Do Robotic Pool Cleaners Use A Lot Of Electricity?

If you own a pool in Australia and are wondering whether a robotic pool cleaner uses a lot of electricity, here’s a straightforward breakdown … and the good news: in most cases, the answer is no, especially when compared to traditional pool cleaning systems.

🔍 How much electricity do robotic pool cleaners use?

Most modern pool robots use around 100 to 300 watts per hour of operation.

For example, the Zodiac Evolux EX6050 is estimated at:

• 0.150 kW × 2 h = 0.30 kWh per cleaning cycle or 46.8 kWh across the year

Using current national residential electricity pricing of 24–43 c/kWh that equates to:

• at 33 c/kWh: 0.30 kWh × $0.33 = ~$0.10 per cycle
• at 43 c/kWh (NSW standing-offer example): 0.30 kWh × $0.43 = ~$0.13 per cycle

Running the cleaner the recommended maximum 3 cleaning cycles per week, to get an annual costing:

• at 33 c/kWh: 156 × $0.099 ≈ $15.45 per year
• at 43 c/kWh: 156 × $0.129 ≈ $20.15 per year

That’s a tiny cost for the significant cleaning benefits of pool robots.

⚠️ Why the confusion?

Many homeowners compare pool robot cleaners to suction or pressure cleaners, which rely on the main pool pump (and sometimes a booster pump). Those systems often cause the pump or booster to run at high flow / high power levels, which consume far more electricity.

In comparison:

• a common pool pump like an Astral CTX280 if run for 8 hours per day uses approx. 8.56 kWh and at $0.33 / kWh would cost about $2.83 per day.
• a common booster pump like a Polaris PB450 for a pressure cleaner if run for a 2 hour cleaning cycle per day uses approx. 3.0 kWh and at $0.33 / kWh would cost about $0.99 per day.

So when you switch to a dedicated robotic pool cleaner (which has its own low‑voltage motor and doesn’t require the main pump to run hard for cleaning), the savings are substantial.

✅ What this means for you

For pool owners in Australia (or anywhere really):

• Running a pool robot a few times per week will add very little to your electricity bill.
• Because it runs independently of the main pump or filtration system (or allows you to reduce pump runtime), you’ll very likely see net savings compared to older cleaning methods.
• It’s not just about the cleaning device - when you reduce the load on your pump or filtration system, you reduce electricity, wear & tear, and water/chemical usage.

🧠 Tips to keep electricity use as low as possible

• Choose the correct cycle length: clean for as long as necessary, not longer. Over‑running adds cost.
• Use timers or schedule off‑peak times if your electricity tariff is higher during peak hours.
• Maintain your cleaner (clean filters, remove debris) so it doesn’t have to work harder than necessary.
• Reduce pump runtime where possible: since the robot does much of the debris removal, your main pump doesn’t need to run at high speed for long just to support cleaning.
• Pair with a pool cover or other energy‑saving practices for additional savings.

🎯 Our Advice

For the typical in‑ground pool, a high‑quality robotic pool cleaner in Australia will not use a lot of electricity; especially when you compare it to pool pump‑driven cleaning systems. In fact, it may help you save on electricity (as well as maintenance, chemicals, and water) in the medium to long term.

 

📞 CONTACT US for expert advice on the best pool cleaner for your pool or explore our CHOOSE A ROBOT page to find your perfect match.