What RPM To Run The Pool Pump For A 15k Gallon Pool?

The new pool pumps on the market might be confusing to you when you are setting up your pool and starting your pump. What pool pump speed should I use for a 15k gallon pool? You should consider a number of factors, including flow rate, price, and energy efficiency when selecting the best pool pump for your swimming facility.

To learn the answers to the question of what RPM to run a pool pump for a 15k gallon pool, keep reading.

Types Of Pool Pumps

Since their invention, pool pumps have undergone significant advancements, and choosing the right one can be among your best investments as a pool owner.

The three most popular pool pumps available right now are as follows:

Single Speed Pool Pumps

The single-speed pump is the most traditional and affordable type of pool pump. These can never operate at a speed lower than 3450 RPM, which is the speed at which they are rated for their horsepower.

They typically operate at faster speeds than most pools require because they only have one speed. Of the three types of pool pumps available, they are the least effective.

Dual Speed Pool Pumps

Pool pumps with dual speeds have settings for high and low speeds. They cost more upfront than single-speed pumps but are more efficient. A dual-speed pump cannot be fine-tuned to particular flow rates, so you won’t get maximum efficiency from one.

Variable Speed Pool Pumps

Variable speed pumps are by far the best choice when it comes to pool pumps. They are much quieter than single or dual-speed pumps and offer a wide range of speeds to easily fine-tune flow rates.

Although their initial investment is the highest of the three, their lower operational costs will result in long-term cost savings.

What To Look For In A Pump With Variable Speed And Flow?

Our preferred pump to use is the Pentair Variable Speed and Flow pump. A big reason we enjoy this pump is that it has two readouts. RPM readings are given first. Second, there is one for Gallons Per Minute or GPM. This pump has a readout in addition to adjusting the flow rate to prevent clogged filters or pump baskets.

Why Is Turnover Rate Important?

Selecting a turnover rate is the first step in calculating the GPM required for a pool. The amount of pool water being filtered on a continuous basis is referred to as the turnover rate. This refers to the amount of time it takes to filter a 15,000-gallon swimming pool.

A 100 GPM pool pump, for instance, would be an example. This indicates that turning over your pool will take 150 minutes or roughly two and a half hours.

It’s accepted that your pool needs to turn over at least once on any given day, but you may want to have it turned over more than once given your environment or your desire to have a cleaner pool.

Lower RPM, Lower Electricity Bill

You might discover that you can set your pool pump to run at a lower speed for a longer period of time and still turn the pool over when the pool is smaller, like 15k gallons. This is a benefit of having a smaller pool. The electrical consumption of the pump goes down dramatically the lower the RPM of the pump motor.

How Do I Find The RPM To Run A Pool Pump For A 15,000 Gallon Pool?

Sadly, unless you have a variable speed pump with a flow rate readout, you won’t be able to determine the flow rate based on RPMs. A flow meter is something you might think about getting. These can be set up by your pool service provider and will help you determine the ideal RPM.

To know what RPM to run a pool pump for a 15k gallon pool, our recommendation is the FlowVis by H2Flow.

You can try out low RPMs if your heater has one. When your heater eventually stops working, it means your flow has decreased below the heater’s minimum. The typical minimum flow is in the range of 30 to 40 GPM. Then, raise the RPMs back above the heater minimum flow and you’ll know you have around 50 GPM.

A 15k gallon pool will turn over in 7 hours at that rate. Generally speaking, you don’t want to run your pool at a speed that is slower than what your heater can handle. You want the heater to be able to keep the temperature in your pool at a reasonable level, so this is why.

Why Is A Variable Speed Pool Pump Necessary?

More Efficient Motor

For many reasons, variable-speed pool pumps are necessary for a healthy pool to run. They are powered by a different motor than single and dual-speed pumps, known as a permanent magnetic motor.

It is significantly more efficient than the induction motors used in conventional single-speed and dual-speed pool pumps, which are the same type of motor as those found in electric cars.

A magnetic field is produced between the rotor and the windings in these motors using permanent magnets. Compared to conventional induction motors, which require additional electricity to induce the magnetic field into the rotor, the improved efficiency is the result of the magnets’ ability to spin the rotor.

Permanent magnet motors have an efficiency rating of 90%, whereas the typical single-speed pool pump only has an efficiency rating of 30% to 70%.

This implies that, when operating a pool pump at the same flow rate as a single-speed pump, a variable-speed pump will use significantly less energy.

Less Power Consumption

Despite having a higher initial investment, variable speed pool pumps will ultimately pay for themselves and end up saving you even more money in the long run.

This is because variable-speed pool pumps, as opposed to single-speed pumps, which run at higher speeds for a shorter time, allow you to run your pool at a lower speed for a longer period of time.

Single-speed pool pumps frequently operate at much higher speeds than necessary, which results in constant energy loss. Even a small reduction in your pump’s speed can result in significant financial savings because slowing down your pool pump’s operation results in a disproportionate reduction in energy consumption.

Comparatively speaking, variable-speed pool pumps will save you the most on your energy bill because they have more energy-efficient motors and allow you to set the speed to exactly what your pool requires and nothing more.

Better Pool Circulation

Most pool owners who use a single-speed pump end up running them for eight hours a day or less because of the high energy costs and loud operating noise. This indicates that for the majority of the day, the water in their pool is stagnant, where bacteria and other contaminants can grow.

As contaminants accumulate, pools will need more chlorine, which will produce more toxic chloramines that irritate skin and give off a strong chlorine odor.

In some cases, pool owners with single-speed pumps only run them at night to help lower electric costs. Even worse, the water in their pool stagnates during the day when the sun is out, allowing the UV rays to degrade the chlorine.

On the other hand, a variable-speed pool pump can run for a longer period of time, ideally 24 hours per day, while using less energy and making a much quieter sound than a single-speed pool pump would.

Your pool will have better circulation as a result, which will make it much healthier and require fewer chemicals.

Continuous circulation will also significantly improve the performance of any additional sanitation measures, such as AOP, UV, or ozone systems, allowing for a reduction in chlorine levels to those of drinking water or lower.

Less Pool Pump Noise

It is not recommended to leave single-speed pool pumps running overnight because they can be very loud. It is possible to leave variable speed pumps running continuously at a lower speed without disturbing your family or your neighbors. This is because variable speed pumps are much quieter.

Better Pool Filtration

Too much speed from the pool pump can reduce the filter’s efficiency. You can get a cleaner pool and extend the life of your filter by running a variable speed pump at a lower speed for longer periods of time.

Rebates

You may even be eligible for utility rebates from your power company thanks to the variable speed pool pump’s energy-saving features. If you make use of these discounts, the price of a variable speed pool pump may end up being equal to or less expensive than the price of a dual speed pump.

Avoid Fines

You may need to spend more money on a more efficient pump because some states have energy efficiency regulations that forbid the use of single-speed pool pumps with higher horsepower. If you want to know if your pool pump complies with the laws in your state, speak with a pool expert.