replacement pump without strainer

[Grafter]

The pump on our pool has failed over the winter, I knew the bearings were on the way out but now one has failed completely and seized the motor so a replacement is required. The pool is only 18x12 above ground and we have a very old .75HP Star rite lookalike motor with built in strainer that feeds into a sand filter.

The pool isn't used enough to justify the cost of a new Star Rite so I've found a replacement motor made by LX that's aimed primarily at spas for circulation but I can't see anything in the specification that makes them unsuitable for a small pool. The only question I have about them is they lack the strainer but we have a basket of the same density in the skimmer so I don't think there's anything gained by having one on the input to the pump is there?

The LX JA100 is the pump I'm thinking of getting, a 1HP model to increase the flow from the .75HP pump that was fitted but without risking the sand filter.

Would appreciate any comments on the choice or if I'm missing critical about the built in strainer.
Paul

[Teapot]

The old Sta-rites had a heat shield around the bearing which is sadly missing on the new ones so I wouldn't replace. You could purchase an after market strainer like the sequence or Waterway strainer.
https://www.pondusa.com/wp-content/uplo ... er_600.jpg
Yes you have the skimmer strainer but if anything dislodges it or when you remove it there is no back up before the pump.

You haven't said the size of your plumbing or sand filter but many in the USA seem to favour smaller filters and bigger pumps which is totally wrong, far better to have a large filter and smaller pump. All you are likely to achieve going from .75hp to 1hp is a bigger electric bill and worse filtration. A two speed pump or variable speed is what I would and do fit. slower filtration increases the filter performance by a factor of 4. The only requirement for a pool pump is having sufficient flow to backwash the filter clean.
come back with your plumbing diameter and filter size (diameter) and we can look better at the situation.

[Grafter]

Thanks for the information Teapot, plumbing is all 1.5" and it's a Lacron 406 16" filter with glass media all situated about a metre away and slightly below the pool. I didn't realise more flow equalled worse filtration so I'll keep with the 0.75HP model.

I looked for seperate strainers but spent hours trawling pool and pond sites in the UK and Europe but couldn't find any with appropriate size fittings. I did think after posting yesterday one advantage of the strainer is to make air bleeding a lot more convenient.

[Teapot]

Hi Grafter, where are you situated? I am in the UK, frequently in the EU, mainly France. I have all the fittings you'll need for the separate pump filter I linked to and even the pump filter if you are stuck?

Only a single 16" Lacron, for that I would not be going above 1/4hp or more preferably adding a second filter to share the load. I have in my possession 2x 18" Lacrons and one 24" which would improve things no end, they are second hand so won't want much for them if you are interested?