Can i put a timer on my pump/filter?

[CelticDaddio]

I have been running my pump/filter 24/7 since March.... Noticed a somewhat surprising jump in my utility bill. If I understand correctly, I only need to run my filter 8 or so hours per day. The problem is, I tend to forget things. What I would like to do is put a timer on the pump/filter so that I can tell it to turn on at a specified time and run for a specified period of time. Is this a resonable thing to do? What kind of timer do I need. Currently the electrical service connects to the pump with a simple double pole switch inline for turning the pump on/off. The pump filter is about fifty feet from the nearest structure and is located in small enclosed area, with the single electrical service line run to it. There is no outlet, although I guess I could run one, I was hoping for a timer that I could drop inline before/after the switch.

Thanks,
ed

[Poconos]

A lot of people use timers. Since you mentioned a double pole switch I assume a 240V circuit. Home Depot / Lowes / etc have timers. Intermatic is a popular brand. I looked recently for water heater timers and they were under $50 I think. Easy to wire in. I actually have two, one for the pump and another for an auxiliary circuit. I also wired in a couple single pole double throw switches, one to bypass the timer and force the pump on, and another to keep the the timer from turning the pump on...forcing it off. I KNOW...CarlD will kick in about local codes. Where I live nobody cares but it is something you have to consider if it is an issue.
Al

[AnnaK]

We're having a timer wired directly into the breaker box in the basement. The pump up by the pool has some strange plug-in and receptacle and we could not find any sort of adaptor to insert a timer. Wiring it into the box will be more convenient, anyway, since the pool is about 75 yards away from the house up on the hill. Id much rather go in the basement to make changes or turn it on/off than truck up there in the rain or depth of night. Yep, I tend to forget stuff, too

[Poconos]

Blasted timers and forgetfullness. Have my pump on a timer. One day I got up and looked out the window and water was flowing down the driveway. Pump sucking air. Day before was working on the filter and disconnected the hose joint at the filter output. Forgot to disable the timer. Next morning timer kicked in. Water all over the poolhouse. Luckily it missed the generator and electrical panel. Gee...water comes out of a 1.5" pipe real fast.
Bah !! Last time I did that.
Al

[tphaggerty]

We're having a timer wired directly into the breaker box in the basement. The pump up by the pool has some strange plug-in and receptacle and we could not find any sort of adaptor to insert a timer. Wiring it into the box will be more convenient, anyway, since the pool is about 75 yards away from the house up on the hill. Id much rather go in the basement to make changes or turn it on/off than truck up there in the rain or depth of night.

Except that most timers have an easy on/off switch. So if you have to backwash, you will have to throw the breaker for the pump. And the timer will now turn on/off the entire sub-panel at the pool unless you run a separate circuit to the pool for lighting etc.

I'm not sure I understand why it would be a problem to wire ANY wierd plug to the timer. If you can wire it to a panel/sub-panel, you can wire it to a timer, its all just wires at one end! We have a 220V, 50amp run off the main panel in the house to a sub-panel at the pool. The timer is wired directly to a 220v breaker in the sub-panel, and the pump and SWG are wired to the timer. Other circuits are wired directly to the sub-panel (pool lighting, solar controller, 110v plugs, etc).

We have an unusual pump plug as well, but the "source" side of the plug is wired to the timer.

[aquarium]

Gee...water comes out of a 1.5" pipe real fast.

Heh.

I managed a construction project that we built over a 66" diameter water main while it was being rerouted. I made them mark its location during the footings drilling phase. If we broke it, they said it would put out 55 acre feet of water into downtown Austin before they could get it shut off. That's 55 acres a foot deep, or one acre 55 feet deep in water.

Yeah, go to Home Depot and look for Intermatic timers. They come in a grey plastic enclosure and have a yellow disk with the time of day markings on it.

[rlanthony@excite.com]

Before buying a timer make sure to look at the voltage of the pump. I have bought 2 Intermatic T 103 timers because that's what is hooked up to my Polaris. I thought I wired the first timer up wrong, but come to find out the pump for the filter is 220 not 115 so I burnt out 2 clocks. Now I have to buy a third timer this time a T104, 208-277 volts so I won"t burn out the clock. Easy to wire up and put the tabs to set on and off for the filter pump. The original timer on my pool pump lasted over 20 years, a good investment. You can get them for 60-75 dollars. Even with an electrician your looking at $150 tops.
Rick

[thepoolman1]

Before you run out and buy a timer, remember that if it is being mounted outdoors it needs to be in an outdoor-rated enclosure. The Intermatic version is a T104R for 240 volts and T101R for 120 volts. The picture above is an indoor only enclosure. I know that a lot of pool owners probably have installed that one themselves, but it does not meet code. The indoor versions do not have the "R" at the end of the model number.

If you are not comfortable installing one yourself, have a pool professional do it. This is probably the best way, as there are most likely going to be wiring and conduit changes that need to be made as well. If you have an electrician do it, be sure he or she is experienced with swimming pools.

[AnnaK]

Except that most timers have an easy on/off switch. So if you have to backwash, you will have to throw the breaker for the pump. And the timer will now turn on/off the entire sub-panel at the pool unless you run a separate circuit to the pool for lighting etc.

We do have a separate breaker for the non-pump electrical wiring, lights and receptacles and such.

My routine in the past has been to turn the pump breaker in the basement on/off during times when I wanted the pump to run/or not. Now, with the timer, I can manually provide power to the pump during times when it's normally OFF, such as to backwash, when there's a swimmer load, or to mix in chemicals. I set pump speed at the pump when I'm up there doing whatever I'm doing.

We have a number of ways to manipulate power to the pump:
1. The toggle on the pump itself.
2. A switch we installed on the deck near the skimmer, to facilitate manual vacuuming.
3. The timer.
4. The breaker.

I had the electrician install a little red light in the basement which tells me at a glance from top of the stairs whether there's power to the pump presently. That way I don't trudge all the way up the hill to the pool to vacuum only to discover I forgot to turn on the pump, and it reminds me to reset the timer to OFF after I'm done with my pool chores.

I'm not sure I understand why it would be a problem to wire ANY wierd plug to the timer.

That could, of course, have been done. At the time, we were still planning on doing the timer installation ourselves and couldn't find an adaptor for the strange plug. We aren't skilled enough to do wiring with actual bare wires. Then we had an electrical repair isue and we asked the electrician about the timer. He suggested wiring it directly to the breaker. Given the location of the pool and our intended use for the timer, this is far more convenient.