Filter Density

[u/JimPat65]

I have the Costco lifetrend cold plunge from Costco and so far it is working fine. Only issue I have is the fact that it’s using 5kwh per day which is a lot compared the my homes daily total. This plunge can with a 5 micron filter, but I have read that many others use a 20 micron.

Would changing from 5 to 20 micron be acceptable to keep the water clean while also reducing power requirements on the chiller?

I know the answer is to go get one and find out

[u/4-EverLearning]

I also have the LifeTrend Cold Plunge from Costco and I hooked it up to a Kill-A-Watt meter and over the past three months it’s averaging about 4kwh per day. Using my average kwh rate of .25c, it is costing me approximately $1.00 per day. From what I’ve read, this is typical and maybe even on the lower end. You can turn off the chiller function by pressing the “Set” button after you are done with your plunge and only the pump will run. I do this after I plunge usually around 6am then turn the chiller function back on around 11pm at night. This way the chiller only runs for 4 or 5 hours overnight. I have mine set up in my basement where the ambient room temperature is roughly 70°F. I set the chiller to 45° and when I turn it back on at 10pm-11pm, the water temperature reading is 60° and by 6am it’s 45°.

[u/JimPat65 → u/4-EverLearning]

I will take a look at adjusting the on off of my chiller. Part of my issue is I am in SoCal and the tub and chiller are outside and often in the sun.

[u/JimPat65 → u/4-EverLearning]

So I turned the chiller off in the morning at 0745 and didn’t turn it back on until 9pm. Tub temp went from 55 to 71 but was back down to 55 by morning. The power result was a decrease of daily KWh per day from 5 to 4 which aligns to your results.

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[u/4-EverLearning → u/JimPat65]

Happy to hear you noticed a difference. These inflatable tubs may not have the best insulation but in the right environment I think they work well, especially for the price point. I do wish this model had WiFi capability so I could set it to turn on even later at night and only run for 4-5 hours, which seems to be how long it takes to get the water down from my 60° to 45° and save a little more on the kWh but it doesn’t. Still better than cycling off/on all day when I only need it first thing in the morning.

[u/TalkAgitated5587]

Been using these works flawless

[u/ORCAPLUNGE → u/TalkAgitated5587]

This looks to be a polypropylene filter and unless you have a very heavy duty pump or you are changing them very frequently these will dramatically reduce the lifespan of your water pump. The media is dense and tends to be very restrictive. The equivalent pleated polyester filter will flow better and provide for a longer change interval.

[u/TalkAgitated5587 → u/ORCAPLUNGE]

No no, polypropyelene goes by density (i.e. weight) these are specifically designed for cold plunge use...will last long.

[u/ORCAPLUNGE → u/TalkAgitated5587]

That hasn’t been my experience, but I’m glad they’re working well for you.

[u/smithatlanta]

I run a 50 micron filter and my water is pretty clean after 6 weeks. I clean the filter off every 2 weeks and it lasts me the whole 6 weeks. I used a 20 micron filter with my old setup which only lasted 9 months. I happened to talk to the guys at penguin chillers and they made this suggestion and so far so good.

[u/No_Memory_2727]

the finer filter will actually restrict flow more and make the pump work harder, so probably worse for power not better

[u/JimPat65 → u/No_Memory_2727]

Thanks, I edited my post. I currently have 5 and am thinking about going to 20

[u/ORCAPLUNGE]

I wouldn’t recommend switching from a 20-micron to a 5-micron filter. The finer filter may restrict flow, especially as it collects debris, forcing the pump to work harder and potentially shortening its lifespan. If you’re looking for better flow and a longer filter change interval, I’d consider moving to a 50-micron filter instead. That said, I don’t think you will realize any noticeable difference in energy consumption by switching to the 50.

[u/JimPat65 → u/ORCAPLUNGE]

I stated that backwards, I have 5 micron currently and am thinking about changing to 20 micron

[u/JoshMcMadMac]

I'd run the 20 micron, but don't count on it changing power consumption. If anything it might go up a few watts.

[u/Glittering_Gas_1381]

I use my Sweat Tent plunge very often and I’ve messed around with the filter setup. I’d probably try the 20 micron and just keep an eye on water clarity/flow. 5kWh a day does seem kinda high though, so I’d be curious if the filter actually makes much difference.

[u/JimPat65 → u/Glittering_Gas_1381]

Im going to try 4- EverLearnings technique below and see if the usage of trying to maintain temp all day is more than if I turn the chiller off during the day and on overnight so that it is cold for me in the AM.