Jandy Stealth Pool pumps vs Pentair Intelliflo Pool Pumps.. By Joe Mehaffey Revised August 2010
I have owned a Pentair Intelliflo 4x160
pool pump for two years. It failed and I replaced it with a Jandy
Stealth SHPF 1.5-2. BOTH pumps are HIGH EFFICIENCY rated
pumps. The major difference is that the Pentair Intelliflo 4x150
pump has continuously variable speed control whereas, the Jandy Stealth
model has two fixed speeds. I liked the continuously adjustable
speed of the Intelliflo model, but the two speeds on the Jandy Stealth
provide about 22psi to my pool equipment in HIGH mode and about 10psi
in LOW mode. This is almost precisely where I had set the two
speeds I used on the Pentair and on the GE pump before that. Click HERE for the data sheet for Jandy Stealth Pumps. For the data sheet for the Pentair Intelliflo Pumps, Click HERE.
It is worth noting that the two pumps ARE both high efficiency
pumps. But the Jandy Stealth 1.5-2 model is slightly more
efficient in electrical usage in my pump application than the Pentair
Intelliflo 4x160 was at the same flow and lift. Note:
The Intelliflo's adjustable speed over a wide HP range gives it
great flexibility. You can make a mistake in what pump you need
and the 4x160 can compensate. On the other hand, for the Jandy
Stealth, you need to properly select the right pump by looking at your
needed flow rate and lift and then pick the model with the
horsepower you need. If you can pick the right model for your
needs, the proper Jandy model will likely cost you less than the
Intelliflo model. Note: Jandy has an equivalent to the Intelliflo model in their Jandy ePump models.
Despite Jandy Tech Support telling me initially that a
customer COULD buy their ePump Motor Drive Controller as a spare
part in case of failure, this appears NOT to be the case as with
Pentair. Jandy's eMail to Dave Anderson follows:
From: joseph.turney@zmp-zodiac.com [mailto:joseph.turney@zmp-zodiac.com] Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2010 5:50 PM To: David Anderson Subject: RE: Jandy variable flow ePump
Part
number R0474900 is the part number for a replacement motor speed
drive for the ePump. It is currently unavailable for purchase
separately. Thank you for your feedback. Regards,
Joseph Turney Technical Support Representative Zodiac Pool Systems, Inc Barracuda, Jandy, Nature2 and Polaris Pool Products
Features of the two pumps are as follows:
Feature --------------------------------------------------------Pentair 4x160 ---------------==---------Jandy Stealth SHPF 1.5-2 HP
Rating
3HP
1.5HP Speeds
Continuously Variable
2
speeds (stealth models with -2 suffix) Water
Flow at 22psi total head in my system
100gpm
100gpm Electric
usage at 22psi total head and ~100gpm 1840
watts
1725 watts Pump
HP ratings available in the Line
adjustable, up to ~3HP
.75HP,
1HP, 1.5HP, 2HP, 3HP Filter
Basket with Quick Release Caps
~ 1 gallon size
~2 gallon size (bigger is better) Price
for the pump unit not installed
Approx $940 for
4x160 model Approx $650 for
1.5HP, 2 speed model Pipe
Connections
Threaded
2" FPT on 4x160
Built in 2" slip PVC unions on inlet and outlet Electrical
Connections
1/2" FPT threaded
1/2" FPT threaded connection Remote
Speed Control Method
Requires $300+
accessory
Feed Com + HIGH for high speed/ Com+ LOW for low speed. Built
in Speed controls
Push button panel on motor
None built in.
Requires an external SPDT 10A rated switch or relay Motor
speed can be changed motor running
YES
YES Motor
Rated for Outdoor Use
Yes, but ** See
note 1
YES Reliability
Outlook
Not Good. See HERE
Too Early to comment.. I like that you can get all
parts for repair.
**Note
1: I have seen two Intelliflo 4x160 motors fail in outdoor pool
pump service. One failed when the temperature got down to the
range of 12F. This one failed by stopping when the
temperature got down to below about 12F and going into "alarm" but it
would manually restart. It had to be replaced as it caused
considerable filter system damage in Winter 2009/ when the Atlanta area
had a big freeze and the pump stopped running. Freeze protection
IS rather important. The second motor drive controller
failed completely in the summer of 2010 and the pump had to be
replaced. This failure, same as in the first pump unit, involved a
failure in the Motor Drive Module atop the motor. Pentair still
refuses to supply replacement Motor Drive Modules for Intelliflo 4x160
pumps as of Summer 2010. Thus, complete pump system
replacement was the only option. Similarly, Jandy does NOT offer
replacement motors drive controllers for their ePump models.
The Jandy Stealth pump motors are manufactured in the USA by A O Smith
Company. Intelliflo Motors are said to be manufactured in Denmark
and the manufacturer is not published by Pentair and Pentair will not
divulge.the name of the motor vendor.
**Note
2: NEVER ASSUME that just because a particular item is in the
Pentair or Jandy Parts Breakdown or Parts List, that you will be able to
actually BUY such a part! Let the buyer beware! If Pentair or Jandy
changes this policy, please let me know and my opinion of these vendors will be different!
**Note
3: I suggest that any electronically controlled pump be routinely
equipped with Lightning Surge Suppressors. These motors can be
sensitive to surges and since they cannot be economically repaired
extra care in this regard is prudent. My Opinion as of Summer 2010 is as follows: I
have had the Jandy Stealth pump only a few weeks now. My first
impressions are that it is a well built pump. The motor in the
Jandy Stealth pump IS replaceable at a reasonable price if it ever
fails unlike the completely unrepairable motor system on the Pentair Intelliflo
and Jandy ePump models. The efficiency of the Jandy Stealth pump appears to be
slightly better than the Intelliflo pump in my particular application.
Of
the Pentair Intelliflo 4x160 pumps, I can only say that the pump
seems well designed and is quiet and efficient. But its
reliability has proved poor. Worse, the most prone to fail
component in my own experience, the motor drive controller, is not
offered as a spare part by Pentair. Any electric motor or motor
drive controller failure outside the one year warranty requires that
you purchase and install a completely new pump of one kind or another.
It is as if your automobile had an unreliable engine but no parts
were available and you had to buy a new car if your car's motor ever
failed out of warranty. No.. It makes no sense to me
either! Maybe someday, someone at Pentair and/or Jandy will change this
policy. Until then, my advice is to NOT buy a Jandy ePump or Pentair Intelliflo pump..