Do you run your pool pump 24/7?

[luvflorida]

Last summer was our first full summer with our new pool. If anyone remembers I posted pictures of the entire process, from the time the hole was dug to finishing up the landscaping. That was a lot of pictures.

Anyway, last summer I ran our pump night and day. The upside was that, along with chemicals, the pool stayed exceptionally clean. The maintenance was very low, usually only adding chlorine to the dispenser, and adding some algaecide and clarifier once in awhile.

Now, when the pool guys came out last week to open our pool, they discovered that the pump was broken, (it was fine at the end of last summer), and they had to replace it. I'm wondering if it had anything to do with running it 24/7. I didn't want to ask the pool guys because the pump was under warranty for a year, and even though our pump was a little more than a year old, they replaced it for free. They said pumps should last a lot longer than one season. I was afraid if I mentioned that I ran the pump 24/7 last summer, they'd charge us the $400. it cost to replace it because it was our fault and not a faulty pump. Even though, I do remember asking someone from the pool company when our pool was first installed, about running the pump and they didn't say anything about not running the pump continuously.

How often do you run your pump? All the time? Day or night? Only when people are/are not swimming? HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mommasita]

We have a timer, and our pump runs on/off during the day..More at night time.

 

[korzmom]

24/7 here and our last pump lasted 15 years...its a HAYWARD SUPER PUMP..

 

[The Mayor]

Ours is on a timer and I run it 4 hours in the morning and usually 5 hours in the evening.

 

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

We have an above ground pool and I run ours 24/7

 

[JNorris]

Pool Pumps are made to run 24/7...we have a 2 speed pump and it runs on low 24/7, and on high when I add chemicals.

 

[TammySB]

Ours is on a timer. In the summer time we run it 10 to 12 hrs a day. In the winter time we run it 8 to 6 hours. It also has a freeze protector and it will kick on if the temp drops below a certain level. In the winter time we usually run it from midnight to 6 am, and the summer time 10 to 10.

 

[disney junky]

We have a 27,000 inground pool, DE filter. We put the pool in 7 years ago. It's concrete and a plaster type finish. If you pictures are the ones I remember, I think our pools are nearly identical.

For the first week or so, I run 24/7. The water is perfectly clear. After that, I cut it to about 10-12 hours, usually about 9AM to 9PM. If that weren't recommended, I don't know why they would put it on a timer with those little things to turn it on and off. I can't imagine what my electric bill would be if I ran it 24/7.

Other than that, I'll run it after I shock or if we have used it a lot in addition to those times. If anyone is in it when the timer wouldn't have started it, I alway flip the switch.

I don't think your motor should have burned out after one season. I know our system is on the large size for the number of gallons. I think it's rated for 25,000 to 40,000 so it apparently doesn't have to work that hard.

Good luck with it.

 

[DVC-Don]

We have a Hayward pump and filter that runs from 11 AM to 7 PM on a timer. It's been running like that during pool season (early May to mid Sept) since 1995.

 

[PlaneJoy1]

We run our 9 or 10 hours a day. We only run it 24/7 when we first open it. I think it's probably a waste of electricity to run it 24/7. I would hate to see my power bill if we did that!

 

[karebear1]

luvflorida- do you know where can I find your pool thread from when you were having it built? We are gonna be building one, or at least hoping to, and I would love to read that thread and see the pics.

Sorry to hear about the burned out pump- but YIPPPEEEE that they replaced it for free.... as they should have!

Are you loving your pool? Any regrets at all??

 

[luvflorida]

24/7 here and our last pump lasted 15 years...its a HAYWARD SUPER PUMP..

Wow! I guess I shouldn't worry about running it too much. I'm not sure what kind of pump we have, but from the replies I've read here, it sounds like it definitely should not have burned out in one season.

I like the idea of a timer, though, and may look into getting one.

 

[aprilgail2]

I run mine 4 hours mid day and 4 hours during the nighttime. I have it on a timer so it just does its own thing. My electric bill is high enough without running it 24 hours a day

 

[PghLybrt]

Pumps should be run at least 10-12 hours a day. They do not need to run a full 24 as the water will not come to a stand still so the chemicals keep working. It sounds to me like maybe the pump was not faulty but it was the water chemistry that actually killed the pump. Maybe I am wrong but all you said you did was add chlorine, clarifier and algaecide. You must make sure that your ph and alkalinity is correct as well as calcium. I see literally hundreds of pumps come through our door every year and all that went wrong with them (unfortunate) was operator error. They were a very nice company to replace the pump. Pumps , if you get 5-6 years you are doing good.

