My Name says...

Got a pool question - of sorts. Given the high cost of
electricity here in the northeast, I was thinking or
running my pool filter motor at night to get the
off-peak rates. So, my question - Is my family going to
swim in emerald green water all summer as a result? Has
anyone thought of doing this?

It has always been my understanding that the pump should be
on during periods when the pool is in direct sunlight.
That's because that's when algae grow best, and because
chlorine is dissipated by ultraviot light, and you need to
keep the chlorinated water mixing. Otherwise, water at the
surface will become chlorine depleted and algae will bloom
there. If your pool uses a chlorinator that only works when
the pump is on, it would be particularly important to run
the pump during sunlight periods.

Anyway, that's what I do most of the time - match the pump
to the direct sunlight period. And when thunderstorms are
expected. I guess that doesn't match your lowest pricing
time, but if you have some shade, maybe the sunlight period
is short enough to make up for the higher cost per KWH.

At one time I contemplated a switch that would sense bright
sunlight and turn on the pump accordingly. That still might
actually be a good way to do it it you could find such a
switch and didn't mind doing a bit of rewiring.

Let us know what you end up doing, and how it works out for
you.