How Long Do I Run the Pump to My 12ft Easy Set Pool

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As pool owners know, all of its systems need maintaining so that the water stays crystal clear and refreshing. Water clarity is a combination of maintaining the chemical balance of your pool and proper filtration. Make sure you're running your filter properly by running it longer when it's hot out, and during the day. You can also determine how long you should run the filter in your pool specifically, based on its volume and the speed of its filter.

1. 1

   Determine the volume of your pool. How long you run the filter depends on the pool size to filter ratio. Calculate the volume of your pool by multiplying the length by the width by the average depth in feet.

   • Multiply this number by a standard multiplier, which is 7.5 for rectangular and square pools and 5.9 for other shapes.
   • Example: 16*32*5*7.48 = 19,149. This would give the volume of the pool in gallons for this 16x32 inch pool that has an average depth of 5 feet.
   • If your pool has different areas of depth to it, calculate the volume of each area of depth before adding them all together to find the total volume of your pool.

2. 2

   Find out the flow rate of the pump. Include the resistance to flow in your plumbing system. You can estimate your pool plumbing resistance to be 20ft/lbs for small pools, and 40ft/lbs for large pools or installations where the pool pump is far removed from the pool area.^[1]

   • The pump manufacturer can tell you the flow rate for certain resistances.
   • An average 1 HP pump will move about 50 gallons per minute. This would be 3,000 gallons per hour.

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3. 3

   Calculate the turnover rate for your pool. The minimum recommended turnover for a pool is 2 complete turnovers in any 24 hour period. Use this equation to see how long you should run your filter: (Pool Volume ÷ Filtration rate) x 2 = Hours to run filter. This will tell you how many hours to run your pump to filter the water a full 2 times.^[2]

   • For example, using a pool volume of 19,149 gallons and a filtration rate of 3,000 gallons per hour:
     • (Pool Volume ÷ Filtration rate) x 2 = Hours to run filter
     • (19,149 ÷ 3000) x 2 = 12.766, or about 12 hours and 45 minutes for a full 2 cycles.

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1. 1

   Run your filter 1 hour for every 10 °F (−12 °C) it is outside. A general rule of thumb you can follow year-round is running your filter dependent on the temperature. In the winter, you'll be running it 6 or fewer hours, while in the summer, you might have to go a full 12.^[3]

   • If you're experiencing temperatures of 80 °F (27 °C) or greater, you should be running your filter about 10-12 hours regardless.^[4]

2. 2

   Run your filter during the daytime when your pool water is hottest. These warm temperatures are when algae is most likely to start growing in your pool water. Run the filter with chlorine the entire length of the day in these cases to avoid any chances of algae turning up in your pool.^[5]

   • Although running your filter at night may save you energy, it does nothing to prevent the algae from forming during the day when it's actually got a chance to, unlike at night.

3. 3

   Feel free to safely run your filter 10-12 hours a day. Your pool filter is intended to be run for up to 12 hours a day consistently. You can run it on its lower settings normally, and then on the higher settings when you're adding the chlorine or other cleansers to the water.^[6]

   • This way, you'll be ensuring you're filtering out the entire contents of your pool at least 2 times a day.
   • If you have a small filter, you will need to run the filter longer depending on how many gallons the filter can process in a given time. Don't worry about running it for too long, it's better to overrun your filter than not run for long enough.

4. 4

   Clean out or replace pool filters after long periods of use. Over the course of a pool's life, you'll need to have the filters cleaned out if they're dirty or clogged with debris. Otherwise, you may find you're having to run your filters for longer to achieve the same effect.^[7]

   • Here are instructions detailing how to Clean a Cartridge Type Swimming Pool Filter.

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Add New Question

• Question

  Do I need a 220 line to run a 3/4 hp pump?

  

  220 is more efficient than 120 and will help keep the energy usage lower. Run time depends on size of pool and hydraulics. Residential In-ground pools are generally hydraulically built to run 8 hours a day for proper turnover rate, with a temperature of 80 degrees. Every 10 degrees warmer than 80 degrees pump should be run 1 hour longer. For example, 90 degrees run 9 hours. This is for a single speed pump running 3450 rpm.

• Question

  How long should the filter pump run after the two 12 hour turnovers?

  

  Let the filter rest for about a day, then run the filter in 6 - 8 hour intervals every day that you want to use your pool.

• Question

  My pool was clear while the sand filter was running, but when I scrubbed, the walls were green again. Any suggestions?

  

  Pool Lady

  Community Answer

  Check the balance of your water. It may just need to be super-shocked. Depending on the size of your pool, a bottle of vitamin C tablets could solve your problem. Just a note, know what you need before you go to buy your chemicals. Pool stores sell chemicals. It is how they survive.

• Question

  Is it correct that (2x10)/2 = 10, NOT 5? Also, should it be (2+10)/2 = 6?

  

  (2x10)/2 = 10, because in the first part 2 x 10, this equals 20. We then divide it by 2, 20 divided 2, equals 10. (2+10)/2 = 6 is correct. 2+12 equals 12, then dividing 12 by two equals 6.

• Question

  Should I run my pool filter in the daytime or nighttime?

  

  This answer is dependent on a few factors, like your neighbors and your power company's peak on and off hours. It's best to run your filter outside of peak hours to keep your electric bills in check. Noise ordinances in communities usually stop around 8 AM and begin around 10 PM, so check to make sure which ordinances you live under, if any.

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• Regularly examine the water for bugs, plant material, dirt, and other contaminants. Skim the surface with a net, and vacuum the bottom and sides.

• Use a pH and chlorine tester to see how much chlorine is in the water if the pool has an automatic feeder.

• Test your pool's balance regularly. Your pool supplier will have a good selection of testing kits and chemicals. Ask them for recommendations for the best kit for your needs.

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Article Summary X

If you need to know how many hours to run a pool filter, determine your pool's volume by multiplying the length, width, and depth of the pool. Next, divide the pool volume by the filtration rate, which you can get from the pump's manufacturer. Then, multiply that answer by 2 to calculate how many hours you need to run your pool's filter! Read on to learn the minimum turnover for a pool.

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Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Know-How-Many-Hours-to-Run-a-Pool-Filter

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