It is entirely safe to run your pool pump when it's raining – most of the time. Running your pool pump during rain should not affect the pumps' ability to do the job it was designed to do.
Pool pump and rain
You should keep the pump dry and out of the rain. Rain that is allowed to fall on the pump can get into the motor and cause a short circuit, burning out the motor in the process. Cover the pump and never allow water to fall on it from above.
To prevent potentially dangerous electrical issues, it's imperative that you turn off the power to your pool equipment — such as pumps, motors, filters, heaters, chlorinators, and lighting fixtures. Even if you turn off the power to your pool equipment, it can still be damaged by wind, rain, and debris.
Although a pump is all about transferring water, pumps can be irreparably damaged by external exposure to rain, moisture and submerging in water.
The only time I ever protected my Intex pump from the weather was when I stored it over the winter. Make sure the electrical plug isn't laying where pooling rainwater could short it out and it's fine to leave exposed to the weather.
Protect the pump motor from water damage
In addition to removing circuit breakers, consider moving the motor indoors or covering it with a waterproof material to prevent water from getting inside.
Rainfall dilutes pool chemistry levels and lowers the readings for pH, alkalinity, hardness, stabilizer, and chlorine. Rainfall does not contain chlorine. As well, rainfall brings with it small amounts of contaminants that are washed into the pool.
At the first sign of an incoming storm, you should turn off and unplug your pump. If this is left running during a storm, the motor may suffer electrical damage and short out.
Generally, sump pumps can run for six to 24 hours continuously, depending on how heavy the rainfall is and the quality of your pump. The aftermath of torrential rains or even flooding puts a higher demand on your sump pump to keep your home's low areas dry.
Step 1: Cover That Pool Up
Although it's not recommended for a major storm, you can use a pool cover for lighter sprinklings, or moderate rain that doesn't involve any severe wind to protect your water. Remember, the rain is acidic and is out to get your chlorine.
Chemicals that you add to your pool while the water is circulating don't need to be recirculated; they will stay mixed even if you don't pump the water continually. Although it's generally recommended that all the pool water undergo filtration every 24 hours, the pump does not need to run all the time.
A pump can also burn out from having the pump run dry. Submersible pumps require water to keep cool and maintain the proper operating temperature. If the water level drops below the impeller, the motor will overheat and burn out.
How Long Can a Submersible Pump Run without Water? You will not cause any damage to the pump if it runs without water for less than 45 to 60 seconds will not cause any damage. You can run the pump dry for a few seconds if you are using it for tank transfer and you would like to empty the tank.
A good guideline is 8-10 hours a day. On the cooler days and early and late season, you can cut the run time down to 4-6 hours because there is usually less swimmers and cooler water requires less chemicals.
Skim the pool to remove excess debris. Shock the pool and run the filtration system for at least 12 hours. Test and re-balance pool water.
"Heavy rain dilutes pool chemicals, especially salt and chlorine, which causes the pool to turn green. This means the water is not sanitised or healthy, so it's vital to address this.
Give your pool a good shock treatment 1 to 2 days before the storm hits. You can bring the chlorine level up pretty high to prolong the pool being depleted of chlorine.
One heavy rain is all it takes to throw off your pool's chemistry by unbalancing the pool water's pH and making it slightly more acidic. This additional acidity and nitrogen provide a breeding ground for algae that will turn your pool green.
First of all, you do not have to enclose your pool equipment (pump, filter, heater). A lot of people camouflage it with landscaping or a small fence, so that is not visible. Pool equipment is designed to be outdoors. As long it is taken care of and properly winterized at time of pool closing, it need not be covered.
If the pump is run dry for less than 45-60 seconds, the pump should not suffer damage. Anytime you are aware that the pump may have to be run dry to empty the tank, the operator must take care to ensure the pump is run dry for the absolute minimum amount of time.
Dry running occurs when a pump operates without adequate liquid. This leads to a surge in pressure, flow or overheating that will instigate a pump failure. As a result, the pumping elements seize up on the shaft.
Dry running your pump causes friction, and this friction is strong enough to heat up the impeller, causing it to melt. ² Even minor melting is severely detrimental to your pump's performance, potentially causing it to seize up and stop working at all.
Your well pump is designed to shut off once it reaches a certain pressure. A significant leak anywhere in the well piping lowers the water pressure in the system. So if the pressure is too low, your pump won't shut off and instead will continue running all the time.
How many hours does a well pump run a day? Answer: On average, it can run up to 2 and a half hours.
When there is too much water and not enough air in the tank, the pressure switch will signal the pump to turn on for short bursts of activity for only a few minutes at a time. This is called “short cycling” and can burn out your pump quickly.