In fact, I just finished talking to him. I mainly just asked him about the Hybrid pump with just a couple of questions about the VF versus X2. John stated that there is no pump on the market that can move close to the same amount of water for the same energy consumed. For 2 inch pipe with a Sta-rite system3 DE filter, he estimates that at their default 1500 rpm filtering speed, the Hybrid pump would move 60 to 80 GPM using 1.8 amps. This equates to 230V X 1.8 amps = 414 watts. I searched TFP and found chemgeek listed a slew of speeds and wattage readings from his VF (60 GPM, 2710 rpm = 1305 watts). That's a little below what John estimated the VF would consume with my setup. If I drop the rpm to 1000 on the Hybrid, the amps would drop to 0.5 = 115 watts. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask him the GPM estimate. But it's obvious that he believes the hybrid to be the most efficient variable on the market. Using the 1.8 amps for 1500 rpm moving 60 GPM (low end of his estimate for GPM), to turnover 32K gallons 1 time would consume 3.68kwh in 8.9 hours. According to your spreadsheet using Curve A, the VF at 1000 rpm would take 3.15 kwh running for 24.24 hours. Getting the VF to turnover in 8.98 hours requires 10.4kwh (using chem geek's numbers, it would be 11.6 kwh). Unfortunately, no CEC data to perform apples to apples comparison via the spreadsheet. But given that another X2 user on the forum reports using 2.2 amps using solar and running his waterfall, the efficiency could be close to what John states. Replacement cost is another consideration I asked John about. Since the drive is the most expensive aspect of the VF with its custom application, the availability of an off the shelf driver for the Hybrid that they customize the programming on makes the cost much more reasonable - in the $300 range. The pump motor is custom made to their specs and they have not had a single failure in 3 years. John stated that the drive's job is to keep the motor safe so it won't allow it to run outside of pre-set parameters or it will shut it down. I also found out that I won't need an automation system to run the X2. The drive has an internal timer which will allow me to run X time at vacuum speed and the rest at filter speed. My intermatic clock would control on/off like it currently does for the single speed. Hybrid also has a 2 year warranty on everything. The only question left is longevity of the company itself. Can they sell enough and get PBs to start using their product to stay in business? I'm really impressed after running the numbers.

Chulaman- Good questions and you are obviously doing your homework here. I think your choice on spa pump and controls is a good one. 4 different jet settings should accommodate most everyones expectations and comfort levels. Regarding the pool circulation and cleaning. I would offer a few other options to consider if interested. By the way, I did similar research when I was building our pool and surprisingly our pools are about the same: volume is 35K gallons, with Paramount PV-3 infloor cleaning system and chlorine generator. Ultimately, I decided to go with a 2.5HP 2 speed pump to do the task of circulation, filtering and cleaning. With this setup, I run the PV3 at 1.5 hours a day at high speed and the rest of the filter/circulation cycle is done with low speed. During the winter, low speed is only ran for about 4 hours/day and during the summer, low speed is ran for about 8 hours/day. This has provided enough chlorination and filtration as my pool is always crystal clear and chlorine levels have been in check. This winter, I had the chlorine generator down to 10% and last summer I had it up to 40% and it provided adequate chlorine, even in 35K gallons. My pool though is somewhat shaded, so this will probably make a difference on chlorine needs and your pool may be need more chlorine. HereÂs some options I considered: Two uneven single speed pumps in parallel. With this setup a 1HP pump was in parallel with a 2HP pump and this gave 3 different flow rates possible: 1HP, 2HP and 3HP depending on need. Two uneven 2 speed pumps in parallel. With this setup a 1.5HP 2 speed was in parallel with a 2.0HP 2 speed and this gave a possibility of 8 different flow rates with all the combinations of high and low speed between the 2 pumps. Ultimately, I decided to keep the system simple with a single 2 speed pump used in conjunction with large plumbing and minimum 90Âs, tees, crosses, etc. Variable speed pumps did not make much sense in my application. I did a lot of homework here also on true efficiency benefits of variable speed vs 2 speed and there is not much difference between these two technologies with the filter cycles that I described above. The plumbing design is much more important than the pump technology if you really want to save energy month after month. Once I really started to bone up on plumbing and its effect on system efficiency, I realized that the addition of a tee and checkvalves in the plumbing system added additional backflow on pumps, so the parallel pump ideas hit the trash can. If you want to really learn more about plumbing design, I can provide a few published documents that have wonderful information on plumbing design and things to consider when designing the plumbing. If your pool was much bigger, say 70K gallons or more, I would say parallel pumps would make a lot of sense for filtering and cleaning. But, for 35K gallons, parallel pumps is overkill. Especially two variable speed pumps in parallel, unless cost is of no concern and you just want to tinker with different configurations and technologies. Hope this helps.

