everyday for a set time. Is there a timer available that I can install that will run the pump only on certain days? My pool gets very little use and there is no need to run the pump everyday. If I could run it every-other-day, that would work and conserve energy.
2007-05-30 03:24:23 · 5 answers · asked by bugear001 6 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
I would have to agree that you need to run the pump at least a few hours every day. My husband and I are both gone from the house 9+ hours during the week, and I turn the pump on when I get home from work about 6:30 or so, and he turns it off before he goes to bed. When one or both of us is at home we run it from about noon or so to sundown. We do this year-round, although we run the pump longer if we are expecting guests.
We went out of town this past weekend, gone for just a little over 24 hours; come back and some mustard algae has collected in a few spots on the bottom. Nothing problematic, but it's another reminder of how important it is for me to keep circulation (and that I needed to refill my chlorine floater!) A few months ago we got a clog in the pump and within a week, we had pool water that looked like green mud, and it took us nearly 2 weeks to get this very same water back to swimming condition.
2007-05-30 06:00:28 · answer #1 · answered by Krista B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you absolutely can run your pool pump on a timer. Although, you will have a better chance for cloudiness and algae by not keeping it circulating 24 hours, especially in the hot summer months. Where do you live? If you live where the climate is typically mild, you could probably get by with a timer, just run the pool pump about 12 hours..... 8 at night until 8 in the morning, I really wouldn't run the pump any less than 12 hours, because believe it or not, the more a pool is used, the more it circulates, and the cleaner it is. If you have warm stagnant water sitting in the pool, you are going to have to spend more money on chemicals to clean it up which will be more than the energy you would be saving.
Try it where it just runs at night, but I definitely would recommend keeping it running all you can.
2007-05-30 10:38:37 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you will end up with a green pool, even if you do not use your pool the water still needs to circulate and have the proper amount of chemicals in it. every other day is not enough, your pool should run for at least 6 hours a day this time of year. if you think it is expensive to run your pool for that long that you don't even want to know what the cost will be to get it cleaned back up later.
2007-05-30 10:32:53 · answer #3 · answered by pooh 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You might try X10 brand pool timer. I did a yahoo search, key words - X10+timer+swimming pool, and got a hit to the link below.
I've had good luck with X10 home automation equipment. I use it to control my pool lights, and other lighting in my home.
If you are not familiar with X10, you can go to X10.com and check it out. The link attached is specifically for pool timers by X10.
2007-05-30 10:39:00 · answer #4 · answered by richard Alvarado 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They make this type timer for lawn sprinkler systems but they can be pricey. Would be less costly to just turn the power on when you want the pump to run.
2007-05-30 10:30:09 · answer #5 · answered by sensible_man 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