yearly maintenance costs

[reluctantpoolmom]

Hi,

Once we get our pool up and running, about how much per year will it cost to keep it going? I know that many things are variable, and the biggest will be whether or not we keep it clean. I am just looking for a ball park since I have no idea.

Can someone give me an estimate of electricity to run a pump all year or per month or something? Not how much you pay, but in kw, since our elec. costs are higher than average? We will have a new 1 hp variable pump with 2 levels. Estimate 18-20,000 gal.

What about the chlorine, etc.? I know this probably also depends on many things, but I just need an idea - $5 a month, $150 a month?

Are there any other costs I am not considering? Thanks.

 

[cubbybeave08]

Reluctant...I cannot speak to the electricity cost...I don't pay attention...I have a 2 HP...and it spikes...but I pay my utility bill on a budget plan...so I don't worry...

As far as sanitation costs...I do BBB...and I am sure I don't spend more than 150 bucks for a whole season...May to October. I buy two cases a month of 12.5% Liquid Chlorine...and that usually costs me between 20 and 25 bucks per month. The key is to not let it get out of control...get a good drop based test kit like the ones sold here, Testing everyday prevents problems from occurring...Which can be a little bit more costly...but not what the pool store will charge you to buy Crud to clean up your mess.

Running a pump can be expensive...but, running it alteast 6-8 hours per day is worth having the clean pool.

 

[Bama Rambler]

I have a 1-1/2 hp pump and run it 8 hours per day. It uses about 12 kwh per day.
In 2011 I used 74 gallons of 6% bleach, 40 oz of acid, 48 oz of CYA.

 

[cubbybeave08]

I have a 1-1/2 hp pump and run it 8 hours per day. It uses about 12 kwh per day.
In 2011 I used 74 gallons of 6% bleach, 40 oz of acid, 48 oz of CYA.

Just to show a difference...I used 32 gallons of 12.5% liquid chlorine from my pool store...I pay $2.49 per bottle...as I have no idea what Bama was paying for his 6% bleach...I cannot compare...but I use fewer bottles of 12.5%...and use about half of those to make my winter cover balast bottles so my cover doesn't blow off.

I used about a pound of CYA, one box of borax...and that was it.

 

[reluctantpoolmom]

Thanks everyone. This really helps, it sounds like we will be able to swing the maintenance costs as long as we can get our electricity low enough.

off to ask about the pump situation.

 

[march2012]

Thanks everyone. This really helps, it sounds like we will be able to swing the maintenance costs as long as we can get our electricity low enough.

off to ask about the pump situation.

we have a 2 speed 2 hp pump that uses about 190 watts on the low speed. We run it for 10 hours a day so that is 1.9 kwh. Our rate is like 8 cents/kwh so 16 cents/day. On high speed i think it is around 800 watts

 

[reluctantpoolmom]

we have a 2 speed 2 hp pump that uses about 190 watts on the low speed. We run it for 10 hours a day so that is 1.9 kwh. Our rate is like 8 cents/kwh so 16 cents/day. On high speed i think it is around 800 watts

Thanks, that really helps to get an idea of numbers. Do you know if a 2 sp 1 hp pump would use less than 190 watts on low speed? I don't think we need bigger than a 3/4 hp really, so if we can save that way, it would be great. At your rate we are looking at about $250/ yr with our elec costs, so if we can get a pump that is significantly more efficient for what we need, then spending $500 more might pay itself back in just a few years.

 

[Taterfink]

I had the same question so, I googled for an electric usage calculator: http://www.webmath.com/kwh.html

I checked my electric bill and got the total I paid for electricity (including fees and taxes, just to keep it real) and I divided that $ amount by the # of kwh used that month. This told me that I was paying $.13 per kwh for electricity.

I then looked to see what wattage the appliance was rated at. say 115 (just picked a number for an example) Then went to the calculator at the link I put above and plugged in all my info and viola! I found that an appliance at 115 watts, electricy at .13/kwh, run for 8 hours would cost me .12 for that 8 hours.

You can use the calculator to check on any and all of your appliances. You just need the three figures: watts, cost of kwh from your electric bill, and how many hours you plan to run that item.

Hope this helps.

Angie

 

[reluctantpoolmom]

Thanks Angie, that's great! Do you know of a good place to find what different pumps are rated at and on which speeds if they are 2 sp or variable, what the lowest speed is? I guess maybe the manufacturer's website under specs?

 

[reluctantpoolmom]

I have a 1-1/2 hp pump and run it 8 hours per day. It uses about 12 kwh per day.
In 2011 I used 74 gallons of 6% bleach, 40 oz of acid, 48 oz of CYA.

Oh my goodness! I read your post a while ago, but hadn't done all the math on the pump since I was paying more attention to the other stuff. If we had a pump that used 12 kwh/day, with our elec rates we would be paying $1400/ yr at least, or over $115/month just to run the pool! and that is without all the fees on the elec bill included!! That is almost what our whole household consumes a month without the pool pump.

Thanks for helping me understand why our old pump isn't worth fixing!

 

[Taterfink]

I tried googling a manual for a Hayward pump, and I checked the manual for my own pump. I could not find the watts anywhere. Which is odd I think because the manual to my SWCG gives me watts.

I did find out that if you have the volts and the amps, you can multiply the two and that will give you the watts. Don't know where to find the amps tho. Unless of course you have the pump in your hand and check the little info plate that is attached to all things electrical.

So, I would suppose that you could call the manufacturer.? Or, (choke, choke) the "Pool Store". :?

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
Angie

 

[JasonLion]

A small two speed on low tends to use 300 to 350 watts. A variable speed can be turned down as low as about 100 watts. But you have to run the variable speed almost twice as long to be equivalent, so the savings, while significant, isn't quite as large as it appears to be at first.

Manufacturer specs aren't reliable for this sort of thing. They will tell you peak usage, but not real world usage. I use the CA energy commission pump efficiency test results, which are fairly close to real world numbers, though not perfect.

 

[reluctantpoolmom]

Thanks, I found the CA energy commission results, that helps.