This essentially means that for your pool water to be adequately disinfected and filtered, the entire volume of water needs to pass through the filter and sanitation system at least three to four times per day. In order to do this, you will need to set your pool pump at the correct flow rate for the size of your pool.
Every pool must turn over at least once a day, so most pool pumps should run approximately 8 hours a day. But here's the thing: you don't have to run your pool pump consecutively. You can choose to run it for three hours in the morning before you leave for work and another 5 hours in the evening.
The rule of thumb is generally 8 hours, although it could be anywhere from 6-12 hours, depending on your pool's size. Each pool is unique, so to keep your pool pump efficient and effective, you need to figure out exactly what your pool's turnover rate is.
The minimum recommended pool turnover rate is 12 hours, meaning all of the water in the pool has been filtered and cleaned 12 hours after the pump is turned on. Although 12 hours is the minimum recommended rate, many pools have a turnover rate of eight or 10 hours.
Reviewing Recirculation
This setting is used infrequently, but is helpful when you want to mix newly added pool chemicals or when you need to keep the pool water moving while you perform filter repairs.
You should run your pump/filter as long as it takes to keep the pool clean. Some pools have great circulation combined with low use, therefore run times can be quite short. Other pools have lousy circ systems and huge bather loads and even 24/7 filtration has trouble keeping up.
The Recirculate setting bypasses the pool's filter. So really, only use this setting to circulate and thoroughly mix the pool shock (about 6 hours). Then switch to the filter position to filter out the debris and start clearing up the pool water.
The pool turnover rate is important for proper filtration. Not cycling enough water through the filter can result in swimming pool algae blooms, cloudy pool water and water balance issues.
You find the right flow rate for your pool by calculating its capacity in gallons. Then, divide that number by your desired turnover rate, ideally six to eight hours. Divide that answer by 60 to find the minimum gallons per minute, or GPM, flow rate required to achieve the desired turnover rate.
It's best to run your pool pump during the day
Not only does sunlight give fuel for algae to grow, it also destroys your pool chlorine and this is why you should always run your pool during the day!
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 proactive, productive and energy-saving maintenance activity is to remove the debris floating on the pool surface with a hand-held skimmer.
Depending on the size of your pool, we still recommend you run your pump run at least 4-6 hours a day during the fall and winter months. The daily cycle can be divided into multiple cycles, but each cycle should be no shorter than 4 hours, for all the water to pass through the filter at least once.
Heat transfer efficiency is higher with higher flow rates. However, you have to look at total efficiency and cost. It may be worth the extra heat loss to run the pump at lower speeds.
One of the most significant consumers of energy in homes with swimming pools are pool pumps, which keep pools clean by circulating water through filters. Pool pumps can consume 3,000 to over 5,000 kWh per year.
Even if you have your pool covered, some debris may still get in it during the winter. For this reason, you should consider running your pump on occasion whenever the outdoor temperature is between 35 and 65 degrees. Around four to six hours should be sufficient to remove debris and help promote good circulation.
The size of your pool, the efficiency of your pump and filter, and how dirty your pool is are just some of the factors you need to consider. Nevertheless, most pool cleaning professionals would advise against running a pool pump for more than 8 hours a day.
Pool gallonage x 2 (the recommended number of cycles in a day) ÷ daily hourly run time ÷ 60 (minutes in an hour). So, for a 30,000-gallon pool that runs continuously (24-hours), the formula is: 30,000 x 2 ÷ 24 ÷ 60 = 41.6 or rounded up it's a 42 GPM minimum flow rate.
Let the pump run for about 6 hours or more and test the water. Don't use the pool right away – wait for the free chlorine levels to drop to 1 – 3 ppm before it is safe to swim.
After the hose fills with water, backwash your sand filter for 2 - 3 minutes, or until water runs clear. Shut off the pump motor and push the T-handle back down into locked position. Turn your pump back on and note the lower pressure.
When the chlorine has completely finished working, the algae in the pool will turn a white/gray color and will either settle to the bottom of the pool or be suspended in the water. There shouldn't be any more green color and the water visibility should be improving. Run the filter 24/7 and backwash as needed.
The rinse cycle keeps dirt from returning to the pool after filter cleaning. As its name suggests, the rinse cycle on a swimming pool filter uses water to clear away any dirt or debris that remains after cleaning out the filter.
If you do have this option, it is highly recommended that whenever you have algae, you will need to vacuum to waste. This option allows you to vacuum the algae up and send it out through the backwash line, avoiding getting algae into your filter sand.
For routine vacuuming, the filter valve is left in the normal “Filter” position. This directs dirty vacuum water through the pool filter to remove the contaminants, then conveys filtered water through return lines back to the pool. The "Filter" setting is used for light to moderate levels of pool sediment.