Pool pump electric use

I have the same issue. Here are some considerations

1) The real efficient dynamic pumps have permanent magnet motors and sensors for optimizing flow. The down side is that they are big, like 3HP and expensive like close to four figures. What size do you have now? If it is 1 or 1.5 HP, just about all pumps that size are essentially the same.

2) What do you need the pump to run for? If you have a salt system, then you have to run it for that. I just have a filter, so filtering three hours a day removes enough, except for pollen season, where 6 hours is needed. That is very dependent on if your pool is screened and how much stuff gets in it during the day.

3) Definitely run as late as possible. Rates are cheaper,and add any chemicals in the evening. Sunlight degrades chlorine, so you want to add those after the sun does not shine into the pool. The only downside is evening noise.

 

I have a Hayward Eco Star variable. It runs for 2-3 hrs on low speed then 4 hrs on high. Salt water system. My electricity bill has been amazing considering my house is 3800 sq ft. Last summer my highest bill was only $290. I expect it to be much better this summer with the installation of a whole house fan, which also does wonders.

I considered running it at night instead of the day but a pool guy told me that's not a wise idea with dark bottom pools as the UV would eat up the pebbletec. Not sure how much truth there is to that.

 

Thanks for the pump info.

Sound like a pool guy making junk up. I have a PebbleTec pool. PebbleTec is pebbles in cement. You cannot get more UV resistant that that. If UV caused problems then the Florida sun would have destroyed mine by now after a decade or so. Then on top of that, how does running a pool pump prevent UV rays from getting to the bottom of the pool? (Now if the pool is lined with epoxy, like my original river gravel deck, then the UV is going to destroy it regardless of what the pool pump does. So my next deck was cement pavers. One last plug for cement--When touring an old roman port in Israel, the underwater cement piers cast underwater in Roman times were still present. That's impressive. The risk to a pool is letting the chemistry get out of control, not the UV rays.)

 

The data sheet indicated the Intelliflo is a 3HP pump. Nothing wrong with that, but it would hate to get a 3HP pump and then only run it at 1HP all the time to save money....but the final answer depends on lifetime cost, not capital cost.