How can I tell how much electricity my pool heater will use each day?
If you do not want to take down your pool for winter, there is an option. Buy a pool heater. Every appliance or electronic device you use is reflected in your monthly electricity bill, and before you buy, it is a good idea to find out how much the heater you want will cost to run.
To start, you’ll need the pool heaters wattage and estimate the number of hours you plan to use it per day.
How Can I Find The Wattage Of My Pool Heater?
Most devices have a label listing how many watts they use. You can find this wattage label either on the device (usually on the bottom or back) or in the owner’s manual.
If you can’t find the wattage label contact the manufacturer with your device’s model number.
How To Calculate My Energy Consumption?
Multiply your appliance’s wattage by the number of hours you use it in a day. This will give you the number of watt-hours consumed each day.
1. Calculate Watt-hours Per Day
Device Wattage (watts) x Hours Used Per Day = Watt-hours (Wh) per day
Example: A 3000 Watt pool heater used three hours per day 3000 watts x 3 hours = 9000 Wh/Day
Electricity bills are measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), not watt-hours. One kilowatt is equal to 1000 watts, so to calculate how many kWh a device uses, divide the watt-hours from the previous step by 1000.
2. Convert Watt-Hours to Kilowatts
Device Usage (Wh) / 1000 (Wh/kWh) = Device Usage in kWh
Example: A pool heater 9000 Wh of electricity per day 9000 / 1000 = 9 kWh
Now that you know how many kilowatt-hours the appliance uses per day, you have to estimate that usage over a month. Multiply by 30 days.
3. Calculate Electricity Usage Over a Month
Daily Usage (kWh) x 30 (Days) = Approximate Monthly Usage (kWh/Month)
Example: A heater using 9 kWh of electricity per day 9 kWh x 30 Days = 270 kWh/Month
So, a 3000-watt pool heater used for three hours per day adds up to 270 kilowatt-hours of energy per month. This is your pool heaters energy consumption.
How does that translate to your electricity bill?
4 . Check you last electricity bill
Now that you know approximately how much energy your pool heater will use over the course of a month, you can estimate how much it will actually cost.
Check your last electric bill to see how much you pay per kWh.
How to Calculate The Cost Of Your Pool Heater?
Monthly Usage (kWh) x Electric Rate ($/kWh) = Approximate Cost per Month
Example: A pool heater using 270 kWh/Month with an electric rate of $0.10/kWh 270 kWh x $0.10 = $27/Month
Based on these calculations, a 3000W pool heater would cost you $27 per month if you ran it for 3 hours a day.
Its helpful to calculate the energy cost before you buy a pool heater, so you don’t land land yourself in hot water 😊
Note: Not all pool heater are equal. Some heaters have variable heat settings. This may mean that once your pool reaches the required temperature, your pool heater will optimise it energy usage. For example, if your pool heating is set to 25°C ( 77°F), your pool heater would adjust its power usage to maintain the level. It is best to know what you might be in for in total and take any optimisation you may get as a bonus.