ok. I'll look into those, in the mean time can you do this, it's a simple download, I want to see the event log and a few things. Please download MiniToolBox http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/farbar/MiniToolBox.exe and run it. See link below, Checkmark following boxes: List last 10 Event Viewer log List Installed Programs List Users, Partitions and Memory size List Restore Points Click Go and post the result. Click the link below, then "save" the file to the desktop and "run" it, post the log it creates. This program runs from the desktop, no need to install anything, when we are done we right click on it and delete it. Here is a link that might be useful: MiniToolBox

zep - I did google it, copied to a doc and saved it for reference. I check out a few things about changing the battery and what can happen. It said you can lose your custom bios settings. I have no idea what those would be - will look that up later. hmmm... I guess I could shut it down and see what happens... it'd have to be off 24 hrs to lose a day on it - right? so it'd take a few nights off to lose a day... I'm not sure how that'd work since the time on it was correct. maybe I should ask Dell that question!

First, a 1/2 HP pump is actually not a 1/2 HP pump. Label HP means very little. The WFE has a service factor of 1.9 so technically, the total HP (THP = HP * Service factor) for the WFE is 0.8 HP. So the efficiency of the motor is around 49.7% although the published efficiency is 68.7%. Larger motors tend to have better power efficiency but they cost more to run. Also regarding #1, there are no blades in a pump only the impeller and it has vanes. Plus there is no difference in a VS wet end vs a single speed wet end. In fact, the Intelliflo series use the same wet end as the WFE 12. Flow rate is changed by changing the rotational speed of the motor using a variable frequency drive (VFD). In a two speed pump, the speed of the motor is changed by switching to a different set of winding's. Next having 35' of at 36 GPM would be extremely high head loss for that GPM and would be the equivalent of a pool with 1.25" or smaller plumbing. I am not sure where you got the 35' of head from but a typical pool with 2" plumbing should have head loss less than 11' @ 36 GPM. Don't forget that head loss is proportional to GPM^2. But to answer your question in a different way, the Intelliflo @ 1100 RPM on the CEC plumbing curve-C would draw about 150 watts and have a flow rate of around 33 GPM. This would be the most efficient setting. When comparing pumps it is best to use energy factors (gallons/watt-hr). Again using the CEC plumbing curve-C as a reference, the energy factor the VS at full speed (97 GPM @ 2720 watts) is 2.14 while the WFE (68 GPM @ 1200 watts) 3.4. The Intelliflo at the same flow rate as the WFE 2 (68 GPM) would draw about 860 watts for an energy factor of 4.74 so clearly better than the WFE 2. Even better though the Intelliflo at 1100 RPM has an energy factor of 13.2 which would be very inexpensive to run. A 72k pool is very large but a single Intelliflo with the right plumbing could turn it over in 12 hours which should be plenty. At 1100 RPM, you would turn over 2/3 of the pool in 24 hours but that may be enough. I find I only need about a 1/2 turn per day to keep the pool clean. I would save yourself some money and buy one pump and one filter. The money you save could pay for the second Intelliflo if/when this one dies.

@Ron Natalie, I'm trying to understand what you're so upset and shouting about. First of all, @barnaclebob didn't reply "four years late": I posted my question yesterday asking for his experience since his original post, and he answered it promptly the same day. Secondly, I don't understand why it's OK to bond ground to neutral at the chassis (for a 3-wire installation), but somehow more dangerous to do it 1 foot further away (at the outlet) for a 4-wire cord. Yes, of course it's better to separate ground and neutral, but code allows bridging them for existing 3-wire installations. In my case running a new 4-wire cable would be very difficult, so I'm considering this low-risk workaround, at least for the short term. If there's a real and imminent danger to doing this then it'd be great if you could let me know what it is - I certainly don't want to burn the house down - but please keep the sarcasm in your pocket.