TIME CLOCKS: An option you can purchase for your pool equipment. Many pool owners who support and follow the 8-10 hour equipment run time will install a time clock. This time clock can be programmed to determine when the equipment will operate and when the equipment will shut off. Most time clocks are programmed to operate the equipment only during the programmed hours. Therefore, if you want to swim or vacuum the pool, which requires the equipment to be operational, you will have to go over and manually program the time clock yourself in order to operate the equipment during these spontaneous times.