A typical above ground pool pump will require a 20-amp breaker and use #12 gauge wire to deliver the electricity.
Consequently, in-ground pool pumps require 240 volts. You won't be able to plug them into any old outlet on the inside or outside of your house. Above ground pool pumps, on the other hand, run on 120 volts. This means they could be plugged into a regular electrical outlet.
Additionally, it would help if you plugged your above-ground pool pump into a dedicated circuit. A dedicated circuit serves just one appliance or outlet. The reason you'd want a dedicated circuit here is because of how greedy the pump can get.
However, you'll need a more advanced electrical setup due to additional pool equipment for inground pool preservation. No matter what kind of pump you have, installing a dedicated circuit and GFCI protection is highly essential.
GFCI Breakers And Swimming Pool Equipment – What We Know And Our Recommendations. The National Electric Code requires that all swimming pool pumps be connected to a GFCI breaker.
Running your pump with an extension cord voids the warranty in most cases. Running the pool pump motor with an extension cord that is not adequately paired for the filter's power will damage the motor. At times, pool owners, however, use extension cords in lieu of a costly job to bury a power line beneath the ground.
Electrical Outlet Receptacles
Outlet receptacles for general use can be no closer than 20 feet from a pool or in-ground spa if they are not GFCI-protected, and no closer than 6 feet away if they are GFCI protected.
Make sure overhead electrical lines do not pass over the pool. Power lines should be at least 25 feet away from the pool in all directions. Allow a minimum clearance in any direction of at least 18 feet between overhead power lines and a diving board, deck, platform, slide or observation area.
c. How much does an above ground pool cost to run? It costs about $115 per month to maintain your above ground pool. You can expect to pay an additional $30 to $250 per month on your electric bill to run the pump, filter and heater.
If you need to know the electrical requirements for your inground pool, here is a list of common pool equipment and the approximate volts and amps required for each: Pool Pump: 240v, 10amps. Salt Water Chlorinator: 240v, approx 5-8 amps. Pool Heat Pump: 240v, 50 amps.
You can not use an extension cord ... it is not safe. You either need to run conduit and install a new GFCI protected outlet near the pump or move the pump over to the existing outlet and extend the plumbing.
So, a 1HP pump motor will use about 1.72 Kilowatts for every hour it runs, And a 1.5 HP pump motor will use about 2.14 kilowatts for each hour it runs. If you are just trying to figure out what your future above ground pool pump is going to cost you in electric, then just assume 8 hours a day here.
Ideally, there should be no wiring above a pool or the surrounding deck. In fact, CEC Rule 68-054 prevents pools from being located under overhead wiring. However, locating a pool below overhead conductors is sometimes unavoidable.
Pool equipment can also cause electrocution. If the wires are frayed or damaged, they could put electrical current into the water. If you need to have electrical equipment in the pool area, make sure it is at least two metres away from the edge of the pool.
Electrical wires over water features have unique requirements: For electrical wires over a pool or hot tub: a minimum vertical clearance of 22 1/2 feet measured to surface of water or the base of the diving board. For electrical wires over a pond or lake: a minimum vertical clearance of 17 feet.
Electrical Equipment
GFCI protection is required for ALL receptacles that supply power to the pool equipment, such as water heaters and pump motors.
Another new section also requires GFCI protection for circuits above the low-voltage contact limit that supply gas-fired pool water heaters. GFCI protection is now essentially required for all receptacles that supply power above the low-voltage contact limit to equipment that handles pool water.
The pool light must be installed on a GFCI circuit. That means that the wires coming to the pool light J-box must come from a GFCI breaker. These are often easy to spot by the yellow Test button, and are usually 20 amp breakers.
Only single phase 120-240-volt pool motors require GFCI protection. The replacement pump motor shall be provided with ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection.
GFCI is the term normally used in the USA with 5mA trip current. RCD or RCCB is the term normally used in the UK with 30mA trip current. A combined earth leakage and overload protective device is known as RCBOs.
Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) and ground fault interrupters (GFI) are the exact same device under slightly different names. Though GFCI is more commonly used than GFI, the terms are interchangeable.
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!