How Long To Run Pool Pump After Shock

It seems like a simple question with an obvious answer, doesn't it? It shouldn't be difficult to figure out how long to run a pool pump. And actually, it's not.

Merely before you lot only turn it on, walk away, and forget near it, you do want to consider a few important factors into account like circulation, chemic balancing, and cost. Especially cost. Because this is one of those parts of pool care that, if you get it wrong, tin can cost you lot quite a bit of money.

The "How Long to Run a Pool Pump" Dilemma

The ideal respond to this question is all day, every day, all year, all the time, forever.

And then go out and get iii more than jobs considering your electrical beak is going to be ridiculous if you do that.

And so while that would be ideal, it'south non practical, or even completely necessary. The cardinal is to empathise your pool pump's purpose, the type of pump yous have (or could take), and how best to take advantage of its features.

What Does a Pool Pump Do?

If the water in your puddle didn't motility, it would quickly go a stagnant swamp, host to algae and all kinds of other yucky stuff. One of the near important factors in keeping your pool clean and swimmable is pool circulation. And that is generated by the pump, which is the kickoff component of your pool's filtration organisation.

The puddle pump pulls water in, and and then pushes information technology out through the filter. No matter what kind of filter you accept, information technology only works if h2o moves through information technology. That'south how the filter is able to capture debris and bacteria.

To keep all the water in the pool make clean and clear, it must run through the filter arrangement at least once a day. This is called the turnover rate.

You lot can skip this whole procedure by investing in the puddle care video course and finally primary pool water chemistry and maintenance for good! It'due south time to take control of your pool and save a ton of coin in the procedure.

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The Pool Care Handbook

How to Calculate Turnover Rate For Your Puddle

Outset, if y'all don't already know it, you'll need to calculate your puddle's volume. If you're non sure how to do this, you tin can use our pool calculator to figure it out:

Pool Volume Calculator Click on your pool shape to calculate the volume of water.

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Once you have your pool's volume, split information technology by eight to make up one's mind the number of gallons per hour (GPH) that demand to be pumped.

About pool pumps go past gallons per infinitesimal rather than GPH, though. And then to get that number, carve up the GPH by 60 to determine how many gallons per minute (GPM) need to exist pumped for full turnover.

So your formulae will be:

Total Pool Volume ÷ eight = GPH

GPH ÷ 60 = GPM

Cull the Correct Puddle Pump

This role's like shooting fish in a barrel once you lot have all the numbers. Just notice one that pumps at least the same GPM every bit is required for your pool. If the one you choose pumps a little more than than y'all need, that's fine. Just don't go beneath your required GPM.

This volition ensure your pump will run at the appropriate rate to turn over your puddle'due south water in one eight-hour period.

When Should You Run Your Pool Pump?

Just as important as how long to run a pool pump is when to run it. Sure, you lot need to run information technology for at least eight hours. But is that consecutive hours? Daylight? Dark? What are we talking about here?

Running Your Pool Pump During Not-Peak Hours

Did you know the rate yous pay for electricity changes throughout the day? It'due south based on what electric providers call meridian hours, meaning when more people are using more power, and putting more than strain on the grid.

Peak hours vary from location to location. For example, in warmer climates, peak hours most likely correlate to when people have their ac cranked, peradventure late afternoon or early evening when people are getting domicile from work and turning up the A/C.

All it takes is a call to your provider to detect out the peak hours where you live. Once you know that, effort to schedule your pool pump run time effectually those hours to keep your cost lower.

You can make this really easy on yourself by using a programmable pool timer to turn the pump on and off at the correct times.

Running Your Pool From Sunrise to Sunset

It may seem logical to take the pump running during the solar day, while people are swimming in information technology, and so the water stays make clean. And that'due south a proficient idea. Just consider a couple of other things besides.

Those non-summit hours your utility has may be at dark, especially if you live in a warm climate where people are more likely to run their air-conditioning during the mean solar day.

Also, running your pump is usually necessary later on you've added chemicals to your pool. In order to get the chemicals dispersed throughout the water, it has to exist moving. Otherwise, you may terminate upwardly with super-sanitized spots and pockets of non-so-clean water, and that's not the kind of Marco Polo you lot desire to play.

