Pump run time....

[lorngraves]

This will be out 3rd full summer with the pool. Previously we have been running the pump 24/7. I want to avoid the $750 electric bill we had. We have a heat pump, SWG, slide and 3 deck jets. I assume they will not work if the filter is off. Last year I ran my SWG at about 20-25% all season with the pump running all the time.

Can I reduce the pump run time? Will that affect the % that I need to set my SWG at? I also have my Polaris on a timer. I can set my filter on the timer also. What should I start out running my filter, how many hours a day? I keep my stabilizer at about 60-70, Alk about 60 if that makes a difference. My kids are typically out there prety much all day long and use the slide and deck jets. When do you typically not run the filter, what time of day? I want my heater to be on at night at the beginning and end of season. Will it affect it if I turn it off for an hour here and there as they are in and out?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

Wow, big pool.

Can you provide the specs on your pump specs.

Also, we have a forum rule - your signature can only contain 5 lines of text so your's needs to be edited down (thanks in advance.)

You may be able to reduce the run time, but you are correct your other features will not work when the pump is off. You will likely have to adjust the % setting, but that will be trial and error for you to find the correct output for your pool.

You may be able to run the pump during the night for the majority of the time, but it is still a good idea to run the pump a bit during the middle of the day too. Do you use a solar cover at all? or is this not practical?

 

[PaulR]

I think the main question is whether the pump is 1-speed, 2-speed, variable-speed, or what. Running on low speed is way more efficient electricity-wise, the question is then whether you have enough flow/pressure to drive whatever else is going on at the time.
--paulr

 

[bk406]

You said you wanted the heater to be on at night. Since you have a heat pump, that may not be the most efficient thing to do. Depending on the air temps at night, not a lot of heat will be put into the pool. You might consider starting the filter pump at say 8-9 am. That way, you should maximize the daytime heat to put more heat into the pool. I run my pump 12 hours a day. 8 hours from 9 am to 5 pm, then 4 hours at night. But, you have an awfully large pool to try to heat with a heat pump and chlorinate with an 8-12 hour run time.

 

[Bama Rambler]

Just piling on here! (ok not really)

If you could tell us the model number of your SWG cell that'd give the experts here a clue as to how much it should be capable of producing and therefore if it'll handle cutting the pump run time down.

 

[New2Me]

Congratulations! Now you know how much chlorine it takes to satisfy the demand of your pool - 25% of your cells rated output ( in grams(or pounds) /day.) Now you get to decide the Band-Aid question - Which is better? Pull it off quickly (run at 100%), or pull it off slowly(run at 25%)? Which way costs you more time ( and money!)?
Running the SWG cell 24 hours/day at 25% is exactly the same as running it 6 hours at 100%, as far as how much chlorine is produced, only the little relays on the main control board that actually switch the power on-off will last 4 times as long! Oh, and the pump electrical cost is reduced by 75%!!!

Raising the CYA to 80 and adding 50 ppm Borate will also cut down on the required ON time.

How long it takes your pump/filter to filter the water clean enough to suit you (and run your cleaner) will probably be your main constraint, and will vary, dependent on how much dirt/debris is in the pool. As long as you maintain the proper sanitizer(FC) level, you can leave the pump off. If you don't get a lot of "stuff" blown/carried into the pool, that may be several days - again, dependent on maintaining proper FC.

Installing a smaller pump, just to supply water for slide/jet entertainment, might could reduce your electric cost enough to pay for itself. Same thing for getting an electric robotic cleaner to replace the pressure cleaner, when the time comes.

I only have a single drain, and even though it has a "safety" cover and is rarely set for 100% suction, I try not to run the pump with people in the pool, I run it at night (even though we don't have time of day metering, yet.) The robot (also runs at night) has gotten stuck on the cover, so I can easily picture a small child stuck there, too.

I run my filter at night for 4-10 hours, every, or every other day, dependent on the usage, season, water quality, FC and whether or not a robotic cleaner is operating. YMWV
Best Wishes!!!

 

[lorngraves]

My siggy is only 4 lines of text, not 5.

We have not trees in our yard or immediate area. Pool is in full sun most of the day. I really think the bill only went up about $250 from our normal. We only had one bill like that and it was year before last. Last year my max was $638. We also are cooling a 3000 sf house. I will go out and get the specs on the pump and report back.

The pool is big, thus why I am afraid to really cut run time. We have a large family though, 7 kids so we knew we needed a larger than average pool. We hope to stay here unitl we die and someday in the far, far future hope to have lots of grandkids enjoy it also. Really my pool does not cost much to run. I buy a 50 pound bag of Sodium Bicarb at the beginning of the season for $20, I still have over half a bag left. I use 2 gallons of muratic acid a month, 8 cups a week, that runs about $12 at Lowes, salt-I add that as needed 8 bags last season, we had so much rain and had to backwash a lot.

I test my water daily with the TF test kit and keep my levels on target. My pool really has been trouble free. LOL! That is why I hate to mess with a good thing.

 

[Bama Rambler]

If your pump is a single speed pump you could switch to a 2-speed or a variable speed and run it on low for 24 hours a day and save some money. That way your SWG could be ran the same % as it is now and you could still run the heat pump.

With a pool your size I'd lean toward a variable speed. With it you could optimize the running speed.

 

[lorngraves]

The pump is a single speed, not variable. I just went out and got this info from the filter... Hayward Pro Series 300 lb sand filter. Model #S244T. It says: Filtration rate GPM/FT2- 20, Filtration and Backwash design flowrate 62 GPM. The pump is a 1HP pump

The SWG is a Goldline Aquarite T-Cell-15, turbo cell.

We don't use a solar cover because I can't find one that is L-shaped and 2 would be too hard to put on and off every night. My pool is used every day during the season unless we are on vacation. I guess I just thought that if I ran the heat pump at night it would keep the water temp from dropping as low as if i did not run it. I don't like cold water...even in summer. I keep it set about 87 most of the time.

I also hate to get my CYA much above 60-70 because I don't like to run the cell as much to keep the higher FC numbers. The first summer PB had it at 90 and I had to run a FC of about 10, my SWG was running almost 50% then.

Do I have to replace my whole sand filter to get a variable rate pump?

 

[JasonLion]

As you raise the CYA level, the amount of time the SWG cell needs to be turned on decreases. The cell will last longer with CYA around 70-80 than it will with CYA around 6-70, though the difference will be fairly small. Take a look at the lower, SWG specific, FC/CYA chart here for recommended FC levels at various CYA levels for use with a SWG.

No, you do not need to replace your filter when replacing your pump. I am not so sure you will save money by buying a variable speed pump. How quickly a variable speed pump pays back depends on your electric rates, and I don't believe electric rates are especially high in AL, though I am not sure.

Many people prefer solar covers that are cut up into several pieces. The individual pieces are lighter than a large cover would be, and thus are easier to handle. This won't always make any difference if you have a really good reel to roll the cover up on, but in many situations several pieces are easier to handle.

It actually saves a little heat to run the heater during the day, rather than at night and heat pumps are dramatically more efficient during the day. The one disadvantage is that the pool will tend to be colder the very first thing in the morning when running the heater during the day. Other than that, day time is better.

Lowering your pump run time is a good idea. However, it will take some experimentation to figure out what the ideal run time is, and the SWG percentage will need to be adjusted as you adjust the pump run time.

 

[PhotoEd]

Just wanted to say HEY from Huntsville!