Intex pump upgrade

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iowapool1492
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My Pool: 2000 gallon intex above ground pool, Intex 1500 gph Kyrstal Klear sand filter and salt water clorinator

Intex pump upgrade

Postby iowapool1492 » Wed 16 May, 2018 14:58

Hi all,

I need to crank up the GPH on my Intex Krystal Clear 1500 GPH Sand Filter Pump & Saltwater System with E.C.O. , the reason being the heater I bought for it

(link here sorry couldn't URL)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071C ... 3613854011

requires a higher GPH. Short of buying a completely new system, would anyone know of how I could upgrade to a higher GPH?

I've searched what I think to be the entire internet for a different pump for the system, but haven't had any luck. Could it be as simple as splicing in any 2500 GPH pump, or would the mismatched GPH be a problem?


Thank you very much!


Teapot
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Posts: 1337
Joined: Tue 17 Oct, 2017 10:52
My Pool: 12 x 24 (45m3) liner pool, Triton TR60 filter with AFM glass media (Activate) and variable speed pump running 0.08HP
Location: UK

Re: Intex pump upgrade

Postby Teapot » Wed 16 May, 2018 16:40

Why do you need to increase your GPH? 1500 GPH should be suitable for that heater unless you have found a specification that states otherwise?

However up grading to a sand filter will vastly improve things over the pathetic little cartridge filter. Intex do a small sand filter about 12" dia but personally I would try to find a 16-18" sand filter.
Denniswiseman
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Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue 06 Sep, 2011 05:48
My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Intex pump upgrade

Postby Denniswiseman » Wed 16 May, 2018 17:10

I checked that link
I don't see why you would need to pass in excess of 1500GPH through this little 2kw heater (electric showers are bigger)
What is the pipe size, it doesn't look big and I doubt that you could pass 1500GPH through it
iowapool1492
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed 16 May, 2018 12:30
My Pool: 2000 gallon intex above ground pool, Intex 1500 gph Kyrstal Klear sand filter and salt water clorinator

Re: Intex pump upgrade

Postby iowapool1492 » Wed 16 May, 2018 18:10

Thank you very much for the responses, & sorry I should have put more specifics in my original message. I talked to the guy that makes them - 1500 gph is the minimum flow rate for the safety valve to stay open - (it currently closes with the current 1500 gph). FYI I also have a solar heater w/ 40 ft. of tubing running back and forth to it; he feels that the additional work the pump has to do to get water back and forth to the solar heater lowers the gph enough to cause the safety valve to close.

FYI my small pool is in the shade most of the day so that's what's going on w/ all the heaters.......

Thanks again!
Teapot
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 1337
Joined: Tue 17 Oct, 2017 10:52
My Pool: 12 x 24 (45m3) liner pool, Triton TR60 filter with AFM glass media (Activate) and variable speed pump running 0.08HP
Location: UK

Re: Intex pump upgrade

Postby Teapot » Thu 17 May, 2018 02:28

Tell the guy who makes them to make them better! they should be ok at 1000 GPM.
To answer your question better you really need to know the flow rate you are actually getting but in any case that puny little filter is not big enough to handle a large pump so I still suggets the change to a larger sand filter setup
Denniswiseman
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue 06 Sep, 2011 05:48
My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Intex pump upgrade

Postby Denniswiseman » Thu 17 May, 2018 02:44

My 5kw heat pump requires just under 2000 UK gallons per hour for up to 27kw output
Don't go for that expensive way of doing it get a heat pump
Teapot
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 1337
Joined: Tue 17 Oct, 2017 10:52
My Pool: 12 x 24 (45m3) liner pool, Triton TR60 filter with AFM glass media (Activate) and variable speed pump running 0.08HP
Location: UK

Re: Intex pump upgrade

Postby Teapot » Thu 17 May, 2018 03:23

Seconded.
iowapool1492
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed 16 May, 2018 12:30
My Pool: 2000 gallon intex above ground pool, Intex 1500 gph Kyrstal Klear sand filter and salt water clorinator

Re: Intex pump upgrade

Postby iowapool1492 » Thu 17 May, 2018 06:37

Teapot wrote:Tell the guy who makes them to make them better! they should be ok at 1000 GPM.
To answer your question better you really need to know the flow rate you are actually getting but in any case that puny little filter is not big enough to handle a large pump so I still suggets the change to a larger sand filter setup



Thanks for the response - I actually do have a sand filter and salt water system...just the flow rate isn't high enough for the heater.
iowapool1492
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed 16 May, 2018 12:30
My Pool: 2000 gallon intex above ground pool, Intex 1500 gph Kyrstal Klear sand filter and salt water clorinator

Re: Intex pump upgrade

Postby iowapool1492 » Thu 17 May, 2018 07:00

Denniswiseman wrote:My 5kw heat pump requires just under 2000 UK gallons per hour for up to 27kw output
Don't go for that expensive way of doing it get a heat pump



thanks, but our pool is only a small 8' x 11' oval/2000 gallons - a great idea though for a bigger pool though
Denniswiseman
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue 06 Sep, 2011 05:48
My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Intex pump upgrade

