Energy Usage

[soccerballbmw]

Hi Everyone, thanks in advance for the help. My energy company is showing that my energy usage for the pool is nearly 5 times higher than what I am showing with my pump output. I attached a screenshot below of my numbers. Basically I'm running at 1,200 rpm for 22 hours a day and 2 hours at 2,400. Which should be 4.5KWs a day if i am understanding correctly. Basically I'm asking two questions: 1) Am i understanding these numbers correctly for my calculation, 2) Is there anything else that would contribute to a much higher energy usage than the pump? I do have a heater, but that is switched off at the machine and the breaker and has been since July. Luckily I live in an area with low energy costs, but just trying to understand this. I do have someone from the energy company coming out next week to confirm the outputs. Thanks for your help!

Side note - I know this forum generally doesn't believe in pool turnovers rates. Just ignore that part.

 

[JamesW]

Basically I'm running at 1,200 rpm for 22 hours a day and 2 hours at 2,400. Which should be 4.5KWs a day if I am understanding correctly.

Looks correct.

How is the energy company monitoring the pool usage separate from the house usage?

 

[soccerballbmw]

Looks correct.

How is the energy company monitoring the pool usage separate from the house usage?

Thanks James. my guess it's just an estimate and the numbers they're attributing to the pool are due to something else in the house. but they sent this:

 

[jsygrls]

Two questions. Are you with FPL. And do you have an FPL ON CALL unit in the pool equipment area?

 

[soccerballbmw]

Two questions. Are you with FPL. And do you have an FPL ON CALL unit in the pool equipment area?

I am with FPL and not enrolled in the "On call" program

 

[JamesW]

Based on a 3 HP pool pump and a pool heat pump, they are probably just guessing about energy use category breakdown.

Unless you have an energy monitoring system, they will not know what is actually running.

You can get a Sense type monitor to monitor energy use yourself.

 

[soccerballbmw]

Based on a 3 HP pool pump and a pool heat pump, they are probably just guessing about energy use category breakdown.

Unless you have an energy monitoring system, they will not know what is actually running.

You can get a Sense type monitor to monitor energy use yourself.

Gotcha. I appreciate it! My bill is fairly low and ordinarily wouldn't have a problem with it if it wasn't showing 80% to the pool. If it's just a guess, then i'll ignore it. Thanks for the help!

 

[JamesW]

Maybe ask them to clarify how they get their numbers.

 

[soccerballbmw]

Maybe ask them to clarify how they get their numbers.

They're coming for a home visit that i scheduled before you gave me the information. They should be able to give me a full breakdown when they come. thanks again!

 

[jsygrls]

So as you can guess I'm also with FPL but do have the on call unit and was maybe thinking it was malfunctioning, but that's not the case here.
Here a view at FPL guess at my end for comparison, I run my pump for 8 hours 3hp VS

 

[JamesW]

The picture does say:

Results are based on the Survey responses.

Click on each graph section to see details.

So, it indicates that a survey was done vs. actual monitoring.

It looks like you can click on a graph for more detail.

 

[soccerballbmw]

So as you can guess I'm also with FPL but do have the on call unit and was maybe thinking it was malfunctioning, but that's not the case here.
Here a view at FPL guess at my end for comparison, I run my pump for 8 hours 3hp VS

Your estimate definitely seems more accurate haha. thanks for the info. I thought the on call program was only single speed pumps. i'll have to look into it

 

[soccerballbmw]

The picture does say:

So, it indicates that a survey was done vs. actual monitoring.

It looks like you can click on a graph for more detail.

I think the survey responses are the company just asking blanket questions such as "How often do you run the dryer"

 

[JamesW]

 

[JamesW]

I think the survey responses are the company just asking blanket questions such as "How often do you run the dryer"

Did you ever fill out a survey about Energy Use?

 

[soccerballbmw]

Did you ever fill out a survey about Energy Use?

yeah but its just generic stuff like this:

 

[JamesW]

Ok, the heat pump uses a lot of energy when it is on, so that is probably skewing the estimates towards the high side for the pool.

At about 6,500 watts, the heat pump uses a lot of power.

Even low use can add up fast.

 

[JamesW]

https://www.pentair.com/content/dam/extranet/nam/pentair-pool/residential/heaters/ultratemp/manuals/ultratemp-heat-pump-installation-and-users-guide-en-fr-sp.pdf

 

[soccerballbmw]

Ok, the heat pump uses a lot of energy when it is on, so that is probably skewing the estimates towards the high side for the pool.

At about 6,500 watts, the heat pump uses a lot of power.

Even low use can add up fast

no doubt! but It's off completely outside of february/march and the chiller only when people come over in the summer

 

[JamesW]

but It's off completely outside of February/March and the chiller only when people come over in the summer

The power company probably just uses standard use statistics to estimate.