Ask Al

BY ALVARO G. MENDOZA

COMMERCIAL ENERGY SPECIALISTS, INC.

WE HAVE HEARD THAT THERE WAS A NEW FEDERAL POOL PUMP EFFICIENCY REGULATION THAT IS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN 2021. CAN YOU HELP US SORT THIS OUT, IT’S VERY CONFUSING?

Welcome back to our “Ask the Expert” feature designed to assist you with issues related to swimming pool water, mechanical equipment, space conditioning, and code compliance. Ask a question, and we will try to answer to the best of our ability.

Yes, codes and regulations can be confusing sometimes, as they are often not communicated in a simple, straightforward manner, but we’ll try to help.

You’re correct that there are several codes and regulations that are scheduled for implementation in 2021. They are both national in scope, but they both may trigger additional requirements from local authorities as well. The first one is a Department of Energy (DOE) pool pump regulation, which we’ll discuss in this article, and the 2nd is the 2021 update to the Model Aquatic Health Code, which will be the topic of the next article.

2021 DOE DEDICATED PURPOSE POOL PUMP (DP3) REGULATION.

This has been brewing for a while. Effective July 19, 2021, this DOE regulation will go into effect and requires that ALL DP3’s both manufactured and/or imported into the US meet minimum energy-efficiency standards. So that means that most pool pumps 5 HP or less, will be required to meet these standards.

There are some exceptions however, and these include 3-phase pumps, which are quite common in many larger swim schools, and other classes of pump that are pretty rare in swim schools (waterfall pumps, integral filter-pack pumps, and storable electric spa pumps.) Not so complicated, you might say. But leave it to the DOE to complicate the situation by integrating terms like Hydraulic Horsepower (HHP) which is a standardized measurement of how much water a pump moves – but normally about half of the typical motor rating of a pump. They also refer to a pump’s Weighted Energy Factor (WEF) – a standardize measurement of how much energy is required to move water – normally stated in terms of gallons of water moved per kWh of energy use. But it’s OK to forget those two terms, as it is the responsibility of the pump manufacturers to produce and market pumps that meet these guidelines. Let them deal with it.

So, what is going to happen? Well, the swim school owner can be proactive or reactive. The reactive owner will ignore everything and when they go buy a replacement motor for their pump after July 19th, will probably be told that they need to upgrade to a different type of pump or motor, or both, as theirs is no longer available. Some folks are banking that pump and motor manufacturers are going to stock up on the older styles but given the low inventories and difficulty in getting pumps now (during pandemicrelated inventory issues), it does not make financial sense for them to invest in the older stuff. Some might fear that they may end up with dead inventory while they actually stand to make more money on the more efficient models. So, don’t count on that. The proactive owner, on the other hand, could simply call their favorite (and hopefully knowledgeable) pump representative, and let them know what pumps they have, get an evaluation, and get a solution if necessary.

A COUPLE OF SIMPLE SOLUTIONS

• Invest in an energy efficient pump before the deadline. Nearly every swim school we have worked with over the years has taken this approach, and it is quite painless and actually a great investment. • If you have 3-phase pool pump already, you’re home free. But you can save lots of money by adding a simple VFD to the pump, instead of or in addition to your motor starter.

As we’ve preached for decades, the

VFD will slow down the speed of the pump to match the required flow of the pool and provide exponential savings. (See our previous USSSA articles for details, but simply put, a simple 20% reduction in motor speed – will operate your pump at 51% of normal power !!) • If you don’t have 3-phase power in your building (only single phase 240V), and theoretically can’t slow down a pool pump motor, no problem. We have helped hundreds of facilities install phase-converting systems whereas you connect a specially designed VFD to single phase on one end and connect any 3-phase pump on the other end. This would allow you to meet the federal guide lines without changing your pump (only your motor), and also avoiding

Department of Health (DOH) requirements for re-permitting, etc.

You could also remove the pump, and install a completely new pump, with an integrated electronic box built-in on top of the motor, but basically, they are (internally) converting single phase to 3-phase in order to be able to vary the speed of the pump. These also comply with the upcoming DOE requirement but are normally limited to 3-HP size.

Once you have this pump arrangement, THEN the fun starts. Many schools control their flow through their chemistry controller (patented by the most popular controller mfg), and dial in their DOH flow and minimize their energy consumption 24/7 while saving lots of money. How much? We have found that pump will commonly spin down to 2025% of normal power with clean filters. You can also then program automatic setback, allowing the pump to hold a slower speed during off-peak times or during holiday closures. These setbacks will operate the pumps as low as 12.5% of normal power, while still filtering, heating, and chemically treating the water.

CONCLUSION

While the upcoming DOE Pump efficiency program might confuse and complicate the issue for a while, it is actually going to force many swim school owners to make a change the hundreds of owners already made proactively, and are loving every moment. A pool pump is one of the largest energy consumers per many, and taking direct control of the pump’s power consumption is an easy way to trim the swim school’s monthly cost of operation with a pretty nominal investment. Please be aware that most municipalities require DOH-alerting, permission or permitting when you’re changing your pump, as they want to be assured that the new pump will meet the agreed-upon flow rates established during design and construction. This is not the case when you’re only changing the motor, and leaving the front half (pump) part of the assembly alone. This simple upgrade spelled out above has proven to be a quick and relatively painless way to save energy, while complying with the impending regulations. Stay safe, and let us know if we can answer any questions or can assist in any manner. Please feel free to forward your questions and comments through the Association office, or directly to me, via email at amendoza@ceswaterquality. com.

Best Regards, Alvaro G. Mendoza