Other energy savers: Variable speed pool pumps

[SilverLeaf]

I installed the Haywood Variable Speed pump a couple of months ago. For me, the savings are dramatic.

My old pump ran about 2kWh for 8 hours per day (this is Arizona, and the temps are consistently above 100).

The new pump runs about 90 watts per hour for 9 hours and 2kWh for 3 hours daily.

The rate of kW is programable. The 3 hour cleaning cycle and the 9 hour recycle works great here.

I could reduce the cleaning cycle to 2 hours and the recycle to 7 hours, but the pool is sparking and well maintained now.

While the pump is running, the readout actually displays the electric usage in real time. There are many settings for timers and for pump speed. Our utility company provided a $200 rebate. The added bonus is the super quiet operation.

BTW - On 1/1/2012, Arizona changed its law that all new pool pumps must be either dual speed or variable speed.

[keydiver]

If my low efficiency pump really is only pulling 690 watts as you suggested, it's costing me less than $14 a month vs $26 a month with the higher number. Either way if that's the upper bound to my savings it will be 5-9 years payback, seems I should be looking elsewhere for energy savings. I'll revisit it when my current pump craps out, maybe prices will have come down.

A 3/4 HP pump isn't "really" bad. As I said, mine was 1 1/2HP! Florida recently passed a law prohibiting anything larger than 1 HP. They should have gone further and mandated dual-speed or variable speed pumps as some other states have.
Most pump motors have their efficiency rating on them, if I recall. I think mine was a 1.3 Power Factor, which I believe can help you make a correction to your readings to calculate the actual power consumption.
Speaking of which, has anyone ever tried the KVAR devices? They are supposed to correct the Power Factor, to make the motors more efficient. They are made here in Jupiter, so I can buy them fairly cheap.

[TomT]

Most pump motors have their efficiency rating on them, if I recall. I think mine was a 1.3 Power Factor, which I believe can help you make a correction to your readings to calculate the actual power consumption.

Be careful you don't confuse power factor with service factor. Most-all pool pump motors list a service factor, many do not list a power factor. The service factor is explained here:

http://franklin-electric.com/franklin-a ... actor.aspx

[keydiver]

Yes, sorry, I meant Service Factor.

[camvintat1967]

Hi,

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[serena45]

Hello...

The vitality funds that are picked up by supplanting a solitary speed pump with either a double speed or variable speed pump depend on a building rule known as the Pump Affinity Law...