Pump run time

[Pavle]

The magical question of how long should I run my pump for?
I've got a 3 speed pump that moves the following:

• High: 15,120L per hour
• Medium: 12,720 per hour
• Low: 7,260L per hour

Pool is 38,000L

The manufacturer recommends "The total volume of water in your pool should be turned over at least once a day. In warmer weather, or when the pool is used a lot, your pump should operate for 8 hours a day or more". They suggest a minimum of 3 hours per day on low.

For the 5 years or so I've had our pool, I've been running it for about 7 to 8 hours for general operation.

I've just gone through the SLAM process due to algae or similar and I know water chemistry plays the biggest role, but how much does circulation come into it and how do you know what you can get away with? It's that balance between healthy runtime and minimising unneccessary power usage.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Circulation is very important to help avoid algae outbreaks. If you have areas of the pool with poor circulation that chlorine isn't hitting them. Brushing the pool is enormously helpful if you have areas of known poor circulation.

You're in the dead of summer there so yes, now would be the time for the hours on the pump. That said..... many folks are doing it far longer than absolutely necessary. I am one. I like to keep the top of my water skimmed of leaves hence I have to run the pump. Yet others who don't have a need for added skimming time can get away with far less.

Determine Pump Run Time

To figure out how many hours you need to run your pump, you need to know how fast your pump works. You can find this here.

www.troublefreepool.com

Maddie

 

[Jimrahbe]

P,

The idea that you have to have X water turnover in a day is just a myth. It was invented by a guy that assumed that the filter is there to keep you from getting algae, which is just not true..

Chemicals prevent algae, not how many times the water passes through the filter. If you follow this chart and keep your FC to CYA in the proper ratio, you will not get algae. FC/CYA Levels Most people that have algae are keeping their FC way to low compared to their CYA level.

That said, you do have to have some circulation. If this were my pool, I would run on low most of the time as long as it was still keeping your pool skimmed. Running on low would allow you to save on the electrical bill and still provide plenty of circulation.

I run my pump at 1200 RPM, 24/7, but not because turnovers, but just the fact that I like to see the surface of my pool constantly skimmed and that I have a SWCG and like making a little chlorine all the time vs. making a lot of chlorine all at one time. Not sure of your electrical rates, but even running 24/7 my pump costs less than $20 USD a month..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Pavle]

even running 24/7 my pump costs less than $20 USD a month.

my rough calculation would indicate about $700 per year ($58 / month) to run the pump 24/7 in Sydney. Just realised I got my sample from when the pump was running on a higher speed, so it would be cheaper running the pump on the lowest speed.

If you have areas of the pool with poor circulation that chlorine isn't hitting them.

Is there a simple method of testing this? It’s not that obvious if there is areas without circulation and you certainly can’t see chlorine so how would I validate this?

 

[borjis]

I have no chlorine generator and have found 2 hours a day 5-7pm on the timer to be sufficient for my 13,000 gallon pool.

I do however turn it on manually around 11am during sunny swim days (weekend) where it runs (and heats the pool if needed) until the timer turns it off at 7pm.

 

[Jimrahbe]

P,

I am not a big believer in the theory that pools have dead spots and that is why they get algae.. I am not saying that every drops of water in a pool is exactly the same, but for the most part, if there is any circulation that tends to mix the water fairly well. People that get algae tend to run their FC way too low and if you do have a "dead spot", it is just the first place algae shows up..

I did not mean to say you should run your pump 24/7, what I was trying to point out is that a slower speed for a longer period of time is normally cheaper than faster for a shorter period of time..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Pavle]

Thanks,

I definitely will be maintaining FC in the TFP range from here on in. My 24/7 comparison was just to illustrate what it would cost me, I wasn’t planning to do that

 

[YippeeSkippy]

Areas of poor circulation can include steps or corners that might be far from the returns and not in the normal circulation pattern of the pool. You might consider it a possibility if you note areas that repeatedly develop algae when no where else in the pool does.
Using ping pong balls or tennis balls in pool while the pump is running can help you see how things *move* in your pool.
Some pool returns are adjustable and can send more or less water into areas of concern.

Maddie

 

[BowserB]

my rough calculation would indicate about $700 per year ($58 / month) to run the pump 24/7 in Sydney. Just realised I got my sample from when the pump was running on a higher speed, so it would be cheaper running the pump on the lowest speed.

According to Pentair (I don't know what pump you have, but a variable speed motor should be similar in power demands), running their variable speed pump at 1/2 speed uses 1/8 as much electricity, so it is simply much more efficient at lower speeds. Also, it seems to me that the lower pressure at the filter would enhance effectiveness there as well. So my 3450 rpm pump I run normally at 1600 rpm for about 11 hours a day--midnight to 11am, as our electricity is cheaper during the night and early morning. My average monthly cost of running the pump, UV, and Ozone plus 10 minutes a day water feature pump, over the last 12 months is $19 US or about $27 Australian?

 

[Newdude]

According to Pentair (I don't know what pump you have, but a variable speed motor should be similar in power demands), running their variable speed pump at 1/2 speed uses 1/8 as much electricity

According to the readout on my VS pump, there is more than a 20X difference between the lowest setting and highest setting. Many factors can slightly alter my #s at somebody else’s pool, But there will still be a huge difference.

 

[BowserB]

According to the readout on my VS pump, there is more than a 20X difference between the lowest setting and highest setting. Many factors can slightly alter my #s at somebody else’s pool, But there will still be a huge difference.

Newdude, my Pentair pump draws 2530w at max 3450 rpm; or 111 w at 1300 rpm. It will run slower than 1300rpm, but the water flow into the skimmers seems inadequate at a lower speed. Even this 1300 vs 3450 rpm power difference is almost 23 times, though. So slow is good. At 1600rpm where I run it, it takes 227w, so that bump from 1300 to 1600 rpm is significant.

 

[Newdude]

Along with skimming, alot of people need a higher rpm (1/3 ish) to activte the SWG , but i was just making the low rpm point in comparison to Pentairs 1/2 speed refference.

 

[Jaimslaw]

Two of my kids moved back home from college so energy consumption wise, somethings got to give. I’m going to try cutting down to 2 hours a day at around 3200 rpm and see how much of the bottom the pool sweeper will cover in that period of time. Never had any algae issues during these winter months in SoCal. Might even go for less time while water temps are low and sun being low creating more shade. May even pull an every other day schedule and see how things look, chem and otherwise.