Pump electricity consumption

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C

Campbellsa

Active member
Jul 26, 2022
41
Agoura Hills, CA
Pool Size
16200
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Jandy Aquapure 1400
Jimrahbe said:
sbc,

You have an IntelliFlo pump, so I would not think it would cost much to run it 24/7. It does not appear that you have a heater, so you could run at about 1200 RPM most of the time. I'm sure our electrical rates are not the same, but I can run 24/7, mostly at 1200 RPM for less than $20 bucks a month.

Are you running faster that 1200? If so, why?

I would also think about bumping your CYA up to 70 so that you will have less FC loss per day.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
Hi Jim-

Jumping into an old thread, but it seems you may have an answer to my question. How do you know how much energy your pump is using? I have a 2017 Pentair WhisperFlo WFE-6 1.5hp. I can't seem to find anywhere what the RPMs or wattage are to back into KwH based on running 8 hours per day. In the end, I'm trying to figure out if it makes sense for me to proactively upgrade to a VSP from an energy consumption standpoint. Thank you!

Moved from here.
 
Last edited:
The general rule is that the required kW scale with the third power of the RPM. That means running the pump at half the speed cuts the required kW by a factor of 8.
 
C,

You can use this calculator to come up with a pretty good estimate.

www.inyopools.com

How Much Does My Pool Pump Cost to Run? - INYOPools.com - DIY Resources

Ever wonder how much it costs to run your pool pump? Find out today how much you are paying to run your pool pump.
www.inyopools.com www.inyopools.com

Most all single speed pumps run at a fixed 3450 RPM. You really don't need that info.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 
Thanks everyone! This is really useful info. The SF on the pump is 1.47, so 1.47 x 1.5 = 2.2 kWH...so basically in line with the Inyo Pools site and James' estimate. So let's say 2.2 kWh x $.28/kw (SCE) x 8 hrs/day = $4.93/day or $1,800/year. Based on the Inyo website, you can run a VSP at about 47% of the cost of single speed, so that would be $846/year, or $954/year in savings. Seems like a no brainer, what am I missing? For my 16k gallon pool, are these reasonable assumptions? Would I run it longer hours? I've read some people running 24 hours at low speed, in which case would it not really save money?
 
I run my pump 24/7 at low speed. It consumes ~75 W, which equates to ~$6 per month. That's less than $75 per year in electric costs.

I live in Texas, where electricity is relatively cheap. You live in California, where it isn't. Even so, I think you'll enjoy significant savings with a VSP.
 
C,

Using your numbers, it costs you about $5 a day to run your pump for 8 hours.

I can run my pump 24/7, at 1200 RPM, for less than 66 cents per day.

It is not a requirement to run 24/7, it is just something that works well for me and that I like to do. I like that my pool is constantly be skimmed and since I have a SWCG, I like making a little chlorine all the time.

I certainly would not recommend running 24/7 with a single speed pump.

Also, my VS pump is about 8 years old and is not near energy efficient as the new ones. My guess is that I could run a new VS IntelliFlo for less than 33 cents a day.

Thanks,

Jim R.
 

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Jimrahbe said:
C,

Using your numbers, it costs you about $5 a day to run your pump for 8 hours.

I can run my pump 24/7, at 1200 RPM, for less than 66 cents per day.

It is not a requirement to run 24/7, it is just something that works well for me and that I like to do. I like that my pool is constantly be skimmed and since I have a SWCG, I like making a little chlorine all the time.

I certainly would not recommend running 24/7 with a single speed pump.

Also, my VS pump is about 8 years old and is not near energy efficient as the new ones. My guess is that I could run a new VS IntelliFlo for less than 33 cents a day.

Thanks,

Jim R.
Click to expand...
Ok, this is significantly better than the Inyo Pool website estimate for savings. What is your energy cost?
 
There is no need to run a pump longer for turnover reasons, at least not in residential settings. But many just prefer to run their VS pumps 24/7. Constant skimming, pool is always ready to jump in, easy going in combination with an SWG.

Edit: Looks like Jim was faster with the same info. And more...
 
James beat me to the LA DWP info.

The company I used even applied for the rebate, they made it really easy, but they seem to be out of business, but other companies might do the same.

Pretty sure I got $1000 rebate which really makes it a no brainer. You have to use a certified installer to get $1000.
 
Campbellsa said:
Hi Jim-

... How do you know how much energy your pump is using? ...

Moved from here.
Click to expand...
I turn the pump off, yell at everyone in the house to not turn anything on, go look at the meter's instantaneous watt/kwatt reading, turn the pump on, check again, buy ice cream for everyone I yelled at. Also I can get hourly kW graphs/data from my utility (PG&E) and if I start my pump early in the morning before anyone wakes up that data matches with those instant readings. I can also get this year / last year comparisons and the summer I installed the VSP was way less than the year before. My VSP motor payed for itself that summer.
 

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