Energy efficiency and cost

[Colleen_MI]

I have a quote for a pondless and he gave me the option of the Aquascape 3-PL 3000 or the more energy efficient Aquasurge 3000. It seems like kind of a no-brainer to me. Is there any reason I would not want the more energy efficient one if they're both rated for 3000 gph? They should theoretically have the same flow?

Also, I tried googling but I guess I have no file drawer in my brain for engineering and physics. The Aquasurge 3000 is 165 watts. The pond guy estimated it at about $10/month in electrical cost to run continuously. Does that sound accurate?

It's okay to mansplain or womansplain to me. That's why I'm here in the Newbie forum.

Thanks for any info.

 

[combatwombat]

The 3-PL is a more powerful pump. If you look at their performance curves, you’ll notice that the 3PL does 3000 GPH at 5’ of head while the the Aquasurge does more like 2500 at that height.

Depending on thehead height of your feature, the 3PL will deliver a bit more flow.

I think the PL series of pumps also have better solids handling capabilities which means it should require less maintenance.

That all comes at the cost of energy, like you noticed.

Cost to operate will depends on how often you run the feature and the price of electricity where you are. That’s an easy calculation once we know those variables.

The aquasurge will probably be about 50% less to operate than the 3PL.

 

[EricV]

I have a quote for a pondless and he gave me the option of the Aquascape 3-PL 3000 or the more energy efficient Aquasurge 3000. It seems like kind of a no-brainer to me. Is there any reason I would not want the more energy efficient one if they're both rated for 3000 gph? They should theoretically have the same flow?

Also, I tried googling but I guess I have no file drawer in my brain for engineering and physics. The Aquasurge 3000 is 165 watts. The pond guy estimated it at about $10/month in electrical cost to run continuously. Does that sound accurate?

It's okay to mansplain or womansplain to me. That's why I'm here in the Newbie forum.

Thanks for any info.

That sounds about right. Typical price for electricity in the US is about 11 cents/killowatt hour. So the calculations works out like this:

165 W / (1000 W/kW) *24 hr per day * 30 days/month * $0.11 per kWh and I come up with $13 a month. If the other pump is double that, it's $26 a month. You can see you quickly save the extra money spent.

 

[Colleen_MI]

Thanks, guys. The weird thing is, the energy efficient one is actually a little bit cheaper, but based on what CW said above, I guess that makes sense after all.

The build is not going to be that high. I have a small yard and I want it to be in scale, not looking like a giant waterfall randomly dropped out of the sky in a residential neighborhood. So I'm not too worried about the head height/flow. It would be nice to run it "most" of the time, maybe not 24/7.

What's your opinion about starting and stopping vs. continuously running the pump in regards to longevity? Which causes more wear? Reading about the 3-PL, it does sound more robust, but I'd like to know that it won't be an issue to shut it off at times I'm not around to save some electricity that way?

 

[combatwombat]

I'm sure someone with more pondless experience will chime in, but I don't think there is much concern starting/stopping your pump once per day or so.

 

[addy1]

I have clear water pump from harbor freight, it handles my 100 feet of head pressure, for the deck ponds and the stream. We run it on a timer, on and off two times a day. It has been running for about 5 years now, the on off does not bother it.

 

[Colleen_MI]

Thanks, @addy1! I appreciate hearing your experience.

Also, I hadn't thought of a timer, great idea.

 

[GBBUDD]

I live in Connecticut 10 dollars a month is a 40 with light bulb. Not quite literally.

 

[Colleen_MI]

Well, my entire electric bill this month was $36, so 10-20 dollars will be a noticeable increase.

 

[combatwombat]

What’s your cost per kWh?

 

[Jhn]

Well, my entire electric bill this month was $36, so 10-20 dollars will be a noticeable increase.

Psssh, that would be great, would even take doubling that for my monthly electric...$36 is like one day here in the heat of summer.....to be honest with all the stuff from my ponds and reef tank I got drawing extra juice the increase in the monthly electric wasn’t really that bad/noticeable. But then again 10-20 bucks on a $900-1000 electric bill isn’t that big a jump.

 

[addy1]

900-1000 electric bill isn’t that big a jump.

wow you pay that much! Even with AC set at 72 and ponds on, etc we seldom go over 200

 

[combatwombat]

But then again 10-20 bucks on a $900-1000 electric bill isn’t that big a jump.

What's the cost per kWh where you are?

 

[Colleen_MI]

I think my cost per kWh is about 16 cents. My bill doesn't make it too transparent. That was a low month, no AC yet in that bill. But as I said above, I'm pretty conservation minded. Lots of LED/CFL lights, stuff like that. And I'm not WFH.

So I'm still looking at the more energy efficient pump.

 

[GBBUDD]

He'll just to keep a couple air pumps running during the winter cost me 150 this is why everyone is abandoning the east and west coast.