Simply put, when it comes to pumps, bigger is NOT better; and two IS better than one.
Whether
you have a Direct Drive, Mag Drive or Hybrid Drive pump, using two half-sized
pumps of the same head capacity will significantly reduce the costs of running
your water feature, often by as much as 50%.
Here is a quick example based upon Cal Pump's PW direct drive pump line:
Model # Pumps GPH @ 5' Total Watts Savings
Cal Pump PW4500 1 4,490 700
Cal Pump PW2500 2 4,440* 616 12%
To
really reduce reduce your cost, consider using a Hybrid Drive or energy
efficient pump, such as the Atlantic TidalWave, Little Giant Flex Pump,
or Alpine Cyclone:
Model # Pumps GPH @ 5' Total Watts Savings
Cal Pump PW4500 1 4,490 700
Atlantic TW2400 2 4,100* 350 50%
If energy savings isn't enough to convince you, here are some other advantages of a dual pump system:
· One pump out won't mean a total loss of circulation, especially critical on warm nights
· One can be removed for maintenance or repair while the other maintains circulation
· Running only one at a time, alternating with timers, doubles the life of the units
· Running only one pump at night or while on vacation saves on operating costs
· Running only one pump during winter keeps an area free of ice while reducing costs
· Running only one pump constantly leaves the other for higher flow on demand
· Running only one pump during outdoor parties, when two pumps would be too noisy
