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How Long to Run a Pool Pump
One full turnover a day is the usual aim. Two answers give your hours.
1 of 2: your gallons
Your daily run time appears here.
- 1 turnover
- per day
- +1 to 2 h
- in hot weather
- Overnight
- after a shock
For most pools, running the pump around 8 hours a day does the job. That's generally enough to push the whole pool's water through the filter once. Your own number comes down to 2 things: the gallons your pool holds and the speed your pump pushes water.
- Daily goal: one full turnover
- Typical run time: roughly 8 hours
- Hot days or heavy use: tack on an extra 1 to 2 hours
How long to run a pool pump per day?
Shoot for one turnover per day. A turnover is when every gallon in your pool has made one trip through the filter. Most pools need roughly 8 hours for that.
Pumps come with a GPM rating. GPM means gallons per minute, or the amount of water a pump can move in 1 minute. A pump with a higher GPM gets a turnover done faster. You can usually find the GPM listed by the pump's manufacturer.
| Size of pool | 30 GPM flow | 45 GPM flow | 60 GPM flow |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5,000 gallons | roughly 2.8 hours | roughly 1.9 hours | roughly 1.4 hours |
| 10,000 gallons | roughly 5.6 hours | roughly 3.7 hours | roughly 2.8 hours |
| 15,000 gallons | roughly 8.3 hours | roughly 5.6 hours | roughly 4.2 hours |
| 20,000 gallons | roughly 11.1 hours | roughly 7.4 hours | roughly 5.6 hours |
| 25,000 gallons | roughly 13.9 hours | roughly 9.3 hours | roughly 6.9 hours |
| 30,000 gallons | roughly 16.7 hours | roughly 11.1 hours | roughly 8.3 hours |
How many hours should a pool pump run in summer?
When it's hot out, or the pool has been swum in a lot, give the pump an extra 1 to 2 hours. Say a turnover usually takes your pool 8 hours. On those days, plan for 9 to 10.
Working out your own run time
To get your daily hours, you just need 2 numbers: your pool's gallons and your pump's GPM. Not sure about your gallons? These common pool sizes can help. Each one assumes the pool averages about 4.5 ft deep.
| Size of pool | Gallons it holds |
|---|---|
| 12 x 24 ft | roughly 9,690 gallons |
| 16 x 32 ft | roughly 17,200 gallons |
| 20 x 40 ft | roughly 26,900 gallons |
For instance, take a 16 x 32 ft pool, which carries around 17,200 gallons. Pair it with a 45 GPM pump and the hours for one turnover are 17,200 ÷ 45 ÷ 60.
How the math works
Take your gallons, divide by the pump's GPM, then divide by 60 to get from minutes to hours. That gives you the hours for one turnover.
- Hours = gallons ÷ pump GPM ÷ 60
If your pool isn't one of these sizes, multiply its surface area by its average depth in feet, then by 7.48.
- Rectangular: surface area (sq ft) × average depth (ft) × 7.48
- Round or oval: use 5.9 instead of 7.48
- Sloped floor: add the shallow and deep ends, then split that in half
Pool pump running cost
A standard single-speed pump pulls about 1,725 watts. Run it 8 hours and you're looking at roughly 13.8 kWh a day.
The US average rate is 18.16 cents per kWh, per the EIA. Multiply your daily kWh by that rate to get your cost per day. The extra 1 to 2 hours on hot or busy days adds to that cost.
Adding chemicals while the pump runs
Put your chemicals in while the pump is on. The circulating water carries them around the pool. Add them one by one, right in front of a return jet (that's the opening where water heads back into the pool).
Matching the filter to the pump
The filter also needs to be sized for the amount of water your pump moves. Each filter type can handle a set amount of flow for each square foot of filter area.
- Sand: 20 GPM for each sq ft
- Cartridge: 0.375 GPM for each sq ft
- Diatomaceous earth: 2 GPM for each sq ft
Filters that use sand or diatomaceous earth call for a backwash now and then. A backwash sends water backward through the filter to wash out the trapped dirt. You'll know it's time when the pressure gauge sits 8 to 10 psi above its reading from when the filter was clean.