Solar and pump Running times

[Weightsnut]

Since I've joined this community and am learning to take control of my own pool ownership and fully understand it. I am wondering about pump running times. We have solar on our home and are wondering if it's more effective to run the pump during the day when we are producing solar and are in the off peak hours or at night during off peak hours. Our utility peak hours are 10am-8pm currently, but switch to 3pm- 8pm May 1st. Thinking of running 4am-4:30 am on high speed 3200rpm, to get things moving, then med speed 4:30-10am, 2100 rpm, then low speed 10am-6pm 1600rpm. Thoughts or input appreciated.

 

[mas985]

There should no reason to run at 3200 RPM or for that matter any run time other than when you want heat from solar. I only run when solar has it's maximum heat gain 11am-5pm and no run time other than that.

What speed are you using for solar?

What size are your panels?

What is the installation height of the vacuum release valve?

Have you tried to minimize the flow rate for solar to reduce energy costs?

At peak hour, what are you actually paying?

 

[Weightsnut]

There should no reason to run at 3200 RPM or for that matter any run time other than when you want heat from solar. I only run when solar has it's maximum heat gain 11am-5pm and no run time other than that.

What speed are you using for solar?

What size are your panels?

What is the installation height of the vacuum release valve?

Have you tried to minimize the flow rate for solar to reduce energy costs?

At peak hour, what are you actually paying?

The solar we have, just supplies electrical usage for our ho e overall. Not solar for the pool. Only the electrical the pump uses to run. We have a 14kw system. I don't even know what the va um release valve is! The flow rate is set @ 50GPM now.

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

I'm on a time of use plan as well. Except when swimming, cleaning or adding chemicals, I only run the pump overnight during off-peak hours when rates are 14 cents/kwh. Rates from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. are 53 cents/kwh. My system was installed prior to the pool, so it wasn't figured into the sizing of the system. I'm nearing the end of my one-year relevant period and have an energy credit of $621. Unfortunately, I will only get a fraction of that as a bill credit.

 

[mas985]

With PV, it probably doesn't really matter when you run the pump. During grid peak, your panels are generating peak power as well so probably not using the grid even if the pump is running. Are you getting credit for excess power and is that different for different time of day?

Any particular reason why you set the flow rate so high?

 

[Weightsnut]

With PV, it probably doesn't really matter when you run the pump. During grid peak, your panels are generating peak power as well so probably not using the grid even if the pump is running. Are you getting credit for excess power and is that different for different time of day?

Any particular reason why you set the flow rate so high?

Yes, we do get .12 cents per kw buy back rate. That's why I was puzzled. When we are producing , we"re self consuming. Excess is sent back to the grid. The setting was set initially by pool tech. Just never messed with it.

 

[Weightsnut]

This is what I ended up setting the pump at: Schedule 6 - 4am-12 noon 55GPM Then Schedule 5 - 12:05pm - 3pm 40 GMP. 11 hours a day runtime. Will run quick clean for the vac every couple of days.

 

[mas985]

Again, why do you need/want such high flow rates? Run time is probably longer than you need as well.

1000 RPM is about the most energy efficient RPM you can run at for the Intelliflo.

 

[Weightsnut]

Again, why do you need/want such high flow rates? Run time is probably longer than you need as well.

1000 RPM is about the most energy efficient RPM you can run at for the Intelliflo.

What flow speed are you recommending? GPM?

 

[Weightsnut]

I'm on a time of use plan as well. Except when swimming, cleaning or adding chemicals, I only run the pump overnight during off-peak hours when rates are 14 cents/kwh. Rates from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. are 53 cents/kwh. My system was installed prior to the pool, so it wasn't figured into the sizing of the system. I'm nearing the end of my one-year relevant period and have an energy credit of $621. Unfortunately, I will only get a fraction of that as a bill credit.

So are you running 8pm to 2pm overnight? What flow speed? GPM?

 

[Rancho Cost-a-Lotta]

I run 5-8 hours depending on season and SWG chlorine production needs. Pump runs at 1600 rpm for all but the last two hours. I bump it up to 2500 rpm to run the suction cleaner. I can't tell you the flow rate. Two years and no issues.

EDIT: Forgot to say I run the pump between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. (super off-peak).

Have you seen this article?

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

 

[mas985]

What flow speed are you recommending? GPM?

The lower the RPM/GPM the less energy the pump will use. But at some point the skimmers stop working and your pool cleaner will stop working. So it depends on how you operate the pool and the tasks you are trying to accomplish. If your pool cleaner is on all the time, set the RPM as low as possible such that the cleaner still operates. If you use the pool cleaner once and a while and are ok with setting the RPM higher for that task, then you can use a lower speed most of the time for just the skimmers. Just make sure the water flows over the weir door and not around the sides.