How Much Power Is Required to Run a Pond Pump?

Pond pumps run continuously to filter the water in the pond. This is necessary to maintain a healthy pond environment, but electricity cost is a concern. Calculate the cost of operation for any pond pump using information on the pump label.

  1. Gather Information

    • Find the wattage on the pond pump label and write it down. Wattage is sometimes listed with "W" or "watts". The wattage is the electricity used per hour of operation. If the wattage is not listed, write down the amperage and voltage. Multiply the amperage times the voltage to find the wattage. Example: 2.3 amps times 115 volts equals 265 watts. Check your electric bill or call your electric utility to determine the cost per kilowatt-hour (kwh) of electricity.

    Calculate Costs

    • Multiply the wattage of the pond pump times 24, and divide by 1,000 to determine the kilowatt-hours of electricity used per day. Example: 265 watts times 24 equals 6,348 watts. Divide by 1,000 for 6.3 kilowatt-hours of electricity per day. Multiply the kilowatt-hours used per day by the cost per kilowatt-hour in your area. Example: 6.3 kilowatt-hours times .08 cents per kilowatt-hour equals about 50 cents per day.

    Compare

    • Calculate annual cost by multiplying the daily cost times the number of days the pond pump is in operation. Use this formula to compare annual costs of different pond pumps.