quote" when I started in the pool biz, a time clock and air switch was for high rollers........"quote I'm sitting here LMAO!!! When I started in this game we plumbed whistlers. They provided more hydro therapy action at the jet than any of todays whiz bang jets with a horse and a half air blower. The problem was the noise. Now I can't hardly remember the last dual timer and AS Relay I installed. Everything has been Aqualink for the past 10 years. Colt, I'm curious, do you work for the worlds largest pool wholesaler or PWP? If so please disregard the following. Deek, are you telling me I can buy a 4X160 from PWP for 718 bucks on their published price list? They, the worlds largest pool distributor, came to town and promised great service and fair prices. On the service aspect they've delivered in spades, but on the fair prices I've had my suspicions for some time now. If you can purchase the 4X160 pump for 200 less it means they're charging me almost 25% more. That equates to a near 40% markup for the distributor. This is way way more markup than normal construction wholesale distributors work for. My biggest joke with my outside rep when he asks me how I'm doing is "Not only am I smoking more and enjoying it less, but I'm also paying more for service and enjoying it less too" I haven't bought from PWP since the early 90's and haven't shopped pricing in 10 years but now I'm convinced I probably should. repairguy, I don't think I said that the starter of this thread could save as much electricity with a 2-speed pump. I think I said that they could save nearly an equal amount of electricity by utilizing a Jandy 2speed or Whisperflo 2speed pump and save money on their equipment purchase. I also didn't say that I don't embrace new technology I think I said that I'm sure that these pumps are the way of the future, but in the meanwhile I'll wait for the prices to drop. Please don't attempt to read things in my posts that I'm not saying and then rewrite them to play off of my reply. FWIW, I quote quite a bit of this new equipment and have placed it into service on quite a few pools. It's awesome stuff!!! But, I'll quote my buyers the actual cost of my setup -vs- your setup and let them make the decision based on their interpretation of whether it is or isn't worth the extra money. This way they won't have me to blame because I told them about the benefits of each. Don't take my replies as me knocking the product and don't take this as me knocking you. It's just my take on the situation. BTW, I'm sorry you don't like DE filters. I've always found them to be great filters. My pool is 120000 gallons and is always crystal clear even on short filter run times. I attribute this to my DE filters. Thanks for you guys input, this thread will go a long way towards enlightening new members contemplating a pool purchase. I saw where Eann is looking to purchase the variable speed online. I'm fixing to go over to that thread and second your advice to steer clear of Internet wholesalers. See ya, Kelly

I'm not so much concerned with rpm #'s. I only use them to determine where I am in set up mode when I do the manual trial. When I look to set the max gpm (for a spa jet trial), I ramp it to an estimated gpm based on the most efficient velocity for a given pipe size. It is then that i look at the rpm to see where we are. If it's at 3450, I'll ramp down until I see a change in that rpm number. At that point, we know anything above that gpm setting is just waste. Still, max rpm is not always the effieicent speed. You now look to the filter psi. Where is it and how is it responding to the pump flow change? If I'm at 20+psi and I can ramp down the flow without changing the jet action, I'll keep going down as far as I can. I don't bottom out as I know my filter getting dirty will cut flow. It just establishes my range and I find a good spot in that range. Your previous numbers did not make sense. what you are reporting now is more realistic. Again, you're really looking a wattage. What is the consumption and is it where you want to be? Under 300 is awesome as long as you are seeing results in the pool and who cares what the rpm or gpm is. Those are all subjective to the installation. 15gpm is a real slow turn and most are not programmed for that. But, if you're getting good skimming go for it. I try not to program under 20. As far as the impeller goes, we use a service set of tweezers. They're long and with the proper, educated feel of what it is supposed to be, you'll know if it's blocked. As times, it will feel clean but palm pods, toy gun pellets, etc can jam the inside of the impeller and you'll never know unless you pull the motor. Where are you located?