Pool Pump Automation¶
Run a pool pump on solar surplus with simple on/off control and anti-cycling protection to prevent pump wear.
The Problem¶
A pool pump needs to run several hours per day for water circulation and filtration. Running it during peak grid tariff hours wastes money. Running it on a fixed timer misses opportunities on sunny days and wastes energy on cloudy ones.
The Solution¶
Hanergy configures the pool pump as a fixed load -- the simplest load type. The engine switches it on when surplus exceeds the pump's power draw and switches it off when surplus drops. Anti-cycling guards prevent rapid on/off switching that would wear out the pump motor.
Good first device
A pool pump is the easiest device to set up in Hanergy. If you are new to the system, start here to verify your energy sensors and engine settings are working correctly before adding more complex dynamic loads.
Device Configuration¶
Add the pool pump as a fixed load in Settings > Devices.
| Field | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Pool Pump | Display name |
| Type | Fixed | On/off only |
| Switch entity | switch.pool_pump | On/off control in HA |
| Rated power | 750 | Watts consumed when running |
That is the entire configuration. Fixed loads do not have adjustable parameters, feedback entities, or ramp times.
Priority Configuration¶
| Field | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Load | Pool Pump | Select the device |
| Minimum surplus | 800 | Slightly above rated power for stability |
| Enabled | Yes |
Setting min_surplus_w slightly above the pump's rated power (800 W vs 750 W) adds a small margin that reduces the chance of the pump being shed immediately after activation due to a minor surplus fluctuation.
Place the pool pump at a lower priority than critical loads like EV chargers and heat pumps. Pool circulation is important but not time-sensitive -- it can run whenever surplus is available throughout the day.
Anti-Cycling Protection¶
Pool pump motors are not designed for frequent start/stop cycles. Rapid cycling causes mechanical stress and can shorten the motor's lifespan significantly.
Hanergy enforces two guards from the engine settings:
- Minimum on time (
min_on_time_sec): once the pump starts, it runs for at least this duration. For a pool pump, 1800 seconds (30 minutes) is a good value. This ensures meaningful filtration per run cycle. - Minimum off time (
min_off_time_sec): after the pump stops, it stays off for at least this duration. 300 seconds (5 minutes) prevents rapid restarts.
Set minimum on time before enabling
The default min_on_time_sec of 120 seconds (2 minutes) is too short for a pool pump. Increase it to at least 1800 seconds in Settings > Engine Settings before adding the pool pump as a managed device. Note that this setting applies to all loads globally.
Tips¶
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Rated power accuracy. Check your pump's nameplate or measure it with a smart plug. Pool pumps often draw more than their label suggests during startup. The rated power value is used for surplus planning -- an accurate number leads to better allocation decisions.
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Variable-speed pumps. If your pool pump has a variable speed drive and exposes a speed control entity in Home Assistant, consider configuring it as a dynamic load instead. This allows Hanergy to modulate the pump speed based on available surplus rather than simply switching it on and off.
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Seasonal scheduling. In winter, when the pool is not in use, disable the pool pump's priority entry rather than removing it. This preserves the configuration for when summer returns.
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Daily runtime target. Hanergy does not track total daily runtime -- it allocates surplus in real time. If your pool requires a minimum number of hours per day, consider adding a Home Assistant automation that forces the pump on during late afternoon if it has not accumulated enough runtime during the solar day.