A typical pool in Australia with a pump and chlorinator draws 1.1kW. Run for an average of 8 hours a day at SE Queensland's current electricity rate of around 33 cents per kWh, a common 1.1kW pump and chlorinator combination costs roughly $1,100 a year, just to keep the water moving.
If that number surprises you, you’re not alone.
Here's how to calculate yours, and what you can actually do about it.
How many watts does a pool pump use?
Pool pumps in Australian homes typically range from 750W to 2,500W. Most suburban pools run a single-speed pump somewhere between 900W and 1,500W.
The label on your pump will show the wattage. Look for a number followed by W or kW.
If it shows horsepower, multiply by 745 to convert. A 1.5hp pump is 1,120W.
Your chlorinator adds to the total. Most domestic chlorinators draw between 200W and 400W depending on cell size and water temperature. If you can't find the figure, use 200W for a small pool and 400W for a large one.
Add them together to get your pool's total draw. A common combination, 900W pump plus 200W chlorinator, totals 1,100W, or 1.1kW.
Calculating your daily and annual cost
The formula is simple:
Kilowatts × hours running per day × electricity rate = daily cost
Using our 1.1kW example at SE Queensland's rate of 33 cents per kWh:
- Running 6 hours per day: $2.17/day, $795/year
- Running 8 hours per day: $2.90/day, $1,059/year
- Running 10 hours per day: $3.63/day, $1,324/year
Most pool owners have no idea how many hours their pump is actually running. If you set it and forgot about it, it's probably running more than it needs to.
Does time of day matter?
It may, if you're on a time-of-use tariff with a smart meter.
SE Queensland retailers offer plans where off-peak electricity (typically overnight and midday) costs significantly less than peak rates in the late afternoon and evening.
Running your pool pump during peak hours instead of off-peak can mean paying 40 to 50% more for the same filtration. Most timers don’t know what time of day costs more. TED does.
What about solar?
If you have solar panels, the cheapest time to run your pool is during the middle of the day when your panels are generating. But the sun doesn't keep a fixed schedule: cloud cover, season, and weather all shift when your solar generation actually peaks.
TED follows the forecast at your address and can suggest moving pump time to match your solar hours when cloud or rain is on the way. You approve each change.
How much are you actually spending?
Check your pump's wattage label, estimate how many hours it runs each day, and multiply by 0.33. Most SE Queensland pool owners are spending between $800 and $1,200 a year, before they do anything about it.
Bring it down with TED
TED is the smart plug and app for your pool. It suggests a pump schedule that fits your tariff, your solar and the weather, and you approve each change in the app. Most pool owners save $225 to $450 a year.