WOW!!! Filter run time and electric cost.

[JohnT]

A horsepower is about 3/4 of a kilowatt, so if you can find your utility's KWH rate, you can estimate what the filter costs to operate. It will cost you about 3/4 of that KWH rate to run your pump an hour. Your bill seems way out of proportion to anything a pool pump could do.

[Poconos]

746 watts per HP is a theoretical number assuming 100% efficiency which isn't the case. Actual power consumption is somewhat higher. In May 2001 I measured the current for my 1 HP 1997 vintage Hayward superpump and it was about 7.5A measured with a clamp-on ammeter, relates to 1800W. Don't know what the power factor correction is which would reduce the actual power somewhat. That was at a filter pressure of 15 psi, least flow restriction. If you really want to measure the power for the pump, the best way is to use the watt-hour meter for the house. I'd have to refresh my memory but you can count the revs of the disc in the meter and the meter has a calibration in watt-hours per rev or something like that. I forget how the specs are stated.
Al

[JohnT]

Al, you are right that this isn't accurate. Just remember that the 746 IS an accurate number, but the innacuracy comes from the inefficiency of the electric motor itself. Rated HP X Service Factor X Pump Hours X Utility KWH rate will give a close estimate of daily cost. To be very accurate, Motor Current X Motor Voltage X Pump Hours X Utility KWH rate divided by 1000. It's a little easier to do the HP one in your head.

[brian61]

Thank you all for your responses, I did not think the filter and pump could cause such a spike.

One response listed that the pool and spa light could be a factor. I have been running the lights each night on a timer for 3 hours, along with approximatley 300 watts of low voltage lighting. I did not think that even this could cause such a spike, however I will turn them off and see what the next bill brings.

Thanks

[IMherDad]

I agree this did not sound right BUT you need to remember that several states did have a HUGE electrical rate increase. I was watching a report just a few days ago and one state electric was increasing by 100%! The average was about 75%.

I am not saying this is the reason her bill is so high but I am betting there are several factors involved.

[samendolaro]

This wan't asked or stated but did this new pool install have a water heater?

[matt4x4]

A pool should cost about a buck a day - so make it two bucks a day with electricity cost increases...

[mas985]

I too live in California and currently run my 1 HP Northstar 3 hours a day. One thing to remember is the true HP of a pump is the labeled HP times the service factor. For my pump, I have a 1.85 service factor which means my braking HP is really 1.85 HP. Also, from the manual, the service factor amps is 8.0 @ 230V. So the pump draws about 1.84 kw which is close to the braking HP and generally used as a rule of thumb for energy usage.

In California, when you draw above baseline usage you get hit hard for electric rates. So, I am paying about $.22 per kwh for the pool pump and $36 extra a month for 3 hrs a day run time. When I double the run time this summer, I should be paying about $72 extra a month.