pool pump

[127.0.0.1]

i just had a new house built in florida and while it was vacant, the electricity bill remained high. the AC was set to 80 and the pool pump set to 9 hours (chlorine generator).

when i returned, i noticed that when i turn on the pump, the electric meter moved almost 3x faster. when the pool was first built, there was blockage in the piping from construction debri. is it possible that the pool tech didn't completely clean it out and there is still some debri which is causing the pump to work harder? the pump is running rather hot (to the touch).

is there a way i can tell if there is still some blockage?

-a|ex

[Greg]

What does the guage say on the filter? Suction throttling would actually lower the pump load. You may just have a bad pump motor or a pump that is bigger than you need. Pool pumps can be bigger than the A/C compressor. See if you can borrow a clamp on ammeter to see what you have.

[m Ransley]

What was running while you were away. Blockage may or may not affect usage. How many watts is the pump, how many Kwh was your bill, add it up.

[HaHaHa]

What do you think are the biggest contributors to your electric bill, living room lamps? Televisions? No.

Pumps & motors, compressors, and electric heaters.

You said Florida - I bet you've an electric water heater too.

[e-mail]

[127.0.0.1]

the fridge was running and i haven't moved anything into the new house yet (no tv/ furniture/clocks/phones/etc..) gas appliances and gas tankless heater.

my first usage was 3009 KWH (i had the pump running all day for around 4 days to adjust chlorine levels. then it dropped to 1469 KWH/month then 1319 KWH/next month while i was away. the pump ran 9 hours/day (10k gal pool). i assumed the AC no longer kicked in for the weather. pump is 1 1/2 HP, 1.10 KW

the remaining device running while i was away were the clocks on the microwave/stove/oven and the house alarm. also the timer for the lawn sprinkler system and the fridge.

it still doesn't add up. ~ $135/mo electric bill on a vacant new house is kinda high.

-a|ex

[Greg]

If this is the typical 1.5 hp pump it will cost about $64 a month to run 9 hours a day. A 1 hp is a little better at about $52. He should probably see if he really needs it to run that long. I am doing fine in SW fla with a 1 hp pump running 6 hours on a 15,000 gallon pool. Some of the problems are caused by poor plumbing design. Pipe too small, too many elbows, not enough returns and suction side fittings. I spent a little more on fat pipe and fittings but I turn my water over about every 3 hours.

[Richard J Kinch]

A pump *and* a chlorine generator are both hogs, and could account for that.

Electric power rates in Florida are tied to fuel costs, and have approached

10 cents/KWH lately.

[Greg]

They were a dime a KWH before the Iraq war in SW Fla. I don't even look anymore.

[m Ransley]

It probably does add up, do your own audit with a clamp on digital amp meter and a Kill a watt Meter. But you could have a short. You have a pool you pay. My last bil was for 150 Kwh , but I have a lake.

[Playintennis5274]

the last guy is on the $$. In vegas we only run our pump 6 hrs. a day the pool places have said shouldn't do any less. Check your pressure gauge on the filter. I don't know about all of them but on earth filters 20psi means it's time to backflush the more pressure your gauge reads the harder your pump is wporking = more electricity used