Cloudy Pool - How Long is Your Pump on?

[Neeranam]

My pool has been cloudy recently. I reduced the pump/filter time from 8 hours a day to 3 hours, as I think the electricity bill was too high. 

I suspect this is the reason but could it be anything else?

How long do you leave the filter pump on for?

[carlyai]

I reduced mine from 6 hr to 4hr with no cloudyness. That's with about 100000 L of water.

I think really the time should allow all the water to be turned over.

Answer is go Solar. Anyway that's what I'm going to do.

[Rooo]

Depends on the size of your pump , you can then determine the length of time. My pool 100,000 L pump 3 horsepower run it 7-9 & 3-5. Enough to circulate the whole pool. Size of pump & capacity is you guide.☺️

[Neeranam]

Thanks, I guess i'll experiment  with different times. Solar sounds good. But last time I enquired it would take me 75 years to break even, but that was without pool, in a smaller house. 

[Woof999]

Pump time depends on who's used the pool and for how long, whether it's rained and whether I've needed to add chemicals. Sometime it runs 6 hours or more a day. Sometimes less than 1.

 

The only time my pool goes cloudy (rather than green from algae growth) is when I've needed to add large amounts of soda ash, but I now do that less as if it's pH that I need to raise then aeration is a better option.

[carlyai]

42 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Thanks, I guess i'll experiment  with different times. Solar sounds good. But last time I enquired it would take me 75 years to break even, but that was without pool, in a smaller house. 

I think your calculations may be wrong. 

Go to the Alternate Energy Forum. Probably more like 4 or 5 years ROI.

Anyway I don't know why people worry about ROI as once it's installed, it's free. ????

[Neeranam]

9 minutes ago, carlyai said:

Anyway I don't know why people worry about ROI as once it's installed, it's free. ????

I'll check it out. 

 

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Thanks, I guess i'll experiment  with different times. Solar sounds good. But last time I enquired it would take me 75 years to break even, but that was without pool, in a smaller house. 

Slightly off the main subject, but I broke even with solar in less than three years. (Thirteen panels.)

BUT - I pay 8 baht per unit for electricity.

I do not have batteries, just turn the meter back during the daylight hours.

I run the pool from 09.00 to 17.00. Always clear.

I usually only use a/c in the bedroom at night for a couple of hours during March and April.

Fans on 24/7 - no a/c in the living area.

Four fridges and three computers.

[patman30]

to save on electric
what i used to do was put the pump on earlier during off peak hours, before 9am
(off peak here is 10pm to 9am)
in the end i had pump only run during off peak, 2-9am
and would then just turn on pump if using pool which was usually for my 8 dogs

other option is small on grid solar without battery
this is quickest ROI, if using power during peak daylight hours

as for the pool water not being clear
maybe you need some floculant
 

[Crossy]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

I'll check it out. 

 

Why not dive into the Alternative Energy forum, we don't bite (much) ???? 

 

https://aseannow.com/forum/319-alternativerenewable-energy-forum/

 

[Encid]

On 2/26/2023 at 10:52 AM, Neeranam said:

My pool has been cloudy recently. I reduced the pump/filter time from 8 hours a day to 3 hours, as I think the electricity bill was too high.

What is the volume of your pool (in cu.m.)?

What is the make/model/hp of your pump? What is it's flowrate (in cu.m/hr)?

What type of filter do you have (sand/glass)?

 

Efficient pool water filtration is dependent on several things... firstly and most importantly, water turnover.

Your pump should be able to turnover the volume of water in your pool at least once in one day (8 hours running time - usually from 8am-midday then 2pm to 6pm.)

These hours are considered to be optimal for filtration and also the 2 hour rest during the hottest time of the day means less loss of chlorine (whether you have a chlorine or salt based pool).

 

Second, glass media in filters tend to result in a clearer "sparkly" water finish, as their particle size is much smaller then sand, and don't wear down so much over time, but the downside is that you will have to backwash the filter much more during cleaning (vacuuming) the pool as more debris is trapped by the filter.

 

I suspect that your cloudy water is a direct result of not having enough water turnover based on reduced pump/filtration times.

 

As suggested by other members, a solar solution is perfect for subsidizing your electricity bills... you only need to run your pump/filter during daylight hours and that same daylight can produce the required energy to run your pump. 

[Bagwain]

11 hours ago, Encid said:

but the downside is that you will have to backwash the filter much more during cleaning (vacuuming) the pool as more debris is trapped by the filter.

After recharging the filter with recycled plate glass media (Eco Clear) the 1st backwash "may" take longer. However every backwash after the first one is actually shorter, saving on water, chemicals & or salt! 

[BobBKK]

Maybe I'm lazy but i pay a company to ensure it is NEVER cloudy. Pump is on about 4 hours a day. 10x4 pool

[Neeranam]

Thanks all, changed timer setting to 8, hours a day, crystal clear now. 

[carlyai]

49 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Thanks all, changed timer setting to 8, hours a day, crystal clear now. 

I switched to Echo Glass for my pool and one of my bore water filters. Does a fantastic job I think, with less backwashing time.

I was away 11 months last year and everyone forgot to backwash the pool filter. Came back and pool water was still clear and clean.  ????