Polaris 280 power suck - 3 hours?

[red-beard]

According to the Hayward website, my Pressure Side 3/4 hp pump uses 6.2 Amps @ 240VAC. This is 1488 Watts - Call it 1.5kW

I was reading something on a comparison website (280 vs 360 vs 380). It noted that you are supposed to run the 280 3 hours. 3 hours!!! That is 4.5kWh!

My VS main pump is programmed to run 24/7, slow speed (40 GPM) with 2.5 hours at "high" speed (100 GPM). It uses 3kWh.

This is insane! I have ordered a Dolphin DX5i.

 

[chrisexv6]

Up here in CT (where everything is expensive), my kwh cost is about 27 cents. So 4.5 kwh = about $1.15. Not bad, IMHO....as long as the Polaris does the job in 3 hours.

In another thread I did the math on how much my robot ended up costing me since it died after 8 years. Worked out to about $4.00 per vacuum cycle but that didnt include the electricity it drew (never measured that)

 

[jtpipkin]

Yeah, my definition of insane is a little different. Spending $1500 to save .03 cents a day.... I know people like their robots, but WOW

 

[red-beard]

Up here in CT (where everything is expensive), my kwh cost is about 27 cents. So 4.5 kwh = about $1.15. Not bad, IMHO....as long as the Polaris does the job in 3 hours.

In another thread I did the math on how much my robot ended up costing me since it died after 8 years. Worked out to about $4.00 per vacuum cycle but that didnt include the electricity it drew (never measured that)

OMG! I pay 8.9 cents/kWh and I'm irritated it went up from 7.9 cents! Of course I may use 4500 kWh in a summer month...well, less now that I changed my AC units 10 days ago.

Yeah, my definition of insane is a little different. Spending $1500 to save .03 cents a day.... I know people like their robots, but WOW

The 280 doesn't even work that well! And the savings for me is close to $150-175 per year. I run every day, year round, plus maybe an extra cycle or three per week.

And the Robot is merely $1K... [sarcasm]Pays for itself in mere 5-6 years[/sarcasm]

 

[chrisexv6]

Yeah, my definition of insane is a little different. Spending $1500 to save .03 cents a day.... I know people like their robots, but WOW

Exactly.

There are a ton of ways to look at it....what do you "make" for an hourly wage at work? If it takes an hour to vac your pool, anything less than that hourly wage is (technically) saving you money. But I dont look at it that way. How much is your time worth (not monetary but figuratively)? Spend $4 to save that hour of vacuuming time? Spend $1.15 to save that hour? How much other stuff do you have to do in that hour? How apt are you to actually dedicate the hour to doing the job right?

etc. etc. etc.

I like the job our robotic did, but now I just look at it in a pile of parts and remember how much I spent to basically toss it long before I feel like I should have to. Even looking for a replacement, a lot of people echo how the warranties are a joke...if I have to pay 100.00 just in shipping (to and from) a service center, thats insane, on top of the $1k-ish I would spend to buy the thing in the first place.

 

[chrisexv6]

OMG! I pay 8.9 cents/kWh and I'm irritated it went up from 7.9 cents! Of course I may use 4500 kWh in a summer month...well, less now that I changed my AC units 10 days ago.



The 280 doesn't even work that well! And the savings for me is close to $150-175 per year. I run every day, year round, plus maybe an extra cycle or three per week.

And the Robot is merely $1K... [sarcasm]Pays for itself in mere 5-6 years[/sarcasm]

Dont forget the robot uses electricity too

Your electric cost is so low, I wouldnt be looking at that as a reason to change. Even if you had to run 4 cyles of the Polaris to get your pool clean, thats going to be about 2 bux. Yes it takes more time, of course.

There are robots under $1K, it just seems like a crapshoot about what is good and what is junk. My blue diamond was considered one of the best back in 2012 when I bought it....

 

[Rossterman]

8-9 cents? Wow! It’s 28-32 cents a kw here in overpriced northern california. Since our power provider (pg&e) is in bankruptcy due to legal liability for the camp fire which killed 88 people, once out of court, rates will likely jump another 5-10 cents. they are also talking about getting away from net metering for new solar installs (giving you credit for power you generate that goes back on the grid). Pulled the trigger and bought a 8.7kw system so that the only bill going forward from pg&e will be the $15 interconnection fee Each month And grandfathered in to the net metering Agreement.

