David and Sara save 58% on their pool’s electricity bill

“I can’t believe how expensive pool filtration was, and how much of that was wasted.”

Introduction

Background

With rising energy costs and increasing environmental awareness, homeowners are seeking innovative ways to reduce energy usage in every aspect of their homes and lower emissions.

The pool pump is a significant electricity user in households with pools, making it a prime target for efficiency improvements.

Australia’s 1.3 million pools consume 2% of the nation’s electricity, often at the worst time of the day. There is also a need for innovative ways of balancing the grid as we transition to renewables.

Product overview

Together Energy’s TED is an advanced energy management solution designed to optimise the electricity consumption of pool pumps and chlorinators through smart scheduling.

TED uses a smart-plug and an app to determine a pool pump’s optimal run-time taking into account the pool’s specification, tariff, if the house has solar-panels, weather conditions, and seasons. TED is simple to set up and works with any pool.

Objective

This case study examines the effectiveness of TED in optimising pool pump schedules to achieve enhanced energy efficiency, illustrated through the experiences of David and Sara H, participants in the TED proof-of-concept trial of the technology.

Case study details

Implementation

Setup

TED was installed to control the pool pump and chlorinator by plugging into an ordinary power outlet at David & Sara’s residence.

The device was connected to the home’s WiFi network, enabling remote monitoring and control via a smartphone application.

Configuration

The initial pool pump schedule was set to operate 12 hours daily.

Water quality

The pool pH was above the 7.2 to 7.6 range, and the salt levels below 3,000. Both factors would clearly impact the chlorinator’s effectiveness at producing hypochlorous acid, leading to lower chlorinator effectiveness. Both issues were addressed during the trial period.

Results

Energy consumption analysis

Prior to using TED, the pool pump operated on a fixed schedule of 12 hours per day all year round.

After a week, TED suggested the pool water be tested, and if well balanced, the schedule reduced by 2 hours at peak times, as follows:

In early December 2023, TED suggested the pool water be tested, and if well balanced, the schedule reduced by a further hour at peak times, as follows

In March 2024, TED suggested the pool water be tested, and if well balanced, the schedule reduced by a further hour at peak times, as follows

In April 2024, TED suggested the pool water be tested, and if well balanced, the schedule reduced by a further hour at peak times, as follows

Discussion

Analysis of the pool pump operation data demonstrated that TED’s recommendations for optimal scheduling can significantly decrease energy consumption without compromising pool cleanliness and maintenance.

Initial schedule

The initial schedule of 12 hours per day was based on the top end of the 10 to 12 hours a day rule of thumb.

David and Sara reported that they rarely changed the schedule as the timer was hard to access and the schedule difficult to reprogramme.

They also indicated they were unsure about what the right amount of time to run the pump should be.

They noted that the pool had occasionally shown signs of algae, during which time the schedule was simply increased. One can assume that low chlorine levels due to low salt / high pH were probably to blame.

User feedback

David was pleased, and surprised, by the ease of use and the energy savings achieved.

It became clear, and David suggested that a how-to-guide be provided to allow people (especially maintenance people) to know how to turn the unit on manually for cleaning, without the app.

“A little bit of knowledge goes a long way. We didn’t realise the pH and salt levels were so important. Once the water was balanced, reducing the hours made a lot of sense”.

Sara said “I can’t believe how expensive pool filtration was, and how much of that was wasted. With the price of everything else going up, TED is a bit of a good news story in our house”.

Finally David noted “Seeing energy consumption and savings on an app’s really great. Once you start seeing results, you take more interest in trying to do things better”.

Environmental impact

By reducing the daily operation time of pool pumps, TED has contributed to a substantial decrease of 58% in the pool pump’s electricity consumption, and a commensurate reduction in carbon emissions.

If one ignores the chlorinator savings, TED reduced the annual pool pump energy use by 2,250kWh and emissions by 1.6 t CO2‑e.

Undoubtedly, the pool pump will also gain a little bit of “extra life” by taking a longer nap between runs.

Conclusion

TED has proven to be a valuable tool for managing energy consumption of pool pumps, offering substantial cost savings and environmental benefits.

This case study highlights the potential of smart home technologies to enhance energy efficiency and significantly reduce emissions in residential settings.