Solar Pool Pumps

Solar pool pumps: filtering your pool with the power of the sun

A solar pool pump circulates pool water through the filter using energy from photovoltaic panels. The panels feed a controller, usually with maximum power point tracking (MPPT), which drives a DC motor. With no battery involved, the pump simply runs with the sun: it filters hardest in the heat of the day, exactly when the water needs it most.

Filtration is one of the biggest electricity costs of running a pool. With a solar-powered pool pump, that line on your electricity bill disappears, or shrinks to the odd overcast day. It is also the answer for a pool with no mains supply nearby: a holiday home, an off-grid plot or a pool some way from the house.

Solar-only or hybrid solar and mains?

Solar pool pumps come in two families. The question to ask is simple: can your filtration slow down on cloudy days, or does it need to run every single day, whatever the weather?

Hybrid solar pool pump: sun when it shines, mains when it doesn’t

A hybrid pump combines both energy sources. When there is enough sunlight, it runs on the solar panels. When the sun goes in, or as evening falls, the controller tops up or replaces solar power with mains electricity. You make the most of the sun without being at the mercy of the weather.

That back-up solves the main weakness of solar-only filtration: a single overcast week in the middle of the season is enough to turn the water green. With a hybrid pump, filtration never stops, and there are no batteries to buy or replace. Depending on the model, switching between solar and mains is automatic or programmable; check the product listing for the controller’s operating mode, the panel voltage range and the motor power.

Running a pool pump on solar power

There are two ways to switch pool filtration to solar. The first is a pump designed for direct current, supplied with its own panels and controller: the most direct and efficient option. The second is to keep your existing 230 V pump and power it from panels through a suitable inverter or variable-frequency drive. That conversion means checking motor compatibility, start-up current and overall efficiency.

How many solar panels do you need to run a pool pump?

It depends on the motor power, the daily run time you want, how much sun your site gets and which way the panels face. As a rule, the panels’ peak output is sized above the motor rating to cover losses and weaker hours. The exact wiring, in series or in parallel, follows from the controller’s input voltage range, shown on the product listing.

Sizing solar filtration for your pool

A solar pool pump is chosen like any filter pump: on the flow you actually need, not the maximum flow on the spec sheet. Before ordering, gather the following:

• Pool volume: length, width and average depth, in m³.
• Turnover: as a rule of thumb, the full pool volume should pass through the filter at least once, ideally twice, every 24 hours.
• Filter: sand, cartridge or glass media, each with its maximum rated flow.
• Fittings and pipework: pipe diameter, run length, skimmer and return inlets all add friction losses.
• Pump position: a pump installed above water level must be self-priming.
• Panel location: available space, orientation, tilt and shading.

To compare duty points, flow and head, our complete guide to solar water pumps walks through the method. A pump built for transferring water is not automatically suited to pool filtration: the circuit has to be assessed together with its filter.

Quiet, variable-speed running

Solar pool pumps mostly use a brushless DC motor whose speed follows the energy available. It is the same principle as premium variable-speed filter pumps: running slower for longer cuts noise and the energy used to filter the same volume of water. Noise level and speed range depend on the model and are given on its listing.

Above-ground, in-ground or rigid inflatable pools

A solar pump for an above-ground pool suits small and medium volumes, provided its flow matches the pool’s filter. For an in-ground pool, sizing allows for longer pipe runs and larger fittings. Our rigid inflatable Drop-Stitch pools can also be filtered with solar power, once the fitting diameters have been checked.

Frequently asked questions

Get your solar pool filtration sized