Two questions, Why not go solar since you are in the perfect place for it, or wind mill, which will be a heck of a lot less noisy than the generator, and you don't have to wait for a disaster to start getting your money back ?
Second, Are you sure the Pool pump is a major priority ?
The problem with those you have mentioned are these. First, solar is expensive, produces minimum power even here in Arizona when compared to the cost. Another is hail. I've been lucky and have never had any hail damage in almost 20 years in Arizona. With that said just last week a co-worker had his brand new Ford Mustang GT all but destroyed when he got caught in bumper to bumper traffic in one of the worst storms Phoenix has seen in a while. Result, over $15,000.00 in damage to a car with under 8,000 miles, and not a scratch on it. One storm like that, and kiss all of your solar panels good bye. And most insurance will not cover that kind of damage to that kind of equipment. Besides, even with government rebates most of that stuff craps out before you recoup any savings. The technology just isn't there yet, and the systems are overly complex for what they provide.
Wind is too infrequent here to be of any value to a residential system. Not to mention I live in a HOA that won't allow any structures built that neighbors can see over the height of your back wall, (6 feet). Also with either wind or solar you've got to deal with a ton of expensive batteries. Nowhere to put them, and again expensive and don't last, especially in Arizona's 115+ degree Summers. I have yet to get more than 2 Summers out of a car battery here.
Running a pool pump is a must, especially in the Summer. Our pool water can get up to 95 degrees during the hot Summer months. In addition to using large amounts of Chlorine, circulation is a MUST. Without it green Algae can form in a matter of hours because without circulation to move and mix the Chlorine it won't get into all of the water evenly. I had a friend who has 2 girls. One Sunday they had a pool party and by late afternoon his pool was getting quite cloudy. (A sure sign of low Chlorine content.) He was tired and didn't feel like going and getting pool shock to deal with it. When he got up the next morning
his whole pool was green! That's how fast it can grow if conditions are right.
I keep my Chlorine level high enough to pickle fish because I have bad ears, and cannot afford an ear infection, and I don't want the hassle and expense of dealing with an Algae infestation. But the answer is yes, it is very important to run your pool pump at least 4 to 6 hours a day in the Summer, less in the Winter when water temps are far lower. Bill T.
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