What type of pool pump do I need?

Posted by John Smith on February 24th, 2020

When you ask the question of what type of pool pump I need, you have not found a clear answer. So, probably, you have found this article. Do not worry, we will help you choose the right pool pump. We will also help you to know a little more about the operation and structure of this essential element for the maintenance of a swimming pool.

What size of the pool pump do I need?

The quick answer: The size of the pump depends on the size of the filter.

Going deeper: The crux of the matter when choosing the size of the pump is the amount of water pumped per unit of time. The parameter that defines this magnitude is the flow rate Q, measured by the International System in m³ / h (cubic meters per hour).

For a given filter, you must select a pool pump that "feeds" it with an adequate flow range:

If the flow rate is excessive, the water will have to pass quickly through the filter medium and the filtration quality will decrease.

On the contrary, if the variable speed pump does not “feed” the filter with sufficient flow, it may not be able to perform a proper washing of the filter when it is time to remove and sponge the filter bed to raise and separate the accumulated dirt inside.

Normally when talking about the size of a pump reference is made to its power. It is not surprising, since the Pentair superflo pump works with an engine and at higher power, we will obtain greater flow. But you have to keep in mind that for the same power, two different pump models will also give us different flow rates.