A quality pump keeps your pool clean and hygienic and also plays a significant role in energy conservation. If you’re up to getting a new pump you might want to know how many amps does a pool pump draw?
On average, a pump rated to operate on a 120V circuit having 0.5 HP draws 3-4 amps, and 1 HP draws 15 amps.
Meanwhile, a 1.5 HP device pulled around 8.75 amps on a 240V circuit and 17.5 amps on a 120V.
However, amps drawn by a pool pump also vary by several factors. To know more about the current consumption of pool pumps, stick to this article till the very end.
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Amps Draw Of Pool Pumps
Amperage, widely known as “amp,” is a unit of current measurement flowing through an active circuit. It is pool pump amps that mostly affect your monthly electric bill. More current used by the pump means less energy conservation.
Hence, it is crucial to consider it for better efficiency while planning to get one for your pool.
The pool pump sizes vary with their power ratings. Generally, the pool type and size allow you to determine what type of swimming pool pumps you should install. Check out the draw chart below:
| Power Rating (HP) | Power (W) | Operating Voltage (V) | Amperage (A) |
| 0.5 | 373 | 120 | 3.11 |
| 110 | 3.39 | ||
| 240 | 1.55 | ||
| 1 | 746 | 120 | 6.21 |
| 110 | 6.78 | ||
| 240 | 3.11 | ||
| 1.5 | 1119 | 120 | 9.32 |
| 110 | 10.17 | ||
| 240 | 4.66 | ||
| 2 | 1492 | 120 | 12.43 |
| 110 | 13.56 | ||
| 240 | 6.21 | ||
| 2.5 | 1865 | 120 | 15.54 |
| 110 | 16.87 | ||
| 240 | 7.77 | ||
| 3 | 2238 | 120 | 18.65 |
| 110 | 20.34 | ||
| 240 | 9.32 |
Factors Affecting Pool Pump Amperage
There are some major factors you should know about while planning to get a pool pump with optimum power consumption. Take a look into these for a better understanding:
1. Power Rating
Electric motors come with different power ratings. It is an identifying factor for pumps, denoted by the unit of Horsepower (HP).
This quantized unit is easy to use and globally accepted. Mathematically, 1HP (horsepower) is equivalent to 746 watts or 0.746 kilowatts.
The horsepower of a pump is directly proportional to the amps drawn by it. Compared with 1 ½ hp and 2.5 HP pumps, the 2.5 hp pool pump would draw more amps under similar electrical connectivity.
2. Voltage Rating
Another factor to consider is the circuit voltage to which you will connect the pool pump. Amps drawn by a pump are inversely proportional to the voltage rating of the circuit. Thus, your pump connected to a higher voltage draws fewer amps.
The most widely accepted voltage ratings used in commercial and residential areas are 110-120V and 240V. Therefore, a pump with the same power rating will draw different amounts of amps in these areas.
3. Pool Pump Type
There are two major types of pool pumps, depending on the operating location. These are known as above ground pool pumps and inground pool pumps.
As the name suggests, above-ground pool pumps are used to stay above the ground level of the pool. Usually, private and residential pools use this type of pump.
Similarly, inground pool pumps are installed underground in a dedicated room. These pumps have higher HP, flow rate, and RPM than above-ground pumps. Hence, they draw more amps as well.
Depending upon the pump speed, three major types are single, dual, and variable-speed pool pumps. Amps drawn by these pumps depend upon the rpm at which they are operated.
4. Working Efficiency
The working efficiency of pool pumps controls the amperage they draw while running under similar conditions. Pool pumps with identical power ratings can draw a slightly different amperage if the efficiency differs.
Pump efficiency is variable as it is characterized by the brands and company that produces it. For example, the well-known Hayward 1.5hp pool pump possesses comparatively higher efficiency than its competitors.
High-efficiency pumps draw lower amps than low-efficiency pumps. This is because there’s minimal power loss in high-efficiency pool pumps.
Operating Conditions Varying Pool Pump Amps
Apart from a pump’s internal configuration, some operation-based factors affect the pump amp consumption. Check these out to know the power requirement of a pool pump for different types of pools.
1. Pool Size and Volume of Water
First and foremost, a pool pump will draw more amps, working for a bigger pool than a smaller one. Moreover, higher water volume in a pool also results in pulling more amps than running the same pump on a pool with lower water volume.
2. Operating Time
Pump running time directly affects a pump’s amp consumption. Higher running time means more kW-hr of power consumption. This proportionally increases the amp than a pump of a similar configuration running for a lesser time.
Determining Pool Pump Amperage
Check out the following method to estimate how much amps are drawn by your pool pump. This will also help to estimate your annual electric bill for the pump.
The relation between circuit voltage, current, and power is as follows:
Power (W)/Voltage(V)=Current(I)
Now, theoretically 1hp (horsepower)=746W
Consider you have a 1.5hp single-speed pool pump connected to a 120V circuit.
In this scenario,
Power= 1.5×746W= 1119W
Voltage= 120V
Current(amps)=1119/120A=9.33A (approximately)
You can perform an amperage test for real-time accuracy to know how many amps a pool pump draws. Simply energize your pool pump and hook an ammeter around the wires inside one of the hotwires. You can see the actual reading of amps pulled by your pool pump.
Cross-check the reading with the amp rating pasted on your pool pump. This piece of information helps you to check on your pool pump health.
Conclusion
Knowing how many amps does a pool pump draws is essential for managing your annual lifestyle budget. We hope you found this article informative and understand how pool pumps work. For more accuracy, it is highly recommended to refer to the data provided by your pool pump manual.
