If I have a 1.5hp swimming pool pump, can it work OK as an above ground pump
on sprinkler system?

"rb" wrote in message
...
If I have a 1.5hp swimming pool pump, can it work OK as an above ground
pump
on sprinkler system?

I would guess not. While both pump water, the purpose of both is totally
different. I suspect the GPM rating of a swimming pool pump would be way
below that required of a sprinkler system pump, even if they have the same
HP rating. After all, the swimming pool pump is just circulating, not
moving water from point A to point B. Don't need a high GPM rate to
circulate water, DO need a high GPM rate to irrigate something.

However, if you've got a spare swimming pool pump (that you'll never need
for any other purpose) and you need a replacement pump for a sprinkler
system on the cheap, there is probably no harm in trying it out. At worst,
it won't work...or it might burn out the swimming pool pump. So I'd only
suggest you try it if you've got a spare pump that you don't mind ummmm,
burning out. -Dave

On Jun 8, 11:39*pm, "Dave" wrote:
"rb" wrote in message

...

If I have a 1.5hp swimming pool pump, can it work OK as an above ground
pump
on sprinkler system?

I would guess not. *While both pump water, the purpose of both is totally
different. *I suspect the GPM rating of a swimming pool pump would be way
below that required of a sprinkler system pump, even if they have the same
HP rating. *After all, the swimming pool pump is just circulating, not
moving water from point A to point B.

Every water pump moves water from point A, through the pump, to point
B. In the case of the swimming pool pump, it moves a lot of water,
from the skimmers and drain, through the filter, and back via
mutltiple return lines.




*Don't need a high GPM rate to
circulate water, DO need a high GPM rate to irrigate something.

A pool pump needs to be able to turn over the total volume of the pool
in a reasonable amount of time, to ensure that it stays filtered,
chlorine is evenly distributed, etc. Hence the pumps ARE high volume
and a pump like he's talking about is capable of on the order of 75 -
100 gallons/min. That is more than most residential wells systems
can supply.




However, if you've got a spare swimming pool pump (that you'll never need
for any other purpose) and you need a replacement pump for a sprinkler
system on the cheap, there is probably no harm in trying it out. *At worst,
it won't work...or it might burn out the swimming pool pump. *So I'd only
suggest you try it if you've got a spare pump that you don't mind ummmm,
burning out. * *-Dave


There are many unknowns here that make giving an answer impossible.
An obvious big one is where is the water coming from? A pond next to
the pump or 100 ft down a well? How many GPM does the irrigation
system need? If the source of water is reasonable, it would seem
that a pool pump could be used. A remaining question would be how
efficient it would be to run compared to a pump ideally suited to the
task.

"Dave" wrote in message
...

"rb" wrote in message
...
If I have a 1.5hp swimming pool pump, can it work OK as an above ground
pump
on sprinkler system?

I would guess not. While both pump water, the purpose of both is totally
different. I suspect the GPM rating of a swimming pool pump would be way
below that required of a sprinkler system pump, even if they have the same
HP rating. After all, the swimming pool pump is just circulating, not
moving water from point A to point B. Don't need a high GPM rate to
circulate water, DO need a high GPM rate to irrigate something.

However, if you've got a spare swimming pool pump (that you'll never need
for any other purpose) and you need a replacement pump for a sprinkler
system on the cheap, there is probably no harm in trying it out. At
worst,
it won't work...or it might burn out the swimming pool pump. So I'd only
suggest you try it if you've got a spare pump that you don't mind ummmm,
burning out. -Dave


You may be able to get it to work, but you need to do more research and
design. If it's a high pressure, low volume pump you would need to add one
or more pressure tanks, sized so that the pump runs for up to about two
minutes whenever it comes on. If it's low pressure, high volume then you
don't need the pressure tanks and the pump can run for as long as the system
is turned on. But you also have to worry about whether there is enough flow
to keep the pump from overheating --

If you stop by a good irrigation supply company they can probably help you
sort out what you have and what you need --

"JimR" wrote in message
m...

You may be able to get it to work, but you need to do more research and
design. If it's a high pressure, low volume pump you would need to add
one or more pressure tanks, sized so that the pump runs for up to about
two minutes whenever it comes on. If it's low pressure, high volume then
you don't need the pressure tanks and the pump can run for as long as the
system is turned on. But you also have to worry about whether there is
enough flow to keep the pump from overheating --

If you stop by a good irrigation supply company they can probably help you
sort out what you have and what you need --

I owned an irrigation supply company many years ago. Well, June is very
busy time of year here, and the last thing I wanted was some guy coming to
pick our brains about using some old equipment instead of spending some
money on a new system. While I am real beleiver in customer service, these
guys just use up your time and do not follow your advice anyway. Mind you,
I have no problem with you RB, just hook it up and see if it works. If not,
move on to something else. As was discussed, if you have a pool pump you
are not using, you have nothing to lose.

"rb" wrote in message
...
If I have a 1.5hp swimming pool pump, can it work OK as an above ground
pump
on sprinkler system?



If you don't have to "lift" the water then it could work but I doubt it
would be very efficient.