I'm just curious how long everyone runs their sand pump?? Do you run it 24/7, 8 hours, 10 hours, or 12 hours?? Do you run it overnight or during the day? I'm currently running mine 12 hours (10am-10pm) and the swp for 9 hours. Of course, summer is almost over and we will be closing it next month, so really just info for next season.
Pump running time
- Thread starter Melshy169
- Start date
- Jun 22, 2014
- 47,751
- Pool Size
- 17888
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-45 Plus
I suspect you will get bombarded with many different times from forum members all based on their pool's specific requirements. In the meantime, I wasn't sure if you already saw this page: Pool School - Determine Pump Run Time. Good luck!
I have a Variable Speed pump. I also have a Saltwater Generator and the SWG is on a timer.
Because lots of stuff blows into my pool, and the fact that I just like to see the water moving, I run my pump 16 hrs a day, but only at 1200 rpm which means cheap electricity bill. My timer tuns on my Saltwater Generator for 3 hours in the morning, then off, then 3 hours again in the evening so that my FC stays up where it needs to be.
Because lots of stuff blows into my pool, and the fact that I just like to see the water moving, I run my pump 16 hrs a day, but only at 1200 rpm which means cheap electricity bill. My timer tuns on my Saltwater Generator for 3 hours in the morning, then off, then 3 hours again in the evening so that my FC stays up where it needs to be.
I have several large trees as well (stupid leaves and sticks!) and now that it's getting towards the end of summer and it's dry, the leaves are falling much quicker. We rarely use the pool during the week now that school has started, so I was thinking about changing the filter times to evenings/over night when there is less electricity being used. I love having pool, however, I HATE my electric bills in the summer.
- May 3, 2007
- 16,828
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
These recommendations apply to all types of pools and filters: Pool School - Determine Pump Run Time
kk_isme
0
I run mine during the day when I am home. Evening if I'm gone during the day. Probably for 4 or 6 hours. I have had bad experiences with hoses cracking open during the night or while I am out and it is a huge mess and waste of chemicals and water, so I like to run the filter when I am home and can react quickly to any problems.
Four hours a day - 6 AM to 10 AM. I test and add any necessary chemicals before work in the AM.
I would like to change it to 6AM - 8 AM and again from 4 PM to 6 PM - just to pick up some of the leaves that drop in during the day (I don't get many) but I have been too lazy to get additional stops for the timer.
I do plan on going to a SWG next summer, so that is going to change things up a bit, but the 4 hours a day is enough to keep my particular pool very clear.
-dave
I would like to change it to 6AM - 8 AM and again from 4 PM to 6 PM - just to pick up some of the leaves that drop in during the day (I don't get many) but I have been too lazy to get additional stops for the timer.
I do plan on going to a SWG next summer, so that is going to change things up a bit, but the 4 hours a day is enough to keep my particular pool very clear.
-dave
According to my pump's flow rate and pool volume, it takes 7.91 hours to turn over my water once, so I run my pump between 1pm and 9pm. It will typically go on earlier on the weekends if we are taking a dip before 1 o'clock.
- May 3, 2007
- 16,828
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Turnovers are irrelevant and should have no bearing on your run time. Please read pool school: Pool School - Determine Pump Run Time
Hmm...Interesting.
8 hours is still shorter and cost less than the 12 hours I used to run it (recommended for Baquacil), but 4 hours doesn't really give me a warm and fuzzy feeling either. While my pool is in the sun pretty much all day, I have a backdrop of woods just outside the fence line, just a few feet away. I get leaves in the fall and cottonwood seed (and what look like buck-eye flowers) in the spring.
Perhaps I'll experiment with runtimes, but on the other hand I like to have the pump on while the pool is in use and I don't want to overriding the timer each I go for a swim. Electricity cost is not as much of a concern it was in years past, due to our recently installed solar panels.
8 hours is still shorter and cost less than the 12 hours I used to run it (recommended for Baquacil), but 4 hours doesn't really give me a warm and fuzzy feeling either. While my pool is in the sun pretty much all day, I have a backdrop of woods just outside the fence line, just a few feet away. I get leaves in the fall and cottonwood seed (and what look like buck-eye flowers) in the spring.
Perhaps I'll experiment with runtimes, but on the other hand I like to have the pump on while the pool is in use and I don't want to overriding the timer each I go for a swim. Electricity cost is not as much of a concern it was in years past, due to our recently installed solar panels.
- May 3, 2007
- 16,828
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Certainly for debris removal you may need some more run time but for just chlorination and circulation, you can get away with very little. In fact, the study in my signature shows that the water quality in the many pools studied did not improve substantially after only 2 hours of run time.
But even with solar panels, it still "costs" you the potential revenue you could make off the solar panels instead of running the pump.
But even with solar panels, it still "costs" you the potential revenue you could make off the solar panels instead of running the pump.
I started with 8, and backed it down from there in about hours increments. Two hours gives me a pretty consistent mix when I add bleach. but 2 hour is really pushing it. I also like to run it 4, because it does better at eliminating the temperature layers that happen from my solar cover (there can be 8 to 10 degrees between the top and bottom of the pool)
If I have a large bather load, such as a party, I will kick the filter on for some extra time. My pool is pretty much in the middle of the yard, so I don't get that much debris in it, unless it gets very windy.
Thanks, Mark
Solar panels mitigate energy costs. They do not eliminate them. Companies are not allowed to "design" a system that would provide a net positive generation over a given year. They take a sample of your readings from the prior year and extrapolate your consumption. On the other hand, they cannot control the weather or a panels' efficiency. There are certainly some months (March, April, and I suspect September and October) where you build up a credit on generation and delivery, but there is still a fixed Customer Service Charge that cannot be avoided.
That is neither here nor there. The OP's question was how long we run our pumps. I answered it. It appears that I am mistaken on my basis for running that long, but at this point, it is what it is. I read the study in your sig. As I said. Interesting. I'll look into adjusting my timer and see how it goes.
Dave-
Temperature layers is why I like to run the pump while the pool is in use.
Solar panels mitigate energy costs. They do not eliminate them. Companies are not allowed to "design" a system that would provide a net positive generation over a given year. They take a sample of your readings from the prior year and extrapolate your consumption. On the other hand, they cannot control the weather or a panels' efficiency. There are certainly some months (March, April, and I suspect September and October) where you build up a credit on generation and delivery, but there is still a fixed Customer Service Charge that cannot be avoided.
That is neither here nor there. The OP's question was how long we run our pumps. I answered it. It appears that I am mistaken on my basis for running that long, but at this point, it is what it is. I read the study in your sig. As I said. Interesting. I'll look into adjusting my timer and see how it goes.
Dave-
Temperature layers is why I like to run the pump while the pool is in use.
I have a 2 speed pump and I leave mine on 24/7. I've only had it for 4 months, but I compared my energy bills to last year and the increase was less than $20 per month. I should point out that my pool is in full sun 11+ hours/day and adjacent to some large trees that dump leaves into it.