Hey TFP friends! I have missed you guys! The water is under control so haven't been as "needy"! I have a new question for you. Again, trying to save money, I want to cut back on the runtime of the pumps. It has been running 24/7. I know, that is crazy, but the timer broke and was never repaired. My pool gets full sun all day, no shade till evening. The temperature here in south arkansas has been HOT!! Mid to high 90's. I was thinking of letting the pumps run 10 hours a day (maybe 12) but wasn't sure if they should run during the day or at night. I looked at the website for Entergy, and I don't think we have different rates for electricity usage depending on time of day. So the time of day won't affect my bill, but the hours a day will. I have searched the boards and see different opinions of how long and when to run. Also, is it more wear and tear on the pumps to run continuously or be turned on and off a couple of times a day? Thanks for your help! Can't wait to hear from you! :-D
What time of day should I run pumps?
- Thread starter melmommy
- Start date
Just increased mine from 10 to 12 hours a day here. My pool has full killer sun on it all day as well, and I run it from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. It keeps the water clearer, circulates the chemicals, and no "super-heated" water is sitting there stagnant in the sun all day. Some folks will tell you run it enough to circulate the water one full turn over or so. I just don't think it's near enough here "down south". All the pool builders here recommend 12 hours once it heats up and stays into the 90's. Just helps avoid problems. In my opinion, it's easier to maintain good water than have to fix it when it's "broke".
I run mine to correspond with the times that swimmers will use the pool and when chemicals will be added. Therefore, I run mine from noon until about 8:00 p.m. I'll add the chems in the evenings around 7:00 p.m. so it works out good.
We also run ours about 8 hours a day and turn it off about an hour after evening bleach dose.
Since all pools are different, I suggest that you try starting with a 12 hour run time and back it down slowly from there.
You may end up with 6 to 8 hours like some of us, or your pool may like it better at 12 hours.
How was Okaloosa Island?
Since all pools are different, I suggest that you try starting with a 12 hour run time and back it down slowly from there.
You may end up with 6 to 8 hours like some of us, or your pool may like it better at 12 hours.
How was Okaloosa Island?
melmommy said:
melmommy, thanks for asking these questions. I was going to post the same questions, but you already did. Any thoughts on one long continuous run vs. two shorter runs? Are there benefits to either one?
And how can you tell what your pool likes? As you back down the run times, will you see a difference? What kind of difference?
Thanks for all the input guys! I plan on turning pump off at night and running during the day. Will shoot for the 12 hour window until the timer gets fixed, then try to back it down to 10 and see how my pool "likes" it. Gee, another household member with an "opinion". Great! What signs do I look for? Bad attitude? Smart mouth? Pouting? LOL Really though, how will I know if it is happy? And Butterfly, Okaloosa Island was wonderful! Beautiful water and sand! My heart breaks for the coast right now. We missed the oil by a few days. Not sure what Okaloosa's status is now, but I am pulling for them!
Just a comment on the 'super heated' water thing. The layer of hot water on the top will (slightly) reduce heat gain in the water at the hottest part of the day if you are trying to keep water temp down.
There is no single right answer. I do fine with 6 hours (oversized single speed pump) and I run it 8AM-11AM so I can get skimmer action before usage. Then I run it 7-10PM to circulate chemicals and clean up from the day. I don't care about running filter during usage, unless there is a major crowd.
I check clarity at night looking at the light. If I see more than the very small amount of fine particles I am used to, I run it all night. That usually does the trick. It only happens after it rains or if I mow the field around the pool.
There is no single right answer. I do fine with 6 hours (oversized single speed pump) and I run it 8AM-11AM so I can get skimmer action before usage. Then I run it 7-10PM to circulate chemicals and clean up from the day. I don't care about running filter during usage, unless there is a major crowd.
I check clarity at night looking at the light. If I see more than the very small amount of fine particles I am used to, I run it all night. That usually does the trick. It only happens after it rains or if I mow the field around the pool.
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