25 replies to this topic

[lakesuperiorgirl]

Last night my husband and I were trying to figure out why the electric bill jumped $90 last month. Some of it is due to fans, dehumidifier, and air conditioner as well as having extra company but we were wondering about the pond pump. So he was watching the meter while I unplugged and plugged back in the pond pump. The pump is a Sunterra 4300 gallon. Is there a way to figure out the cost of running it? Yeah, it was my own fault, I plugged the pump into the timer slot for the lights and the lights to run all night! Duh! Now, is the bacteria in the pressurized filter done for? Does this mean I start all over for bacteria? Hope not because I have the rest of this month and the month of August before frost comes so I don't believe there'll be enough time to restart the bacteria.

[The Juice]

I think you convert the amperage of the pump into watts, and then to kilowatt hours. Find out what your charged per kilowatt hour and then you have it. I guess it depends on how long there is no circulation going through your filter as to how long the bacteria will last.

[lakesuperiorgirl]

No circulation for approx. 8 hrs.

[The Juice]

During a filter retrofit I did I had my pads out for that long, some even dried up and I didn't notice a difference in the water. You gotta remember you have good bacteria in the pond itself as well so I don't think it will take long to reestablish in the filter.

[DoDad]

I use kill-a-watt to check the wattage on anything 110 appliance or pump I plug in.
http://www.killawatt...CFQzyDAodJ3pGqw

[lakesuperiorgirl]

The good part was that the water would've stayed in there the whole time. Bad part, no circulation.

[lakesuperiorgirl]

Sunterra 841 watts 7.7 amps so how to I figure out what's the conversion to kilowatts? I looked at a conversion calculator online but I just don't understand it.

[The Juice]

1000 watts is a kilowatt. So if you are using 841 watts each hour and the pump is running 24 hours than you are using 20184 watts in a 24 hour period. Dived by 1000 you are using 20.184 kilowatts in 24 hours. In Arizona I think I am charged 11cents a kwh so that would be $2.22 a day. It has been a bit since I played with this stuff so I could be rusty......

[lakesuperiorgirl]

Thanks, sounds about right but ours is about 15cents/kwh. Hmmm...not a cheap hobby!

[DrCase]

Your pump uses a lot of power ..How big is the pump ?
My laguna 4200 only uses 160 watts

[lakesuperiorgirl]

That is the pump I was looking at buying today. Do you like your Laguna? My Sunterra is 4300 gal/hr, 841 watts, 7.7 amps. That doesn't help the electric bill. I am looking to buy a pump that will work for my pond which is 8x12, average depth 1.5', deepest spot is 3'. The 4300 gal/hr pump sits in the skimmer box at the opposite end of the falls as pictured. It feeds two lines: one to a 2000 gal Sunterra pressurized filter that empties to an old fashioned handpump and the other line goes to a rock about 4' high off ground to feed the waterfall. http://www.gardenpon...index.php?n=265

[y2kdejesus]

I am not familiar with Sunterra myself but 7.7 amps sounds like this pump is going to cost you ALOT to run on a monthly basis. I would look at something that uses less wattage and amps....

[lakesuperiorgirl]

Yeah, no kidding! I didn't realize things like this when buying a pump. I just went to the local Menards and bought a pump not knowing there was any kind of difference. I guess I'll have to order online. Any site suggestions?

[lakesuperiorgirl]

Last night my husband and I were trying to figure out why the electric bill jumped $90 last month. Some of it is due to fans, dehumidifier, and air conditioner as well as having extra company but we were wondering about the pond pump. So he was watching the meter while I unplugged and plugged back in the pond pump. The pump is a Sunterra 4300 gallon. Is there a way to figure out the cost of running it? Yeah, it was my own fault, I plugged the pump into the timer slot for the lights and the lights to run all night! Duh! Now, is the bacteria in the pressurized filter done for? Does this mean I start all over for bacteria? Hope not because I have the rest of this month and the month of August before frost comes so I don't believe there'll be enough time to restart the bacteria.

[The Juice]

I think you convert the amperage of the pump into watts, and then to kilowatt hours. Find out what your charged per kilowatt hour and then you have it. I guess it depends on how long there is no circulation going through your filter as to how long the bacteria will last.