FYI---- The 1st year is always the best year for your water because every year (unless you completely drain) the old water just gets treated.

 

[lillygator]

ours is hayward as well.....on a timer 9 hrs per day.

 

[luvflorida]

luvflorida- do you know where can I find your pool thread from when you were having it built? We are gonna be building one, or at least hoping to, and I would love to read that thread and see the pics.

Sorry to hear about the burned out pump- but YIPPPEEEE that they replaced it for free.... as they should have!

Are you loving your pool? Any regrets at all??

I don't think the pictures are still on the pool building thread. I'm not sure what happened to them, but I'll see if I can find them. There is another thread I posted last year showing the pool and some before and after landscaping photos. If you go to search and type, pool landscaping photos, the first thread that comes up is mine. In the first post, there is a link you can click on that will take you to the pictures in my photobucket account.

This will be our second full summer with the pool, and our first full summer with all the landscaping finished. We LOVE the pool and don't regret putting it in for a second! Once it's up and running for the season, it's actually pretty easy to maintain.

PROS: Being able to go swimming any time we want, weather permitting of course. Sitting around the pool, sunning, listening to music, reading, entertaining, eating, etc. Being able to cool off instantly on those hot, hot days of summer.

CONS: Living in New England and only getting to use the pool for about three months.

Things to think about: Believe it or not, the landscaping, electrical work, and fencing, cost us almost the same as the pool itself!

If I had it to do over again, I would have had the entire area inside the fence finished with concrete decking, and not had the crushed rock put in. The crushed rock limits the placement of chairs, tables, etc.

Here are a few pictures from last summer.

 

[luvflorida]

It sounds to me like maybe the pump was not faulty but it was the water chemistry that actually killed the pump. Maybe I am wrong but all you said you did was add chlorine, clarifier and algaecide. You must make sure that your ph and alkalinity is correct as well as calcium. I see literally hundreds of pumps come through our door every year and all that went wrong with them (unfortunate) was operator error. They were a very nice company to replace the pump. Pumps , if you get 5-6 years you are doing good.

I did check the ph and alkalinity on a daily basis and used plus or minus, whatever was indicated as being needed. I guess what I was trying to say was that I found pool maintenance to be easy. I thought by runnning the pump 24/7, it helped to keep the water clean.

Now, here's another reason that I ran the pump continuously, and it's kind of a gross one. By running the pump during the night, it kept the water circulating, and any kind of critter that happpened to take a swim, ended up in the skimmer basket. When our pool was first installed, I actually turned the pump off at night. In the morning, I never knew what I would find at the bottom of the pool. It was much more pleasant to find the frogs, moles, small snakes, etc., in the skimmer basket and NOT in the pool. Of course, it would be better to not find ANYTHING in the basket!

At least the frogs were still alive and I could just take the basket to the edge of the woods and let them hop away. Now that I think about it, maybe it was the same family of frogs that came every night for a swim!

I love the mornings I go out and look in the skimmer basket and find it empty. I never know what I'm going to find when I open the top.

 

[JMD]

I usually run my pump 8-10 hours a day. I may run it a bit longer on the weekend if its getting alot of use. If the water is clear there really is no need to run it 24/7.

 

[PghLybrt]

I did check the ph and alkalinity on a daily basis and used plus or minus, whatever was indicated as being needed. I guess what I was trying to say was that I found pool maintenance to be easy. I thought by runnning the pump 24/7, it helped to keep the water clean.

Now, here's another reason that I ran the pump continuously, and it's kind of a gross one. By running the pump during the night, it kept the water circulating, and any kind of critter that happpened to take a swim, ended up in the skimmer basket. When our pool was first installed, I actually turned the pump off at night. In the morning, I never knew what I would find at the bottom of the pool. It was much more pleasant to find the frogs, moles, small snakes, etc., in the skimmer basket and NOT in the pool. Of course, it would be better to not find ANYTHING in the basket!

At least the frogs were still alive and I could just take the basket to the edge of the woods and let them hop away. Now that I think about it, maybe it was the same family of frogs that came every night for a swim!

I love the mornings I go out and look in the skimmer basket and find it empty. I never know what I'm going to find when I open the top.

Sounds good then

And critters ....I know where youare with that. We had to deal with a customers cat today very sad.

 

[cryssi]

I think ours runs for 6 or so hours every day. We turn it on, of course, if we're going to go in it.

I should add that this is it's year-round schedule...