Postby Denniswiseman » Thu 17 May, 2018 09:48

iowapool1492 wrote:
Denniswiseman wrote:My 5kw heat pump requires just under 2000 UK gallons per hour for up to 27kw output
Don't go for that expensive way of doing it get a heat pump



thanks, but our pool is only a small 8' x 11' oval/2000 gallons - a great idea though for a bigger pool though

Look at the maths
It takes one BTU of energy to raise one pound of water, one degree F. Water is 8.3 lb/US gal so 2000 gallons = 16600 lbs. requiring 16600 BTU's of energy.
1 kw/hr = 3412 BTUs so (3412*2) = 6824
16600/6824 = 2.43 hrs to raise the water 1 degree F
This assumes 100% of your energy goes to heating the water and none of it is lost.

A Heat Pump is a more efficient way of heating your pool electricaly
Regardless of this get a thermal cover
Teapot
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 1337
Joined: Tue 17 Oct, 2017 10:52
My Pool: 12 x 24 (45m3) liner pool, Triton TR60 filter with AFM glass media (Activate) and variable speed pump running 0.08HP
Location: UK

Re: Intex pump upgrade

Postby Teapot » Thu 17 May, 2018 16:26

iowapool1492 wrote:
Teapot wrote:Tell the guy who makes them to make them better! they should be ok at 1000 GPM.
To answer your question better you really need to know the flow rate you are actually getting but in any case that puny little filter is not big enough to handle a large pump so I still suggets the change to a larger sand filter setup



Thanks for the response - I actually do have a sand filter and salt water system...just the flow rate isn't high enough for the heater.


The person who makes the heaters is presumably making them for small intex type pools as they are too small in heat output for anything much bigger. They have got it wrong, they require a flow rate to activate them which simply will not happen on this type of tiny pump/filter setup, they have got it very wrong!

It does not matter what is written on the pump plate regarding flow, that is an open system with zero plumbing and resistance. By the time the water has been forced through the little pipes which being convoluted in design are even worse for frictional losses and therefore flow and then through the puny multiport and tiny 12" sand filter I would seriously doubt that you have 750 GPH. that is before your 40 feet of solar piping which will rob even more flow due to frictional losses on the pipework. I doubt you get anymore than 350-400 GPH.

Sticking on a 2500 GPH will achieve very little except increasing your electricity bill as you try to push water faster through a system that is too small to handle it the frictional losses will increase massively (dynamic head) and you'll get no more than 25% more (437-500GPH).

So your system was made right to just about cope with the sand filter and chlorinator but you are now trying to run with 40ft of solar and another heater with a flow switch that is never going to work.

You say the pool is 2000 gallons so to turn over the water in 4 hours you need a flow of roughly 500 GPH. The filter is tiny and to produce the best filtration requires a flow rate of approximately 277 GPH and a backwash rate of 1100 GPH.

In your situation you would be better to plumb the heater on it's own separate lines and pump without a filter or a mesh screen to stop big bits getting inside the heater.

Above ground pools like intex etc have much thinner liners than other inground pools so be careful with getting it too hot (28c or above)
iowapool1492
I'm new here
I'm new here
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed 16 May, 2018 12:30
My Pool: 2000 gallon intex above ground pool, Intex 1500 gph Kyrstal Klear sand filter and salt water clorinator

Re: Intex pump upgrade

Postby iowapool1492 » Thu 17 May, 2018 20:11

Denniswiseman wrote:
iowapool1492 wrote:
Denniswiseman wrote:My 5kw heat pump requires just under 2000 UK gallons per hour for up to 27kw output
Don't go for that expensive way of doing it get a heat pump



thanks, but our pool is only a small 8' x 11' oval/2000 gallons - a great idea though for a bigger pool though

Look at the maths
It takes one BTU of energy to raise one pound of water, one degree F. Water is 8.3 lb/US gal so 2000 gallons = 16600 lbs. requiring 16600 BTU's of energy.
1 kw/hr = 3412 BTUs so (3412*2) = 6824
16600/6824 = 2.43 hrs to raise the water 1 degree F
This assumes 100% of your energy goes to heating the water and none of it is lost.

A Heat Pump is a more efficient way of heating your pool electricaly
Regardless of this get a thermal cover


Thanks for the response - I did explore heat pumps & the least expensive one I could find is $2000...wife almost killed me when I bought the $500 wave heater :-( . Also I do have a thermal cover, but thank you for suggesting that
Denniswiseman
Pool Industry Leader
Pool Industry Leader
Posts: 2592
Joined: Tue 06 Sep, 2011 05:48
My Pool: 10k inground fibreglass, Telescopic Cover, Hayward Powerline pump, Quality filter with glass media, 27kw output heat pump, K-2006C test kit
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Intex pump upgrade

Postby Denniswiseman » Fri 18 May, 2018 02:19

Thanks for the response - I did explore heat pumps & the least expensive one I could find is $2000...wife almost killed me when I bought the $500 wave heater :-( . Also I do have a thermal cover, but thank you for suggesting that


OK then it's a done deal. I didn't realise that
Good luck

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