HOW TO SAVE MONEY WITH VARIABLE SPEED PUMPS

While variable speed pool pumps are by no means a new idea, they have become increasingly popular in recent years as people look for ways of reducing the running costs of their pool. Today, we will introduce you to variable speed pumps, and show you how they can save you hundreds of dollars per year!

What Is A Variable Speed Pool Pump?

As its name suggests, a variable speed pump is one that can vary the speed of its impeller. Lowering the speed of the impeller means less water moveing through your filtration system, but it also means less power consumption and lower energy bills!

Running your pool pump at a lower speed also means that they run much quieter than a traditional pump, which can be a very big bonus in some cases.

How Do Variable Speed Pool Pumps Save You Money?

When you reduce the speed of the pump impeller you also reduce the amount of water the pump can move, meaning that your pump will need to be on longer. So how does this save you money?

The answer is an effect known as the Affinity Law. Using it we can see that by reducing the speed of the impeller by 1/2 we also reduce the power required to operate the pump by almost 90%!

How Much Can Variable Speed Pumps Save You?

To demonstrate the savings you can expect to see in a pool, let’s look at a real world scenario. Let’s say right now you’re running a single speed pump 12 hours a day, during the day. Using the current average on-peak hydro rate in Ottawa (18.2 cents/kWh), that single speed pump will cost you around $3.70 per day. Running the pump exclusively during off peak hours will still cost you $1.90 per day.

Replacing that pump with a variable speed pump running at half speed reduces that cost to around 35 cents per day. That said, running the pump at half speed means that only half the amount of water will go through the pump. This means that we will have to run it 24 hours per day to properly filter the water. This brings our total cost to around 70 cents per day (based on the current overall Ottawa Hydro rate of 13.03 cents/kWh).

Over the course of a single season, this amounts to a savings of anywhere from $150-$500, while also promoting better water quality by keeping your pump running 24/7. To see how much you could potentially save on your pool, talk to one of our local pool experts.

How Much Do Variable Speed Pumps Cost?

In a time when people are trying to save money, the sticker shock of a new variable speed pump can be a little alarming. While the cost of these pumps can vary quite a bit, they’re generally around 2-3 times the cost of a budget single-speed pool pump.

However, variable speed pumps can save you up to 90% on energy costs. This means that after about two pool seasons, the pump has virtually paid for itself with all the money you save on your hydro bill (compared to a traditional single speed pump). This stays true, even if you currently aren’t running your traditional pump 24 hours a day.

What If I Need To Increase The Speed Of The Pump?

Most variable speed pumps can be programmed to operate at set speeds to deliver the correct flow for each task they perform. For example, when backwashing your filter, you would need to run the pump at a higher speed then when you just want to circulate or filter the water. Simply select your preset “backwash” or “high speed” setting and perform your backwash. After you are done, go back to your “filter” or “low speed” setting to maximize your savings.

Wrapping Up

Over the last few years, the idea of variable speed pumps has really taken off. Everyone has become more conservative about how and where they want to spend their money, and with rising energy costs, these types of pumps can really help consumers to save money. Although they generally cost quite a bit more to purchase, they more than make up for that difference in only a few years of operation. They also promote better overall water quality and run a lot quiter than single-speed pumps; making them the clear best choice if you’re looking to replace your current pool pump.