Filter time & Time of Use Electricity Charge

[goldygopher]

I've read and received conflicting ideas about the proper amount of time to run a pump on the pool. Obviously, I know it depends on turnover, pump sizing, etc. My main question is whether it matters if the pump is run during daylight or pm hours.

I am on a time of use electricity rate plan and as of 7/1 I'll be paying a VERY high rate from 2-7 pm. (discounted the rest of the day)

Should the pump be running while the pool has direct sunlight? Or, can I offset my pump run time and leave it off during some or all of my high rate time period? My pool starts to receive shade by 5 pm and by 6 ish is nearly shaded.

My logic would tell me that direct sun would destroy the chlorine near the surface and if the pump wasn't running the water on the top would be more susceptible to algae...

 

[zea3]

You can run the pump and add your chlorine during the discounted hours without problems. If you want, you can use a timer and run the majority of your time discounted and one hour during high rate time. I would leave the water features off during the high rate time and if you have a 2 speed pump run it on low. You could also run the pump in the discounted hours only and run the pollvergnuegen during the high rate time. The cleaner will use less energy and its movement will mix the water.

 

[257WbyMag]

As time goes on, this is something that is probably going to affect more and more of us as electric utilities transition over to the so-called "smart meters".

In the summertime, I tend to run my pump in the early evening hours with it shutting off finally deep into the night. I do this because I tend to add my chemicals after the sun sets in the evening. Once I am forced to abide by a time of use/peak hour rate plan, this will work well under that sort of rate structure as I wouldn't be running the pump in the middle of the day when load demand is at its highest. The exception to this is of course when I have swimmers in the pool. I always run it with swimmers.

 

[goldygopher]

Ok, so just to clarify, it doesn't matter when you run the pump, as long as you get enough time per day?

 

[zea3]

In my opinion that is correct, enough run time per day along with maintaining the correct levels of chlorine.