TriStar® VS variable speed pool pumps are the most energy efficient on the market, according to EPA ENERGY STAR 3rd party testing data. Saving pool owners up to 90% on energy costs, they are specifically designed to replace most single speed pool pumps.
For a relatively small investment, a variable speed pool pump can reduce pool pump energy use by 50% to 75%. The majority of the savings is derived from a variable speed pump's ability to reduce the rpm of the motor, thus reducing energy use.
In fact, Certified in-ground pool pumps use up to 65% less energy than standard pool pumps and can save more than $450 a year in energy bill costs. Certified above-ground pool pumps use about 17% less energy and can save more than $130 over the lifetime of the product.
It may be cheaper to run the pump at night, but honestly you should run it 1 hour a day per 10 degrees of temperature at least, and it should be during the day. Running the pump at night should only be when you are doing a major chemical treatment such as algae clean-up.
The best time to run your pool pump is during the warmest hour of the day; however, keep in mind that this means you will have higher energy consumption, which may lead to an increase in your electric bill. If you want to save on your energy costs, you can run your pool pump at night to avoid peak hours.
Use larger pool filters.
Larger filters have a bigger surface area through which water can flow, which means your pump doesn't have to work as hard to move the same volume of water. Not only does this lower the pump's energy consumption, it can extend the life of the pump which saves you money as well.
A pool pump that is larger than needed has a more powerful motor and circulates water at a higher flow rate. This uses significantly more energy to pump the same amount of water and puts additional stress on your pipes and filter, meaning you'll need to replace them sooner.
Most Energy Efficient Pool Pumps
Calculating Pool Pump Energy Use: Each horsepower uses 746 watts. For a 1.5 hp pool pump, multiply 746 watts by 1.5 hp, for a total of 1,119 watts. Most utilities charge from 10¢ to 15¢ per kilowatt-hour, and to know kilowatt-hours, multiply watts X hours and divide by 1,000.
Overall, the lessons learned today is you should run your pool pump an average 8 hours a day to properly circulate and clean your water. The pump should push your entire pool in gallons in this 8 hour period of time. Residential pool water only needs to be turned over once daily to have proper filtration.
The Hayward EcoStar has better energy efficiency and the Pentair IntelliFlo has a reputation for longevity with a proven track record. It's a close battle between the two pumps and it really comes down to personal preference.
Pool owners often mistakenly believe if they choose a 2 HP pump over a 1 HP pump, they are getting double the performance. This is simply not true. In this scenario, you will get only about 15% more flow from the 2 HP model. But the amp draw of the larger pump will be significantly higher, raising your electric bill.
Dual speed pumps can be run at a lower speed, however they still run at the same amount of amperage, where as a variable speed pump can run at a lower speed and use less energy. It does this by using a permanent magnetic motor similar to the ones found on today's hybrid cars.
Suction cleaners typically run at around 2200-2400 RPM. Heaters require 20 to 40 Gallons Per Minute (GPM) so might run at around half speed or a little higher. You would probably want to run your Spa at up to full speed, 3450, for maximum effect.
Cost-Efficiency
The variable speed options are about 80% more cost-efficient than their single-speed counterparts. As you are able to determine the RPMs, you can choose the speed you need at a particular time.
It's not uncommon for a 1.5 horsepower pump to use 1500 – 2000 watts. This is unfortunate, because most pools only need 1/4 to 1/8th horsepower for circulation. Higher power may be needed for tasks like vacuuming the pool.
Hayward's SwimClear™ Multielement cartridge filter is designed to provide the most energy-efficient water flow and can save up to 2,500 gallons of water per year by eliminating backwashing. For smaller and mid-size pools, spas and water features, the SwimClear Single Element is a great energy-efficient option.
$1.36 per day x 365 days = $496 per year to Operate a 1-½ HP Variable Speed Pump. Cost to Operate 1-½ HP Single Speed Pool Pump $1,062 / yr Vs. Cost of Variable Speed Pump $496 / year.
The more powerful your pool pump is—the more horsepower it has—the faster it will turn the water over, which means you can run it less often and for shorter periods of time. But this is also dependent upon the size of your filter and the filtration system's pipes. A too-powerful pump can be too much for a small filter.
Too large of a pump can cause poor filter performance and even damage it, if the filter is not also oversized accordingly. Another possible consequence is pump cavitation in which bubbles form in the water inside the pump and then burst with great force, resulting in damage to the impeller and other internal parts.
Yes. You can, but what's more important to answer is do your really NEED to change your pump to one with a higher horsepower rating? If you have complete information on you pool and you've determined that your current pool pump is not enough for your needs, by all means, go ahead and change your pool pump.
We recommend that our customers run their pumps rain or shine UNLESS we have an electrical storm. In that case, lightning could strike an outside circuit, which could damage your pump and other equipment. If you're worried about lightening, turn the pump off or shut off the breaker.
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.