Hi All,
Ran across this calculator and thought it looked interesting. Does it reflect real-life savings? Or is it simply a marketing tool. My inputs were: 40,000 gallons; 1.5 hp SS pump; 24 hrs runtime; $0.23/kWh; 5 month season.
https://www.hayward-pool.com/shop/en/pools/EnergyCalculator
I ask, because I am in the market for a VS pump for next season. The current 1.5 hp single speed super pump II was run 24/7 by the former owners. I know the idea of running a pump 24/7 is thought to be crazy by many here. The former owners claimed that they ran it 24/7 because when on a timer it had lost prime on occasion and had caused "big problems". The pump is about 8-9 ft above the water level of the pool, so I can imagine a case where a check valve intermittently leaks and then the pump cannot pull enough to reprime. I've been too "chicken" to toy with their existing system for this season, but next season I figured that I could install a VS pump that could run 24/7 at low speed and still get enough turnover.
The tool correctly calculates my approximate flow rate (~62-65 gpm measured by my nifty TFT flow meter) and cost to run (~$220/month). It promises some astonishing savings for a VS pump. The Hayward calculator indicates that strategy would cost only $65 in electricity per season (compared to $1200/season for the single speed). Of course, I might need to bump up the flow for heating or skimming, but if I'm working with a baseline energy cost of $13/month to run the VS pump 24/7 and avoid the risk of intermittent loss of prime...I would definitely go that route. My only concern is that the Hayward calculator may be way too optimistic. If the electrical use numbers are legit, it makes the choice of a VS pump a no-brainer. Thoughts?
Thanks!
Jay
Ran across this calculator and thought it looked interesting. Does it reflect real-life savings? Or is it simply a marketing tool. My inputs were: 40,000 gallons; 1.5 hp SS pump; 24 hrs runtime; $0.23/kWh; 5 month season.
https://www.hayward-pool.com/shop/en/pools/EnergyCalculator
I ask, because I am in the market for a VS pump for next season. The current 1.5 hp single speed super pump II was run 24/7 by the former owners. I know the idea of running a pump 24/7 is thought to be crazy by many here. The former owners claimed that they ran it 24/7 because when on a timer it had lost prime on occasion and had caused "big problems". The pump is about 8-9 ft above the water level of the pool, so I can imagine a case where a check valve intermittently leaks and then the pump cannot pull enough to reprime. I've been too "chicken" to toy with their existing system for this season, but next season I figured that I could install a VS pump that could run 24/7 at low speed and still get enough turnover.
The tool correctly calculates my approximate flow rate (~62-65 gpm measured by my nifty TFT flow meter) and cost to run (~$220/month). It promises some astonishing savings for a VS pump. The Hayward calculator indicates that strategy would cost only $65 in electricity per season (compared to $1200/season for the single speed). Of course, I might need to bump up the flow for heating or skimming, but if I'm working with a baseline energy cost of $13/month to run the VS pump 24/7 and avoid the risk of intermittent loss of prime...I would definitely go that route. My only concern is that the Hayward calculator may be way too optimistic. If the electrical use numbers are legit, it makes the choice of a VS pump a no-brainer. Thoughts?
Thanks!
Jay