But there's 1 chemical that needs to be added at night, or at least at dusk: pool shock. Add together it during the twenty-four hours, and the sunday will but burn nigh of it off, reducing its effectiveness.

And so when you shock your pool, y'all'll definitely desire to run your pump at night, and for a minimum of viii hours to fully distribute the shock.

Our Top Pick

Calcium Hypochlorite Pool Shock (Cal-Hypo Stupor)

This fast-acting, quick-dissolving swimming puddle shock from DryTec kills bacteria, controls algae, and destroys organic contaminants in pools. Information technology comes in easy-to-employ 1-pound numberless.

Use the entire contents of the purse when opened. If whatever granules settle to the bottom of the pool use brush to disperse them. Add the correct dosage of this product during evening hours while the filter pump is running.

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Run Your Pool Pump For Non-Consecutive Hours

Yes, yous want to run your pool pump for at least eight hours every solar day to complete at least ane turnover cycle. But that doesn't mean it has to exist 8 hours direct.

Once more, refer to those non-peak utility hours. Working around those, you lot can run your pump for two hours here, seven hours in that location, and and then 3 hours there. Equally long as it runs for at least 8 hours in every 24-hour period, you're covered.

Our Elevation Choice

Pentair SuperFlo Variable Speed Pool Pump

This puddle pump has a really uncomplicated digital control panel with 3 programmable speeds. And it's extremely quiet thanks to the enclosed fan-cooled (TEFC) motor.

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09/02/2022 07:53 am GMT

What'southward The Best Pool Pump Type?

Bated from time of mean solar day and non-summit utility hours, how long to run a pool pump also depends on the type of pump you accept.

Horsepower

It'south only logical, but information technology may exist something you hadn't considered. The more than powerful your pool pump is—the more horsepower it has—the faster information technology will turn the water over, which ways yous tin can run information technology less oft and for shorter periods of time.

But this is also dependent upon the size of your filter and the filtration system's pipes. A as well-powerful pump tin can be too much for a small filter. Too, a 1-horsepower pump will work more slowly, but if your organisation uses three-inch pipes, it can arrange a three-horsepower pump, which will work more quickly.

But there'south some other but. 3 horsepower can exist also much if you have a small pool, and it will but waste energy and cost you more coin. Be sure to get a pump that isn't besides powerful for your filtration system, merely is powerful enough to turn over your pool's volume at an acceptable rate to striking that magic GPM number you need.

Single, Dual, or Variable Speed

If you have a unmarried-speed pool pump, we recommend you upgrade to at least a dual-speed. You'll get more efficiency and faster turnover. If y'all're going to buy a new pump, we highly recommend you get a dual-speed or better. In addition to the free energy savings and better efficiency, some states, such every bit California and Arizona, actually prohibit the installation of new unmarried-speed pool pumps.

Merely to really get all the benefits from your investment, we recommend choosing a variable-speed puddle pump. They consume less power, help turnover and filtering go more chop-chop, and yous may even exist able to become a utility rebate for using one. They likewise run at lower revolutions per minute (RPM) than single- and dual-speed pumps, so they're quieter.

Yeah, they're also more than expensive. But they're a long-term investment in your puddle's efficiency and maintenance.

Our Upgrade Pick

Pentair IntelliFlo Variable Speed Pool Pump

For bigger inground pools needing a 3 horsepower motor. Built-in control console with 8 programmable speed settings and a timer. Best for puddle owners looking to save money on their energy bills.

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09/02/2022 01:35 pm GMT

Is Your Pool Pump Running? You lot'd Better Catch Information technology!

Have you been letting your pool pump run 24/7? End the insanity! Now y'all tin await frontwards to a lower electric bill and plow some lights dorsum on. Or if you oasis't been running it enough, yous can await forward to a cleaner pool now that it's circulating more often.

And the next time yous and your neighbor debate how long to run a pool pump, you'll be armed with good data. Now if yous could but become him to trim that tree limb that keep dropping leaves into your puddle …

Happy Pond!

Matt Giovanisci is the founder of Swim Academy® and has been in the pool and spa industry since 1995. Since and then, his mission is to brand puddle and hot tub care easy for everyone. And each year, he continues to help more than people with water chemistry, cleaning, and troubleshooting.

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