Off Grid Pool Pump Questions

buggeyes · October 2015

Let me know if there is a better place to ask this question, Thanks Guys!
We are 2 years off grid and bought a turn key home from a do-it yourselfer.
We have a small pool with 2 pumps, a big one that sucks lots of power so we only turn it on to vacuum, and a smaller skimmer pump-which is not working good.
Our current pump is this 24V one:
http://www.pumpvendor.com/Johnson_10-24664-02.html
This was great because we could run it all day and not notice much of a draw. But it no longer works - it turns on but will no longer skim, and we replaced it with a new one (same model) and it still doesnt work. We even had a leak detection guy up and he said he didnt detect any block in the lines - the big pump also still works fine - so he suggested a bigger skimmer pump.
So thats my question, what skimmer pump that is a little stronger would you recommend? I assume it needs to be 24V? Im not sure because Im not an electrician...
Thanks!

animatt · October 2015

I would be wary of stated 5000 hour motor life. If you are in a climate with year round pool running you will reach the 5000 pretty quickly.

Just curious how much is that pump. Does look nice.

If your original setup was working. and now is not something changed. a weak pump. a clog, or not sure what else. Maybe an air leak?
So what changed to not make it work any more. Is it still getting a good power supply. Are all the wires to and from the pump to the batteries clean, tightly mounted, free from oxide?

I have no idea what your issue maybe.
I do not like how when people are paid to diagnose a problem, can not do it and finally just say upsize the motor. Happens where I am alot. Sometimes it is cheaper to just install a bigger pump and not diagnose so much. Buying a bigger motor MAY solve / mask your current issue.

Before buying another pump I think I would investigate air leak and electrical supply to make sure they are correct. As a big pump would not solve those issues.

BB. · October 2015

Why that pump? It only has a ~5,000 hour service life between brush changes (little over 1/2 a year if run 24 hours per day).

Is the pump mounted in a pit below water level, or above water level (the pump is listed as NOT self priming).

Do you have AC power available?

-Bill

buggeyes · November 2015

Thanks for the response guys. The pump we got was about $500 new, the leak detection guy charges about $200+ just to come out - he is a bit pricey which is why I almost think we should just get a bigger pump and not have to pay him crazy amounts to come up and try to figure this out a 2nd time. (Unfortunately I was not around when he came up initially-my friend was and she forgot everything I told her to ask-ARGH!)
So the power appears to be there and good since the pump will turn on - its just not strong enough to skim anymore - which again makes me think there might be a clog but that would possibly be expensive to fix and find. It is a vinyl pool which will undoubtedly fail one day and when that happens we can look at the lines then.
The pump is mounted just below water level. I do not believe there is AC, I think just DC? Not sure, since im not an electrician.

Johann · November 2015

I don't know much about pools, but you replaced a '' bad '' pump with a '' new '' pump and you still have the same problem.
There is nothing wrong with your pump the way I see it.
Maybe some lines are stopped up or you need to replace your filter media or even go with a bigger filter etc etc.
Something changed and since you have a new pump, I do not believe the pump is bad.
Maybe bypass your filter and see if the pump works.

jcheil · November 2015

I am not sure if you have an above ground or below ground pool, or if it would matter, but I can tell you, I have a 20' x 48" above ground pool (10,000 gallon), off-grid and use the Intex 56633EG pump. It's about $100 on eBay. It's 2500 Gallons Per Hour. I run it about 6-7 hours a day and uses about 1.2kwh daily. When running I think it draws around 200w. Has plenty of power to run the vacuum and keep the pool nice and clean. Uses a cartridge that is about $6 and I wash it out and reuse it about every 2 weeks. It generally lasts me about 5-6 months before I replace it.

buggeyes · November 2015

Since the big pump works fine, using the same lines, the leak guy recommended just getting a bigger skimmer one. And yes there is nothing wrong with our "new" skimmer pump except that something is not allowing it to work like it once did.
We have tried removing the filter out of the big pump to see if there was something there clogging it, and nope, the little pump still wouldnt work.
Thanks Jcheil for your post, I will look into the pump you recommended.

jcheil · November 2015

Something just occurred to me. How do you have the two pumps "plumbed" together? If they are in series, without bypass valves, then I would think it would be very difficult for the little pump to pull the water thru the stationary vanes of the big pump, if it could even do so. Some pumps have one-way valves in them which make it even harder to pull the water thru.

If it were my setup, I would have the suction line from the pool "T" off into two valves, one going to the big pump and one going to the little pump. Then on the return side to the pool have the same "T" and 2 values. And when running the big pump, I would turn off the two valves to the little pump (and the reverse when running the little pump). That way you can completely eliminate any cross-flow or back/flow between the two pumps.

If it is not done like this, it is "possible" that the big pump is also back-feeding water thru the little pump, which it would not have a problem with because if its size. But, the little pump would not have enough power to overcome the cross/back flow thru the big pump so it might just be circulating water there instead of returning it to the pool.

Off Grid Pool Pump Questions

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