Doesn't Everyone Run the Pumps/Filtration Systems 24/7?

[oledan]

I'm just curious to know if most people run their pumps 24/7. My pump hasn't been off since I my pool was complete approximately one month ago. I've read VS pumps are very economical to run especially at the lower rpms. I run mine at 3000rpm for 2hrs, 2500rpm for 4hrs and 1750rpm for the remaining 18hrs! Electric bill only up about 20 dollars!

Do most do this? Any downside to running pump 24/7?

Dan

 

[TinFoilHat]

I run mine from 9 pm to 9 am to take advantage of my off-peak electric hours. It runs at full speed for 4 hours and low speed for 8 hours.

 

[Saturn94]

Our single speed pump runs 10hrs a day (9am - 7pm). Even with a VSP, I doubt I would run it any longer since it really isn’t needed.

 

[Newdude]

I need about 1000 rpms for the skimmer doors to bob away. We like the look of the water moving more so I splurge all the way up to 1500 RPMs.

But yeah. I have 2 'times'. Summertime and wintertime.

 

[JJ_Tex]

I run mine 24/7 and its really only off for backwashing or the one time during our crazy winter storm a few years back. For the same amount of electricity as a ceiling fan, give me skimming, water filtering, and chlorine producing all day every day. Plus priming the system every day seems like it would be harder on the system in the long run than just running on low 90% of the day.

 

[Jimrahbe]

I run mine at 3000rpm for 2hrs, 2500rpm for 4hrs and 1750rpm for the remaining 18hrs

ole,

We suggest that you run your pump for a reason...

A lot of us that run 24/7 do so because we have a SWCG and like generating a little chlorine all the time, and skimming all the time.

Not a requirement at all... Just something we like to do.

I love it and will never go back to turning the pump on and off each day.

Please tell me what your reason is for running different speeds at different times??

3000 for 2 hours
2500 for 4 hours
1750 for 18 hours

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[Lake Placid]

But yeah. I have 2 'times'. Summertime and wintertime.

This right here as well even though I have a SS pump. I secretly want it to take a dump so I have an excuse to get a new Intelliflo 3. Dreams baby….dreams. lol

 

[ttroglio]

Pentair SuperFlo VS pump
1 hour at 3000
23 hours at 1900
Keeps the SWG and skimming going along w/ the flow needed for the heater to come on if needed.
Based on current rates: $1.38/day

 

[Pool_Doctor]

With expectation to scheduled running of the waterfall and spa spill over every morning and evening for 45 minutes, our system runs 24/7 @ 850rpm using 62watts. Water features are scheduled for my wife’s pleasure while taking the dogs outside each morning.

 

[pjt]

I like constant skimming, chlorination, filtration, and circulation. I can satisfy all those requirements at 1,000 RPM which costs $5/month.

 

[oledan]

ole,

We suggest that you run your pump for a reason...

A lot of us that run 24/7 do so because we have a SWCG and like generating a little chlorine all the time, and skimming all the time.

Not a requirement at all... Just something we like to do.

I love it and will never go back to turning the pump on and off each day.

Please tell me what your reason is for running different speeds at different times??

3000 for 2 hours
2500 for 4 hours
1750 for 18 hours

Thanks,

Jim R.

When my wife and I decided to get a pool having never been pool owners before I started learning all I could mainly from YouTube. A YouTuber I liked who had a scientific approach was SwimmingPoolSteve. He claimed you need to filter your pool's volume of water at least once per day. In order to do that you need to turn that volume of water over three times and at that point you would have circulated approximately 95% of your pools water. A couple hours at high speed, a few hours at moderate speed, and the majority of hours could be at a lower speed taking advantage of these VS pumps. He used "flow meters, "number feet of head" (I'm still not sure what the means), to come up with a filtration schedule. That's it in a nutshell. So, when I got my pool installed, I programmed the pump to one of his filtration schedules matching my pool's volume of water.

Dan

 

[Newdude]

He claimed you need to filter your pool's volume of water at least once per day. In order to do that you need to turn that volume of water over three times and at that point you would have circulated approximately 95% of your pools water

That's boiler plate industry advice and here's why it's junk. You and your neighbor have a row of trees between you and the wind blows your way. He needs almost no filtering, and you need lots. That's 2 neighbors. Imagine every pool in the land ? But if the industry picks a number of turnovers that's high enough, they were right because everybody got 'enough'. Its real easy for them when they don't pay your electric bill.

Now let's look at your exact pool and it's even worse. In the spring you need way more filtering, much less mid season and then it ramps up for fall again. Your own pools need change drastically, yet the advice remains a constant.

It's crud. You need what you need.

 

[Bill1974]

Mine runs 20 hours, most of the time at 1000 or 1200 rpm. I have it set to run faster 2000 and 2500 rpm a couple of time a day for an. Over all I am using less electric than when I have a single speed pump running 8 or 10 hours a day.

My house has a smart meter so i can see the power usage in 15 minute increments. Over all I can see I am using less, but it's not entirely clear how much is from an A/C upgrade to a heat pump or from upgrading from the single speed pump to a VSP and SWG. All I can say is I should have done both sooner.

 

[Jimrahbe]

So, when I got my pool installed, I programmed the pump to one of his filtration schedules matching my pool's volume of water.

Dan,

There is nothing wrong with your schedule at all.. But... The idea that you 'must' turnover x amount of water per day is just a myth..

We do not care if a pool owner wants to turnover their water 100 times a day.. We just want everyone one to understand it is not a reason to run your pump.

Reasons to run your pump, at a specific speed, are things like..

Generating the chlorine your pool needs if you have a SWCG or use tablets in a feeder.
Skimming the surface of your pool.
Making your spa work the way you want.
Making your water features work the way you want.
ETC.

In your case, I do not see any real issues.. But, we often see pool owners running their VS pumps at almost full speed, just because they think that turnovers are a requirement to have a well working pool.

Chemicals are what keeps your pool clear and sanitized. The filter is not there to prevent algae, it is just there to capture the junk that falls into your pool and floats.. By the time Algae shows up in your filter, you have already lost the algae war..

Thanks,

Jim R.