Power Savings?

[tcat]

I've read that robotic cleaners can save power over booster pump operation, http://www.aaffordablepoolspa.com/North ... ports.html

I have a Legend Platinum, 5 years old, needs new tires, gets stuck a lot, so I've been thinking about buying a robotic cleaner. Do they do as good a job? I like the idea of throwing it in as required, rather than my current cleaner on a daily 3 hr cycle in the pool 24/7. If it save a couple hundred $$ a year in EE bills, it'd pay for itself fairly fast. What are the best ones out there?

 

[JasonLion]

How much you save obviously depends on your utility rates and to a lesser extent on your booster pump. A booster pump can draw say 1200 watts (or more), run 3 hours a day for six months of the year that is about 660 kWh. With electricity at say $0.11/kWh, that comes to perhaps $73/year. If on the other hand you are paying $0.45/kWh it comes out to about $300/year. Now, many booster pumps draw more power than that, and many people run their pump more than six months per year, so your results will vary.

At the low end of that range, a booster pump doesn't even come close to paying for a robotic cleaner, while at the high end of the range, it could easily pay for a robotic cleaner, so it all depends.

 

[bobodaclown]

I've got a Smart Kleen Nitro $399 and have been happy with it. It's in the shop right now. Motor, actually a sensor in the motor unit, but its the whole motor they replace. Waiting to find out if it's going to be covered under VISA extended warranty. It at 18 months. 12 months is the manufactures, then VISA doubles it.

My pool isn't covered, gets leaves, twigs, and such, the intakes are pretty big.