Rough estimate?

Telco
Telco Solar Expert Posts: 201 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Advanced Solar Electric Technical Forum #1
A co-worker is a board member on an HOA and has voiced complaints about available money. Seems he (not him personally) has to come up with about 2500 bucks for electric bills every year, with the expense being street lights and a swimming pool. I suggested looking into solar to run the pool, but at this time he has no idea how much power is being used. The only fixed information I have is the pool is about 2000 gallons, and has a pump that is required to be run 24hrs a day with a "pool shark" that runs around the surface every night cleaning debris.

What I'd like to know, and I know I've not provided any real info at all, is what sort of expense he'd be making to convert his HOA obligations to solar power. A guesstimate of the power cost here is 13 cents per KWH, so I'll take a guess that the total KWH used is 20,000KWH/year over a 10 month period, or let's say 66KWH per day. Part of this is for the pool, part is for the street lights, and I don't know the breakout.

What would be needed to generate this, roughly, and what would the cost be? If it's low enough might be able to sell him on it enough to do the research needed.
· Share on Twitter

Comments

  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Rough estimate?

    There is no way the pump has to run 24/7. Here in Florida the pump load in the summer is about 12 hours to maintain things for code compliance for a commerical pool, I know this for a fact as I was the treasure on an HOA that did the same stupied thing. Once I became a board member, the first thing I did was change the timers ... cut electric usage by 2/3rds! ... winter months more like 4 hours a day. The self cleaining unit can also be replaced by an electric unit that does not require the 2hp+ pumps running BIG savings but its more cost effective to just have the pool cleaning company sweep when they come to check the chemicals.


    Second, there is no way that for an HOA paying retail costs for that pool pump that solar would ever be cost effective.
    · Share on Twitter
  • Telco
    Telco Solar Expert Posts: 201 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Rough estimate?

    Cool thanks, I'll pass this on. No idea if they are using timers or not, and I'm thinking that it's 20K gallons, not 2K gallons... 2K seems like a pretty small pool.
    · Share on Twitter
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #4
    Re: Rough estimate?

    Another thing to do would be to check the power usage (both day and evening) by shutting down the pool and seeing if somebody may have tapped into the street light wiring for powering their home... Shutting down the pool breaker during the day--the meter should just about stop dead.

    2.75 kWh at 24 hours per day--sounds like either a really big light bill or there is a 2-3 HP pool pump.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
    · Share on Twitter
  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Rough estimate?

    Commerical pools I beleive are required to have dual pumps ... The one in my old complex was a pair of 1.5hp motors for 20K gallons ( pretty standard size pool )
    · Share on Twitter
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #6
    Re: Rough estimate?

    Yea, my father-in-law's medium sized fish pond is about 2,000 gallons.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
    · Share on Twitter

Categories