Pool Cleaner Power Consumption: Wattage and Voltage

How watts, volts and amperage appear on a listing

Watts, volts and amperage are the three electrical figures a pool cleaner listing may state. Watts describe the rate at which the cleaner draws power while it runs, volts describe the electrical potential of the power supply or battery, and amperage describes the current it draws. On a listing, these are the seller's own stated details for the unit as sold, written in the title, the bullet list or the specification area.

A robotic cleaner listing usually names the power supply by its voltage, and a cordless listing names the battery's voltage. A suction-side listing often names none of these figures, because the cleaner is driven by the pool pump rather than by an onboard motor. The absence of a wattage figure on a suction-side listing is normal, not a missing detail.

A figure such as a rated wattage tells you how much power the maker states the unit draws at a given moment, not how much energy it uses over a season. The same unit may draw differently in different cleaning modes, so treat any number as one stated detail, not as a full consumption report. For more on how the types differ in their energy source, see robotic versus suction-side energy use.

How each cleaner type draws power

The three cleaner types draw power in different places. A robotic cleaner is powered by a low-voltage power supply that sits on the deck, with a cord running to the unit in the water. The ENERGY STAR page describes robotic cleaners this way: powered by low-voltage electricity rather than by the pool pump or a booster pump, collecting dirt in built-in filters.

A suction-side cleaner has no onboard motor for moving; the pool pump pulls water through the skimmer or a dedicated suction line and drives the cleaner. Its energy use is the pump's energy use, so the pump's power and how long it runs matter more than any figure on the cleaner listing. For the meaning of the suction line and its requirements, see how to read required flow rate.

A pressure-side cleaner is driven by the return water flow and often by a booster pump. As with a suction-side cleaner, the energy question belongs to the pump system, not to the cleaner unit. The article on suction-side versus pressure-side flow explains the difference in flow terms.

The pool pump is the energy question

For a suction-side cleaner, the energy question is the pool pump. The ENERGY STAR page states that the pool pump re-circulates water through a filter to maintain water clarity, that many owners do not realize how much energy the pump may use, and that the pump can be a home's second largest energy user.

The same page says that conventional single-speed pumps are set to run at the higher speeds required by a pool cleaner and waste energy during filtration by running faster than necessary. A pump that can run at different speeds can be programmed to match the pool operation; the ENERGY STAR page describes reducing pump speed by one-half, which allows the pump to use one-eighth as much energy. Single Speed vs Variable Speed Pump for Suction Cleaners.

The ENERGY STAR page also reports figures from a study: a robotic cleaner used 197 kWh per year, a cleaner powered by a filter pump used 1,675 kWh per year, and a booster-pump-powered cleaner used 2,989 kWh per year. Those figures describe the study the page cites; they are not a promise for any specific cleaner, and the site does not repeat them as its own measurement.

What a wattage figure can and cannot tell you

A wattage figure on a listing is a snapshot of the stated draw while running. It does not state how long the cleaner runs, how many times a week it runs, or the electricity rate where the pool is. Those factors decide what the cleaner uses over a season, and this site does not have that data.

Wattage also does not state an operating cost. A figure on a listing is a specification, not a running cost figure. When you compare two robotic cleaners, compare the stated watts and volts as stated details, alongside the pool type, the cord or battery arrangement, and the price tier. The guide to picking a robotic, suction-side or cordless cleaner is the place to start.

Where to find power details on a listing

Power details are found in the listing title, the bullet list and the specification area, and then confirmed on the maker's page. The listing states what is in the box; the maker's page states the specifications.

• Read the title and bullet list for words like low voltage, power supply, charger, battery and rated watts. Each is the seller's own stated detail.
• When a listing omits power details, check the maker's page. The maker's specification section usually lists the power supply output, the battery details for cordless models, and any cord information for corded models.
• For a suction-side or pressure-side cleaner, read the maker's page for the flow and pump terms; the cleaner's own wattage is rarely stated because the pump does the work.
• Keep the listing and the maker's page side by side; the listing says what is in the box, and the maker's page states the specifications.

What this site cannot say about energy use

This site compares cleaners on their stated details and does not measure consumption, running cost, or noise. A wattage figure is the seller's statement, and the site does not verify it. For the operating figures that matter to you, read the listing, the maker's page and the manual.

When a question turns to the pool pump, the ENERGY STAR pages are the general reference for how pool pumps work and what the rated terms mean. Industry standards for residential pool energy efficiency also exist; the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance is an accredited standards developer, and its standards pages list the current national standards.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

What does wattage mean on a pool cleaner listing?

Wattage is the seller's stated rate at which the cleaner draws power while running. On a robotic listing it usually appears as a rated wattage on the specification. On a suction-side listing it often does not appear at all, because the pool pump drives the cleaner.

Do robotic cleaners use the pool pump?

No. The ENERGY STAR page describes robotic cleaners as powered by low-voltage electricity rather than by the pool pump or a booster pump. The cleaner has its own power supply and collects dirt in a built-in filter.

Why does a suction-side cleaner listing rarely state watts?

Because the suction-side cleaner has no onboard motor for moving; the pool pump pulls water and drives the cleaner. Its energy use is the pump's energy use, so the pump's power and run time matter more than any figure on the cleaner.

Can a wattage figure tell you a cleaner's running cost?

No. Running cost depends on run time, cleaning frequency, the electricity rate, and the model. A wattage figure is a stated specification, and this site does not state running costs.

How do you compare two cleaners on energy use?

Read both listings and both maker pages, and compare the stated watts and volts as stated details only. Combine that with the pool type, cord or battery arrangement, and the price tier. The site compares cleaners on stated details, not on measured consumption.

Where do you read about pool pump energy use?

The ENERGY STAR pool pump page is the general reference. It explains what a pool pump does, why single-speed pumps may run faster than necessary, and what a variable-speed or multi-speed pump can be programmed to do. The pump comparison article covers this in more detail.