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Hayward vs Pentair Cartridge Filters

Cartridge filters from Hayward and Pentair overlap heavily in filtration area, so the choice between the two brands usually comes down to which sizes fit your pad and your turnover target — not brand loyalty. Both lines run from small single-element units for spas and small pools up to four-cartridge tanks for large residential and light-commercial pools.

The real differences show up in the details: how much side and vertical clearance a tank needs, how many cartridges you'll be pulling and cleaning, and what flow rate the housing is rated for. Those numbers determine whether a filter actually fits your equipment pad and matches your pump.

Below is a side-by-side on the specs both brands publish, followed by notes on each Hayward and Pentair model so you can match filtration area and clearance to your pad before you decide.

Side by side

Spec Hayward Pentair
Filtration Area 90-725 sq ft 100-620 sq ft
Design / Max Flow Rate 84-150 GPM 100-150 GPM
Max Working Pressure 50 PSI (all models list this) 50 PSI (where listed)
Cartridges Required 1-4 (where listed) 4 (where listed)
Pool Size (8-hr turnover) Up to 43,200 gallons (only the 90 sq ft model publishes this figure) 48,000-72,000 gallons (where listed)
Pool Size (10-hr turnover) Up to 54,000 gallons (only the 90 sq ft model publishes this figure) 60,000-90,000 gallons (where listed)
Tank Diameter 13.375-18 in (where listed) 22.98-32.5 in (where listed)
Tank Color Beige/Gray (where listed) Black, Beige, or Matte Black (where listed)
Plumbing Size 2 in (where listed) 2 in (where listed)
Product Height 30-52.5 in (where listed) 42.25-49 in (where listed)
Side Clearance Required 18 in (all models list this) 6-40 in
Vertical Clearance Required 15-30 in 50-76 in
Product Weight 26-107.5 lb 25-147 lb
Inlet/Outlet Spacing 5 in center-to-center (where listed) 7.49 in center-to-center (where listed)
Energy Efficient Yes (Green Certified) Yes (Green Certified, where noted)
Warranty 1 Year 1 Year

Hayward

Hayward Star-Clear™ Plus 90 Sq Ft Cartridge Filter

Hayward's cartridge line holds the side clearance requirement at 18 in across every model listed, from the 90 sq ft Star-Clear Plus up to the 725 sq ft SwimClear. That makes pad planning simple if you're standardizing across multiple jobs or pool sizes — the width you allot doesn't change as you move up in filtration area.

The Star-Clear Plus 90 (C9002) is a single-element filter rated for up to 43,200 gallons at the faster of the two turnover rates it lists, and up to 54,000 gallons at the slower rate — the only Hayward model in this set that publishes pool-size-by-turnover figures. The SwimClear 525 (C5030) and 725 (C7030) step up to four required cartridges and a larger 18 in tank diameter, with vertical clearance needs of 22 in and 28 in respectively. The SwimClear 225 (C2030) needs the least vertical clearance in the lineup at 15 in, while the Star-Clear Plus 175 (C17502) needs the most among the smaller models at 30 in.

Pentair

Pentair Clean & Clear® 100 Sq Ft Cartridge Filter EC-160316

Pentair's range shows more variation pad-to-pad. The Clean & Clear (EC-160316) and Posi-Clear RP 200 (160350) side-entry models need only 6 in of side clearance, which helps on narrow pads, but the Posi-Clear RP 200 also needs 76 in of vertical clearance — the tallest requirement in either lineup — so ceiling height in the equipment enclosure matters. The System:3 500 (S8M500) is the opposite case: only 50 in of vertical clearance but 40 in of side clearance, the widest footprint on this list.

Pentair publishes pool-size-by-turnover figures across more of its models than Hayward does: the Clean & Clear 100, Posi-Clear RP 200, Clean and Clear Plus 420, and System:3 500 all list gallons at the faster of the two turnover rates, ranging from 48,000 to 72,000 gallons. The Posi-Clear RP 200 and Clean & Clear 100 also publish a figure at the slower rate, from 60,000 to 90,000 gallons. Several Pentair models (Posi-Clear RP 200, Clean and Clear Plus 420, System:3 500) carry ANSI Standard 50 certification where listed; our data does not show this certification listed for any Hayward model in this set.

The verdict

Choose Hayward if you want one consistent side-clearance number (18 in) to plan around no matter which filtration area you end up needing — it simplifies pad layout when you're standardizing across multiple installs. Hayward also tops out higher on raw filtration area, with the SwimClear 725 (C7030) versus Pentair's largest listed model, the FullFloXF C620, at 620 sq ft.

Choose Pentair if your pad is narrow but you have vertical room to work with — the Clean & Clear 100 and Posi-Clear RP 200 need as little as 6 in of side clearance. Also lean Pentair if ANSI Standard 50 certification is a requirement for your job, since it's listed on several Pentair models here and not listed on any Hayward model in this set. If you need documented pool-size-by-turnover sizing across most of the lineup rather than just one model, Pentair publishes that data more consistently across its range.

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