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Use the calculator for an instant estimate, or read on for a full breakdown of how this cost is calculated.
Examples and calculation text checked September 22, 2026. This is a planning guide, not an individual engineering review.
Illustrative example
$216/year
Declared inputs, not a typical-home range
1,000 watts ÷ 1,000 × 6 hours/day × 180 days = 1,080 kWh/year. Multiplying by $0.20/kWh gives $216/year. During a 30-day operating month at the same schedule, it uses 180 kWh and costs $36.
Use electrical watts from a suitable measurement or equipment information for the speed you actually run. A motor's horsepower is a mechanical rating; multiplying it by a service factor does not establish its electrical draw.
For several speed settings, calculate each power-and-runtime period separately and add the energy. Keep filtration requirements and equipment instructions in mind when considering schedule changes; this calculator does not choose a safe filtration schedule.
The calculator starts with the same example. Its $18 average-month cost is annual cost divided by 12; seasonal bills can look very different. The $0.20/kWh rate is illustrative, not a national average. Use your energy rate; fixed fees and taxes are separate.
The starting values are an example. Replace them with your equipment and usage.
Use measured electrical input at the actual pump speed. Horsepower describes output and does not by itself establish electrical input or variable-speed savings.
1,080 kWh per year
$216.00 per year
$18.00 per average month (annual cost ÷ 12)
Energy charges only. Fixed fees, taxes, tiered and time-of-use billing are excluded. The average month is not a seasonal forecast.
Electrical input at each selected speed
Hours at each speed, rather than a generic efficiency percentage
Number of operating days in the year
Other pool loads, such as a heater, kept separate
Before making a change
Check the large loads and uncertain assumptions first. Compare a specific change against your existing equipment before deciding whether an upgrade is worth investigating.
These sources explain units and equipment labels. The worked household values are illustrative inputs, not measured customer data or published typical-use ranges.
Follow the free walkthrough to build a household electricity estimate, review its assumptions and compare changes. The optional $19 purchase unlocks both dated PDF report formats for your household profile.
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