From http://www.swimmingpoolsteve.com/page... - Learn why a 24 hour variable speed pump schedule is beneficial for your pool and your wallet. When you program the variable speed pump, it will need to run for a few hours at high speeds to create enough flow for any of the peripheral items on your pool system such as a heater or even your pool skimmer. It should be run at high speeds for about 2-4 hours per day to ensure that flow is reaching those peripheral items. A mid-range speed should be used for about double the amount of time that it was run at high speeds to achieve three turnovers of your total pool water volume daily. The rest of the day should be programmed at a very low speed to keep flow through your system for continued filtration but a much lower electricity draw which means at a lower cost. It is not an advantage to turn off a variable speed pump, it should be run 24 hours per day.