Variable speed pumping system and method

A pumping system, the pumping system adapted to be coupled to a pool, a pool filter, a pool heater, and a pool vacuum, the pumping system comprising:

• a centrifugal pump;
• a variable speed electric motor coupled to drive the centrifugal pump;
• a heater sensor adapted to provide an indication of operation of the pool heater;
• a filtration level sensor adapted to sense a parameter indicative of a current filtering level of operation;
• and
• a controller in communication with the variable speed electric motor, the heater sensor, and the filtration level sensor,
• the controller configured to determine a current value of at least one of a volume, a flow rate, a mass, and a pressure in the pumping system associated with the current filtering level of operation by monitoring the parameter of the filtration level sensor that is indicative of the current filtering level of operation,
• the controller configured to determine a current operational state of the pool heater in the pumping system associated with the indication of heater operation provided by the heater sensor;
• the controller configured to continuously modify an actual speed of the variable speed electric motor to a minimum floor speed that the controller determines to be a highest speed required between a comparison of a minimum filter speed necessary to achieve a desired filtering level of operation, and a predetermined pump heater speed for use during operation of the pool heater.