Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Annual pump electricity cost
$697
Annual energy use
4,357
Savings vs equivalent single-speed pump
$0
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How to use this
- 1Enter pump motor size (HP).
- 2Enter motor efficiency (%).
- 3Enter daily runtime (hrs).
- 4Enter electricity rate ($/kWh).
- 5Enter pump type.
- 6Read your annual pump electricity cost on the right — it updates as you type.
- 7Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Pool pumps are one of the largest single electricity draws in homes that have them, often rivaling the AC in summer. This calculator computes annual cost from motor horsepower, daily runtime, and electricity rate, and compares a traditional single-speed pump running at full power against a variable-speed pump that can run longer at a much lower flow rate for equivalent filtration — the mechanism behind the 50-70% savings variable-speed pumps typically deliver, since pump power draw scales with the cube of speed (affinity laws), not linearly.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Pump motor size: 1.5 HP
- Motor efficiency: 75 %
- Daily runtime: 8 hrs
- Electricity rate: 0.16 $/kWh
- Pump type: Single-speed (full power always)
Results
- Annual pump electricity cost: $697
- Annual energy use: 4,357
- Savings vs equivalent single-speed pump: $0
What each field means
Inputs
- Pump motor size (HP)
- The pump motor size used in the calculation, measured in HP. Starts at 1.5 HP so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0.25–5 HP.
- Motor efficiency (%)
- The motor efficiency used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 75 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 40–95 %.
- Daily runtime (hrs)
- The daily runtime used in the calculation, measured in hrs. Starts at 8 hrs so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 1–24 hrs.
- Electricity rate ($/kWh)
- The electricity rate used in the calculation, measured in $/kWh. Starts at 0.16 $/kWh so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0.02–0.6 $/kWh.
- Pump type
- Pick the option that matches your situation — the maths changes per option. Choices: Single-speed (full power always), Variable-speed (runs at ~30% speed most of the time).
Results
- Annual pump electricity cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Annual energy use
- Returned as a whole number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Savings vs equivalent single-speed pump
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Why do variable-speed pumps save so much?
Pump power draw follows the affinity laws — power scales roughly with the cube of speed. Running at 30% speed uses only about 2.7% of full-speed power (0.3³), so even running 50% longer to achieve equivalent turnover and filtration, total energy use drops 50-70% compared to a single-speed pump running at full power for a shorter time.
How many hours a day should a pool pump run?
The rule of thumb is one full turnover of pool volume per day, which for most residential pools with a properly sized pump works out to 6-10 hours in summer and can be cut to 4-6 hours in cooler months when algae growth and bather load are lower.
Is a variable-speed pump worth the higher upfront cost?
Yes in almost every case where you run the pump daily — variable-speed pumps cost $600-$1,200 more than single-speed but the energy savings (often $300-$600/year depending on local rates and runtime) typically pay that back in 1.5-3 years, and many states/utilities now require or rebate variable-speed pumps specifically because of this.
Does pump size (HP) matter beyond speed control?
An oversized pump wastes energy at any speed setting since it's moving more water than your filter and plumbing need, causing excess head pressure. A pool professional can calculate correct HP from your pipe diameter, filter type, and pool volume — bigger isn't automatically better here.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Pool Pump Energy Cost Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/pool-pump-energy-cost
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/pool-pump-energy-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pool Pump Energy Cost Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Pool Pump Energy Cost Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/pool-pump-energy-cost) (2026).