filter, meaning you'll need to replace them sooner.
The pump needs to be sized appropriately compared to the filter's flow rate. Choosing a pump with a higher flow rate than the filter will put strain on both the pump and filter, reducing life and efficiency of each.
Length x Width x Average Depth x 28.31 = Volume in Liters
Here's a quick example. Let's say the shallow end of your pool is 3 feet deep and the deep end is 7 feet deep. Add those two together 3 feet +7 feet =10 feet. Divide that by 2, what you'll end up with is having an average depth of 5 feet.
If a pool pump is too small for the size of the pool it is forced to work much harder to keep up, running more often and therefore decreasing the pump's lifespan. In general, there are two different types of pumps; single speed and variable speed.
A pool pump that is larger than needed has a more powerful motor and circulates water at a higher flow rate. This uses significantly more energy to pump the same amount of water and puts additional stress on your pipes and filter, meaning you'll need to replace them sooner.
You might think bigger is better in terms of pump size, but a pump that is too big can cause serious problems. In the example above, the pool's average depth is 8 feet. Now use the formulas below to determine the volume of water in your pool.
Round Above Ground Pool:
For pools up to 24 Ft Round, use a 1 HP pool pump. For pools over 24 Ft Round, we recommend using a 1.5 HP pool pump.
So to answer the question, yes, you can replace your 1hp pool pump with a 1.5hp pool pump, but only if your situation calls for it. If you've determined that your current pump is too small for your pool, then we'll suggest replacing it with a larger ECO pump like the Water TechniX Pump Alpha ECO.
Filter Size
A helpful rule of thumb is to choose a filter with at least 1 square foot per 10,000 gallons pool capacity.
Filter Size to Pool Size
If you've never calculated this before, take some measurements. The formula is Length x Width x Average Depth x 7.5, for rectangular pools. For oval pools, change the multiplier from 7.5 to 5.9.
Pool owners often mistakenly believe if they choose a 2 HP pump over a 1 HP pump, they are getting double the performance. This is simply not true. In this scenario, you will get only about 15% more flow from the 2 HP model. But the amp draw of the larger pump will be significantly higher, raising your electric bill.
Overall, the lessons learned today is you should run your pool pump an average 8 hours a day to properly circulate and clean your water. The pump should push your entire pool in gallons in this 8 hour period of time. Residential pool water only needs to be turned over once daily to have proper filtration.
Cartridge filters can screen out twice as much dirt and debris as a sand filter. Its larger filtration area allows the water to progress through the cartridge removing smaller particles. Maintenance is much easier in that there is no need for a back-washing step.
DE Filters remove the smallest particles of any filter, from 3-5 microns. Maintenance: Must be backwashed as with a sand filter when the pressure is 10 psi over the normal level. New DE powder must be added to the filter as well.
So, on low speed the 1 HP moves 43 GPM and the 1.5 HP moves 45.5 GPM. To save money you want to hopefully run it on low speed (much less electrical current is used on low speed and it's more quiet). For me, with my Hayward EC40 filter, low speed with the 1 HP works great because the filter is designed for 40 GPM.
For example if an 0.5 HP motor with discharge rate of 200 litres per hour takes 2 hours to lift the water, then an 1 HP pump with higher discharge rate 400 litres per hour can complete the task in less than 1 hour.
There's usually not much to worry about with the installation of a new pump and filter. Plug the lines at the pool, and simply remove the hoses from the old system and connect them to the new system. Remove the plugs to fill the pump with water, and plug the cord into a grounded outlet.
For round above ground pools up to 24 ft. ( pools with less than 15,300 gallons) use a 1 HP pump. For round above ground pools over 24 ft. (pools with more than 15.300 gallons) use a 1.5 HP pump.
No. The reason being is that there is no true “minimum flow rate” of a filter. The tank may take longer to fill up if we have a ½ HP pump on a 800 pound commercial sand tank but the filter will still scrub the water to the same standard.
Generally most people replace their filter cartridges about every 3-5 years, but don't use the amount of time that has passed as the only determining factor, monitor the performance of your filter. Your time frame may be longer or shorter depending on the demand placed on the cartridge.
On average, sand should be replaced every 3-5 years. This may be longer if the pool stays clear, or shorter, if the filter runs all the time. The jagged edges of the sand wear down and become smooth as the sand ages.
Unlike other filtration systems, cartridge filters don't require backwashing, which means homeowners don't waste the water and extra energy involved in backwashing. The small size of cartridge filters allows them to be run on smaller pumps because they can run with a lower flow rate pump, which saves energy.