The Pool and Spa Industry goes GREEN with Variable Speed Pool and Spa Pumps
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.
Only the energy-aware owners of swimming pools truly understand the high energy usage of their own pool and spa. In fact, the pool motor is probably one of the most electricity guzzling appliances they have in their home. The reason is that most pool pumps are built using an out-dated single speed motor that runs at a preset speed and horsepower. In the past, energy supply has been plentiful and energy reducing efforts have not been considered – a norm in the pool and spa industry.
My existing pool pump is using how much electricity? A study recently found that to power California’s 1.2 million pools and spas consumes roughly the same production as one nuclear power or two conventional energy plants (study by Davis Energy Group for Pacific Gas & Electric – 2004). Imagine the energy usage of ALL the swimming pools across the United States, and how this much impact our power conservation efforts. Arizona also has an incredible quantity of backyard pools per house, which is why Arizona pool contractors are switching to these incredible new pumps.
The solution? Motors and Pumps that use less energy (by working smarter).
In the past few years, the pool and spa industry has seen some dramatic upgrades involving pool and spa pumps and motors. The newest in electricity savings has come from the introduction of the revolutionary variable drive, variable speed pool and spa pump. These new pool and spa pumps are using permanent magnet motors, which have been designed to run with less power. The standard induction motors used in swimming pools actually use more than 30% more power than the new permanent magnetic motors. As the swimming pool operator programs this pump to work at the minimum required capacity for each pool task (heating, cleaning, filtration, water features, etc.) electricity reduction can be as much as 90%!
By running a pool and spa pump at its minimum speed needed to perform a job, it will drastically slash the energy consumption (only because it uses less electricity 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 swimming 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 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. Because the cost to replace your old pump is about equal to what you will save (based on pool usage over 1 to 2 years), many swimming pool owners are having their old pumps replaced.
Electricity delivery charges are even higher in Arizona, and with Phoenix’s huge pool and spa count, this new pool pump has become an absolute necessity for pool builders in AZ when contracting new swimming pools. The recent movement to power efficient products makes owning a GREEN industry swimming pool pump even more desirable in Arizona.
Specific Examples of how IntelliFlo Pentair pumps can be used in your pool and landscape:
First and foremost, this swimming pool pump can be used for an in-ground cleaning system booster pump, and it’s set at 2900 RPM, which is approximately a two HP pool pump. The same pump can be throttled down to a one-half horsepower pool pump to circulate & clean the water of the pool. With some easy computer automation, the same pump can be used as a booster pump for the hot tub therapies (imagine a slow speed jet and a high speed jet – all from the same pool pump, and a press of a remote!) Another common use is the ability to control the speed of a fountain or swimming pool water feature (it is also known to be used by high end residential Phoenix landscape companies to manage the flow & sound of unique landscape waterfalls or waterfeatures). The IntelliFlo Pentair pump can be programmed for 2 speeds (actually more!) - giving the pool owner a low speed water feature for a quiet evening outside, or you can crank it faster for FULL EFFECT for a family gathering!
This article approved by the Editor of LevelAdvice.com and Showroom411.com
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