I have not seen a discussion of the number of hours each day a pool owner should run their pump. Pool stores have told me that a pump should run 8 to 12 hours per day. Or I have been told you should have one complete turnover of the water each day. But nobody has said why! Or how this was determined.
I would think that factors such as the amount of debris that is blown into the pool, your Cl level, number of swimmers, type of filter media would effect the required run time. Is there an advantage to running the pump for several hours in the morning, afternoon, and night instead of a straight 8 hour period. Our utility does not have time of day billing so that is not a factor.
Just as pool builders are known to over size pumps to make it seem they are providing top of the line equipment and they ignore hydraulics and efficiency I wonder if required pump run times are exaggerated. In a simpler time when electricity rates were low, the world seem to have unlimited energy, and no one thought that man induced global warming was even a possibility it made sense to encourage pool owners to have long pump run times.
We no longer live in a simpler time. I have at times run my pump for only 4 to 6 hours a day during the summer with no algae and maintained crystal clear water. Yes, I violated the advice I received from everyone. I am questioning the standard advice since my experience so far says the recommendations are excessive, I do not want to waste energy and cause more CO2, and a want to determine a standard number of hours to run my pump before I install a SWG.
So my question is not how many hours do you run your pump but what problems does a pool owner have if they do not run their pump sufficient number of hours. Should you determine the sufficient number of hours by trial and error?
Since your pool pump, A/C, and refrigerator are three of the largest electricity using devices in your house if all pool users reduced their pool pump run times just an hour per day a significant amount of energy could be saved. I would appreciate thoughtful knowledgeable advice.
TIA
I would think that factors such as the amount of debris that is blown into the pool, your Cl level, number of swimmers, type of filter media would effect the required run time. Is there an advantage to running the pump for several hours in the morning, afternoon, and night instead of a straight 8 hour period. Our utility does not have time of day billing so that is not a factor.
Just as pool builders are known to over size pumps to make it seem they are providing top of the line equipment and they ignore hydraulics and efficiency I wonder if required pump run times are exaggerated. In a simpler time when electricity rates were low, the world seem to have unlimited energy, and no one thought that man induced global warming was even a possibility it made sense to encourage pool owners to have long pump run times.
We no longer live in a simpler time. I have at times run my pump for only 4 to 6 hours a day during the summer with no algae and maintained crystal clear water. Yes, I violated the advice I received from everyone. I am questioning the standard advice since my experience so far says the recommendations are excessive, I do not want to waste energy and cause more CO2, and a want to determine a standard number of hours to run my pump before I install a SWG.
So my question is not how many hours do you run your pump but what problems does a pool owner have if they do not run their pump sufficient number of hours. Should you determine the sufficient number of hours by trial and error?
Since your pool pump, A/C, and refrigerator are three of the largest electricity using devices in your house if all pool users reduced their pool pump run times just an hour per day a significant amount of energy could be saved. I would appreciate thoughtful knowledgeable advice.
TIA