It is important to know how fast your pool is flowing, especially if you have a large pool that you would like to use for leisure. You can easily calculate the flow rate using several simple formulas, and knowing a few key details about your pool can help you figure out the best time to have a swim. This article will tell you exactly how to do that.
Table of Contents
The Volume Of The Pool
The first thing you need to do is measure the volume of your pool. If you do not have access to a pool gauge, then you can use the following formula to roughly estimate the volume of your pool:
Width Vs. Length
The second thing you need to do is figure out the width vs. length dimensions of your pool. A wider pool is obviously going to take longer to fill up, so you should make sure that you measure and account for its width vs. length when figuring out how fast it is flowing. If you are not sure how to do that, then simply measure the distance from one side of the pool to the other and multiply it by 2. If you are using a formula, then you should enter the value as 2 into the width vs. length field, rather than 1. That will give you an idea of how much longer it will take to fill the pool, compared to the actual dimensions.
Area Of The Pool
Next, you need to measure the area of your pool. If you do not have access to a pool area meter, then you can use the following formula to roughly estimate the area of your pool:
The Depth Of The Pool
The next thing you need to do is measure the depth of your pool. A deeper pool will naturally flow faster, so you should make sure that you measure and account for the depth of your pool when figuring out how fast it is flowing. You can use the following formula to roughly estimate the depth of your pool:
How To Calculate The Flow Rate Of A Pool More Accurately
Once you have all of that information, then you can easily calculate the flow rate of your pool using one of the following formulas:
Specific Volume
The first thing you need to do is convert the volume of your pool (in gallon) to cubic feet using the following formula:
Cubic Feet Per Hour (CFH)
The next step is to figure out the cubic feet per hour (CFH) rate for your pool. To do that, you need to divide the total volume of your pool (gallons) by the total number of hours that have passed since the beginning of the pool’s operation (8 hours per day, times the number of days in a week). The CFH rate is then just multiplied by the number of hours that have passed since the beginning of the pool’s operation (8 hours per day):
Cubic Feet Per Day (CFD)
The next step is to figure out the cubic feet per day (CFD) rate for your pool. To do that, you need to multiply the CFH rate by the number of days in a week (5 days per week, times 24 hours per day):
Cumulative Cubic Feet (CCF)
The final step is to figure out the cumulative cubic feet (CCF) rate for your pool. To do that, you need to add up the CFH and CDF rates for your pool:
Gauge Reading
The next step is to actually read a pool gauge to obtain the exact flow rate of your pool. You can use one of the following formulas to calculate the flow rate from a pool gauge:
Inches Per Hour (IPH)
The first thing you need to do is measure the depth of your pool (inches) using a pool gauge. The next step is to figure out the inches per hour (IPH) rate for your pool by dividing the depth of your pool by the total number of hours that have passed since the beginning of the pool’s operation (8 hours per day, times the number of days in a week):
Feet Per Hour (FPH)
The next thing you need to do is measure the feet per hour (FPH) rate for your pool. To figure that out, you need to multiply the IPH rate by 12 (since one foot per hour equals 12 inches per hour):
Feet Per Day (FPD)
The next step is to figure out the feet per day (FPD) rate for your pool. To do that, you need to multiply the FPH rate by 5 (since one foot per day equals 5 feet per hour):
Gallons Per Hour (GPH)
The final step is to figure out the gallons per hour (GPH) rate for your pool. To do that, you need to multiply the CFH rate by 3 (since one gallon per hour equals 3 cubic feet per hour):
Gallons Per Day (GSD)
Finally, you can calculate the gallons per day (GSD) rate for your pool using the following formula:
Cumulative Gallons (CG)
Once you have all of that information then you can easily calculate the cumulative gallons (CG) rate for your pool using one of the following formulas:
Specific Gravity
The first step is to measure the specific gravity of your pool water using one of the following formulas:
Density
The next step is to measure the density of your pool water using one of the following formulas:
Molecular Weight
The final step is to measure the molecular weight of your pool water using one of the following formulas:
Final Takeaway
Knowing how to calculate flow rate for swimming pool is a very useful skill to have. It allows you to figure out the exact speed of the water and how fast you can swim without being injured. Also, being able to quickly and accurately calculate the rate that your pool is flowing can help you determine how often you should have sessions in the water so that your body can adjust to the motion and learn how to swim efficiently. This article has taught you the basics of calculating flow rate for a swimming pool. For a more in-depth explanation and an example, you can review the similar thread on the community forums:
How to Calculate the Flow Rate of a Pool
Thank you for reading! We hope that you learned a lot and are excited to pursue this knowledge further. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave us a note!