How much water can be drawn in and pushed out efficiently has several variables. Pumping horsepower, impeller design, piping sizes and piping distances, fittings, equipment, elevations +/- together with the level of filtration applied and the status of clean filtering during operation.

Harmonizing hydraulic balance within the plumbing system allows a determination to be gained as to pump selection not the other way around. In order to select the correct pump an understanding for the engineering principals involved must be gained, calculated and anticipated.

The over consumption of electricity from an improperly designed pumping system can equate to thousands of dollars of wasted money over the life of a swimming pool. Another bandit of energy is the under sizing of the main electrical conductor, the wire run between the pool equipment sub-panel and the main electrical panel.

This calculation is much like the friction losses in a plumbing system with a key note being that the voltage losses are after your electric meter so, you are paying for the loss of kilowatt usage even before you have a chance to put it to good use.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

• What is the percentage of voltage loss during operational function of the filtering system and the pool cleaner?
• What gauge wire has been specified and what is the distance of the entire wire run?
• What is the electrical efficiency percentage rating of my pump at the designed flow rates?

Note: If your pool builder can’t answer these questions upon presenting a design, you probably won’t like your future electric bills either.