Do ECO pumps really save as they must be run longer?
What is an ECO Pool Pump?
An ECO pump is also known as an energy-efficient pool pump. Their efficiency comes in the way that they operate, offering variable speed so that they are not running at high speed when they don’t need to, offering you immediate cost savings on your electricity bill.
Eco Pumps have at least 2 variable speeds. Preferably - 3. This allows you to alter the power usage depending on why you are using your pump
Myth: Eco swimming pool pumps need to be run longer, so they don’t save you money
Variable speed pool pumps are the future of pool equipment. A single speed pool pump can cost in excess of $1100 per year in electricity costs. An Eco pump on the other hand can be a fifth of that cost, resulting in significant cost savings.
The typical ECO pump has three speeds - High, Medium & Low. With some ECO pumps, these three speeds can be varied slightly to suit the pool owners' need, For example, if the pump is installed a fair way from the pool or the particular pool cleaner needs a tad more flow, the pool owner can increase the speed slightly to compensate for this.
A fixed speed pump, or single speed pool pump, has always a fixed flow rate and a fixed running cost per hour.
An Eco pump can change the flow simply by changing the speed - the lower the speed, the lower the flow & cost to run.
The running cost savings can be extensive due to what is termed the Pump Affinity Laws:
- A change in speed equals a change in flow.
- A change in speed equals a change in head-loss squared.
- A change in speed equals a change in power usage cubed.
What this effectively means is that if you halve the speed (mid-speed) you halve the flow, get a quarter of the head loss, but use only 1/8 of the power. Run it twice as long to get the same amount of water filtered each day and save 75% of electricity in doing so. Change the speed to a third (low speed), and the power usage drops to 1/27, run it three times longer and use only 1/9 of the power!
Sounds good doesn't it - and it really is. The power-saving in just one year will pay for the pump!
What pool owners need to understand here is that with an ECO pump, you must run it longer than your older fixed speed pump, as it is important to get the same volume of water filtered each day.
All ECO pumps will start up at the highest speed for a short period to ensure the pump is fully primed, then will automatically drop back to the set lower speed. The only time you need to run on high is when you need to manually vacuum the pool or for backwashing the sand filter.
Mid speed can be used if using a suction pool cleaner, whereas low speed is where you make most of the power-saving and should be used in most cases to take advantage of maximum power saving.
Do I need to change my filter if I change over to an ECO pump?
The simple answer is no. A standard fixed speed pump runs at around 2800rpm and can place a lot of stress on pool equipment. Have you ever noticed your filter expand & contract when the pump turns on and off? A filter actually filters water much better at a lower flow rate over a longer period.
Eco pumps are the future. At Direct Pool Supplies we keep all the leading brands. Call or email us for the correct ECO pump to suit your needs. Many are even a retrofit for existing pumps, whereas others will require a plumbing change.
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