How to Protect Pool Equipment While Increasing Energy Efficiency

Some pool owners mistakenly assume that ground fault circuit interrupters are enough to protect their pool equipment from power fluctuations. Unfortunately, GFCIs only turn off the power when they pick up on an unintended path (such as water). Quality pool equipment is no small investment, which is why it’s vital to give it proper protection. 

Just as with indoor electronics, pool equipment that runs on electricity (such as pool pumps, heaters, and other automated equipment), can be damaged by surges of power in the electrical lines. Luckily, it’s quite inexpensive and easy to protect pool equipment from electrical surges.

Inside the home, surge protectors are used to keep costly electronics from sustaining damage due to power surges. For the pool area, a surge protector is also highly recommended. Power fluctuations can come from lightning strikes, faulty wiring, power grid failures, and more. Surge protectors both divert and suppress the surge to keep electrical devices safe. 

The Ultimate Combination

The Intermatic® PS3000 Surge Protection Device, in combination with the EH40 Timer, offers exceptional protection for pool equipment. The PS3000 SPD is easily installed on the electrical panel for the pool. In fact, the installation can usually be done in about 10 minutes. 

Installing the PS3000 SPD:

• Shut off all power going to the service panel.
• On the side of the service panel box, remove one of the plugs and connect the SPD (a rubber washer and nut should be used for waterproofing).
• Cut the leads to the proper length so that there are no sharp bends or excess.
• Attach the white SPD wire to the circuit panel’s neutral bus bar.
• Next, connect the two black wires to the box’s circuit breakers. (240V circuit breaker is recommended).
• Ensure that the wires are secured tightly.
• Turn on the circuit box power.
• Ensure that the green LED indicator light is on.

Once installed, operating the device is very straightforward.

Complete the Protection with the EH40 Timer

Adding the Intermatic EH40 Timer is the next level of protection for pool equipment. Variable speed pumps are becoming the go-to pool pumps as they are far more energy efficient, quiet, and inexpensive to run than single and dual speed pumps. That said, they also need added protection from power surges.

With a digital timer connected, the internal clock of the pump keeps running in the event of a power failure. That means that the system continues to run as it should, once the power comes back on. Without the timer, the booster pump or salt system often “run dry”, which means that they run without the main pump coming on. Running dry often leads to the pump or salt system having to be replaced. 

The EH40 timer replaces the T104 Timer. It’s important to note that the box that the EH40 timer comes in is rated for use indoors. For outdoor use, the EH40 can be placed inside the T104 outdoor box. 

The EH40 offers a 3 year protection term and the battery pack can be replaced, when needed. The power rating of the EH40 is 30 Amp, 240V. The PS3000 comes with a 3 year insurance policy (up to $7500), covering pool equipment and circuit boards.

Find Out More About Intermatic

With the exceptional combination of the PS3000 PSD and the EH40Timer, pool equipment is protected from overheating, voltage spikes, and overuse. Consequently, energy-efficiency goes up and monthly bills go down. Want to learn more about protecting pool equipment? Reach out to us at Alpha West at hello@alphawest.com today.