I have a polaris booster as well as a single speed 1hp circ pump. Not even worth switching anything now as I generate a surplus of power compared to what I consume.

 

[jtpipkin]

It’s 28-32 cents a kw here in overpriced california

My sister is in San Diego - one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to, but that state is out of control. Everything is expensive out there...

 

[jtpipkin]

Dont forget the robot uses electricity too

Your electric cost is so low, I wouldnt be looking at that as a reason to change. Even if you had to run 4 cyles of the Polaris to get your pool clean, thats going to be about 2 bux. Yes it takes more time, of course.

There are robots under $1K, it just seems like a crapshoot about what is good and what is junk. My blue diamond was considered one of the best back in 2012 when I bought it....

I think the robot is a good choice for someone that doesn't already have a booster pump and polaris. My dilemma came from the fact that all that was there when I bought the house. I struggled with continued and ongoing maintenance and was heading towards the robot. At the end of the day, and constantly researching this forum for feedback, the robot is a Crud shoot. I can find just as many that love it as hate it. I can find a failure as quickly as I can find the success story. Do I like buying a .03 cents part for $29.99, nope. Would I rather do that than have to package up the robot, pay to ship it, not be able to work on it, etc...? Yup and ALL DAY LONG!

 

[Rossterman]

Nearly 10% sales tax, 11-16% state income tax, $1.00/gal gas tax, car registrations run $500- $900 a year. It’s a complete joke. I’d move in a minute if my wife would go along.

 

[HeyEng]

Nearly 10% sales tax, 11-16% state income tax, $1.00/gal gas tax, car registrations run $500- $900 a year. It’s a complete joke. I’d move in a minute if my wife would go along.

I guess it's no wonder so many people are escaping from CA! Those numbers are crazy to me...especially the electric rates. Our 3600 KwH use last month would be over $1,000!!! Granted, my wife and I work from home and I like a nice cool house, so we do use quite a bit of electricity...but still!

 

[red-beard]

Nearly 10% sales tax, 11-16% state income tax, $1.00/gal gas tax, car registrations run $500- $900 a year. It’s a complete joke. I’d move in a minute if my wife would go along.

8.25% sales tax, 0% Income Tax, $1.65/gallon regular, $75/yr car registrations.

BUT

We have bugs! Big, UGLY bugs!

 

[red-beard]

I think the robot is a good choice for someone that doesn't already have a booster pump and polaris. My dilemma came from the fact that all that was there when I bought the house. I struggled with continued and ongoing maintenance and was heading towards the robot.

The DX5i is basically the S300i, but sold over the internet. Buying Maytronic robots is like buying a mattress. They change the name to make it hard to shop around. The S300i was quoted close to what chrisexv6 suggested.

At the end of the day, and constantly researching this forum for feedback, the robot is a Crud shoot. I can find just as many that love it as hate it. I can find a failure as quickly as I can find the success story. Do I like buying a .03 cents part for $29.99, nope. Would I rather do that than have to package up the robot, pay to ship it, not be able to work on it, etc...? Yup and ALL DAY LONG!

It's a pool. Of course they will gouge you for every penny they can! I fix most of my own stuff. And with the guys here helping, most of us won't get pool stored!

Imagine a pool store that didn't try to sell you some magic potion...And sold 12.5% bleach for less than $2.50/gallon.

 

[jtpipkin]

And with the guys here helping, most of us won't get pool stored!

"Pool Stored" - I like that! Should be on the t-shirts!

 

[HeyEng]

8.25% sales tax, 0% Income Tax, $1.65/gallon regular, $75/yr car registrations.

BUT

We have bugs! Big, UGLY bugs!

View attachment 155498

And they are quite noisy this year! I stepped on the remains of one yesterday and you would have thought I broke a huge plate of glass as loud as it crunched.

 

[red-beard]

I saw one of our "local" red-tailed hawks fly by and land on the electric wires. He had a buzzing cicada in his beak. Lunch! All organic and fresh!