Best time to run the pump?

[IronRon]

I bought a house with a pool about 2 months ago - first time owning a pool as an adult. I stumbled across your site right away and have stayed out of the LPS (local pool store). People think I am nuts buying 12 gallons of bleach from Target (buy 3 get one free - 8.25% for $2.99) and boxes of baking soda from Wal-Mart (4 lbs for $2.09). But that is OK, I know better thanks to you guys. I have had very good luck with my pool and am really enjoying the back yard.

I have heard that the hours we should run the pump is based on the air temperature (1 hours for every 10 degrees, so if it is 90 degrees, we should run pump for 9 hours per day). My question has to do with the best time of the day to run the pump. Should it be in the middle of the day with the most direct sunlight or should it be off hours (early in the morning and late at night) or does it even matter?

Thanks a bunch for any advice you can give me.

Ron

 

[JohnT]

Welcome to TFP!

As far as time, run it as much as it takes to keep it clean and whenever somebody is swimming. 8 hours is a good start during the swimming season.

Day or night is harder to say. It probably doesn't make much difference. With a timer, running a few hours several times a day may be the best approach.

 

[bobodaclown]

Do you have tiered power cost based upon time? If not center it around swim time.

 

[koffie]

Rule of thumb we use overhere : you should be able to pump the entire pool in 4 hours, and depending on swimming day or not you should pump 1 to 2 cycles

 

[IronRon]

Thanks for the information.