By David Muir

Down the Electricity Rabbit Hole …

My most recent internet investigation was prompted by a failing swimming pool pump.  After 14 years of relentless service the 1-1/2 horsepower trooper no longer could handle the pressure or heat.  It’s a single-speed pump that’s been running full steam for 8 hours every day.  I’ve replaced pool pumps before, so I started looking into the modern line of equipment.  The first thing I learned was, as of 2021, the new energy code in Florida has phased out single-speed pool pump motors because they are so inefficient and, when run for 8 hours/day, are a top residential electricity consumer (second to HVACs).  The code now states that when replacing a pool pump over 1 horsepower it must have a multiple/variable-speed motor. 

These programmable motors are much more energy efficient and can operate at low speeds for much of the daily cycle.  They are more expensive to purchase but quickly “pay for themselves” in electricity cost savings.  Added benefits of operating at a low speed is they last much longer and operate very quietly.  If you have replaced your pool pump in the last decade you may already have a variable speed motor.  Now I do. 

There are numerous options for scheduling your pump to operate.  Generally, it’s recommended to run it at a higher speed (flow rate) for 2-3 hours (cleaning cycle) and then at a lower speed for another 4-6 hours (circulation cycle).  While reading the programming instructions, I saw a footnote: “consider coordinating the high-speed cleaning cycle with your electric company’s off-peak rate schedule”.  That made sense.  I was aware there are higher rates during peak hours yet didn’t actually know what those hours were here in NE Florida. 

So down the FP&L rabbit hole I went… 

On… or Off Peak?

First, what are peak and off-peak electricity hours?  Peak electricity hours are periods throughout the day when electricity is in high demand, so consumers pay an increased rate per kilowatt-hour for the electricity they use. These hours can vary by location, season, electricity company, and other factors.  Utility companies and retail electric providers use this strategy to reduce the negative effects of high electricity demand on the electricity grid. In other words, they encourage the use of high-powered equipment during off-peak hours by increasing rates during peak hours.  Their goal is to protect the power grid and avoid power outages, like the nasty 12-hour one we had several days ago.  (Sure glad I had my battery Power Station to run the Wi-Fi, portable fan and especially refrigerator through the night.)  I wrote about in it March and you can read it here.

FP&L has the following electricity peak hours:

Nov-Mar (Winter)

Monday-Friday from 6am to 10am, and then again from 6pm to 10pm

Apr-Oct (Summer)

Monday-Friday from noon to 9pm

All other hours including weekends and holidays are considered off-peak and are billed at the lower off-peak rate.

To reduce my electric consumption, the first thing was to schedule my pool pump high-speed cycle to run off-peak from 9am-11:30am in the Summer.  I’ll change that to afternoon come November.  Next, why not do laundry before noon or, better yet, on the weekend (who knew?).  We all know about ways to reduce our electricity usage thereby reducing our bills, the demand on the utility and the likelihood of outages.

This FP&L webpage lists the Top 10 Energy and Cost Saving Tips. 

Install a variable-speed pool pump and coordinate its run schedule with off-peak hours. 

(I asked a local pool service if their technicians routinely implement off-peak pump operation and was told – “not that I know of”.)