Hayward TriStar VS 900 vs. TriStar VS 950: Which Pump Should You Buy?
Two pumps, same TriStar VS family, a few hundred dollars apart. Customers call us about this one constantly, usually after seeing both listings and wondering what the extra money buys. Short answer: the SP32950VSP has more horsepower than most backyard pools will ever use, and the SP32900VSP handles the average setup just fine.
Here is how we walk people through it at the counter.
What is the actual difference between the SP32900VSP and the SP32950VSP?
Horsepower. The TriStar VS 900 (SP32900VSP) is a 1.85 total HP pump. The TriStar VS 950 (SP32950VSP) is a 2.70 total HP pump. Everything else about the two is very close: same TriStar wet end design, same variable speed control with programmable speeds and a built-in timer, same union style plumbing connections, same permanent magnet motor that runs quieter than an old single speed.
So you are not choosing between two different pumps. You are choosing between two sizes of the same pump.
Which TriStar VS is right for my pool?
Most residential pools do great with the SP32900VSP. If you have a standard in-ground pool, one skimmer, a main drain, a few return jets, and a cartridge or sand filter, the 900 will turn your water over on low speed and barely make a sound doing it.
Go with the SP32950VSP if any of this describes your pool:
- You run a spa with jets that need real flow
- You have a waterfall, sheer descent, or deck jets
- Your equipment pad sits well below or far away from the pool, so there is a long plumbing run
- You have an in-floor cleaning system
- Your pool is large, roughly 30,000 gallons or more
- You run a solar heating loop up onto a roof
Those features all add resistance, and a bigger pump gives you the headroom to push through it without running flat out all day.
Does the bigger pump cost more to run?
Not necessarily, and this trips people up. A variable speed pump only uses the power it needs for the speed you set. If you run the SP32950VSP at a low RPM for filtering, it draws very little. The size mostly matters for what the pump can do at the top end, not what it burns at the bottom.
That said, oversizing has a downside. A 2.70 HP pump on a small pool with 1.5 inch plumbing can move more water than the pipe and filter are built for when you crank it up. You end up running it slow all the time anyway, and you paid extra for capacity you never touch.
Do the TriStar VS 900 and 950 use the same parts?
The wet end parts are shared. Strainer basket, lid, o-rings, and drain plugs cross over between them. The motor side is where they split, because the horsepower is different.
If a motor fails later, the power end assemblies are model specific. The 1.85 HP replacement is the SPX3202Z1VSPE and the 2.70 HP replacement is the SPX3206Z1VSPE. Both TriStar VS pumps use the SPX3200LCD display, so a dead or blank keypad is the same fix either way.
Will either one work with pool automation?
Yes. Both the SP32900VSP and the SP32950VSP can be controlled by Hayward automation over a communication cable, and both run standalone off the onboard display if you do not have automation. If you plan to add an OmniHub or OmniLogic later, neither pump locks you out of it.
One thing worth checking before you order: your incoming voltage and the breaker size at the pad. The 2.70 HP pump pulls more current at full speed than the 1.85 HP does, so if your existing circuit was sized years ago for a small pump, have an electrician confirm it before the SP32950VSP shows up.
What most people end up buying
For a plain rectangular pool with no spa and no water features, we point people at the TriStar VS 900. It is the cheaper pump, it is quieter at the speeds you will actually run, and it does the job.
For a pool and spa combo, or anything with a waterfall or a long pipe run, the TriStar VS 950 is worth the difference. Being short on flow is a much bigger headache than having a little extra in reserve.
If you are replacing an old single speed pump and are not sure what your plumbing can handle, tell us the pipe size, the pool gallons, and whether you have a spa. That is usually all it takes to call it.
Hayward | SP32950VSP | TriStar VS 950 Variable-Speed Pool Pump, 2.70 HP, 230V
$1999.99
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