Heating solution/ideas needed

Objective:
To find a portable (roll away with dolly) pool water heater what I can hook up, turn on (electric or propane), will heat my water maybe 10 degrees in a short period of time (in a couple days or less), unhook, and then put away in shed.

I am not concerned with all year heating or anything like that. I would just like to start my pool season sooner. My pool also retains heat very well with just the solar cover so I won’t need a full time heater. I would love to be able to roll out the heater hook up the piping and plug it in for a day or so to warm up the pool. Is anything like that possible?
Of course I am looking to do this with as little of $$ as possible. I have been looking and I might be able to get a used heater for $500 or less.

Here are some more questions…
Electric or Propane? Is Propane as easy as hooking up a tank like the one you use for your grill? If not, I don’t want to bother with gas (propane or natural) and will stick to electric. I don’t mind having a big bill for one month.
Are pumps included in the unit or does one need to be purchased separately?
Could I use a submersible pump like you can buy at Lowes or does it need to be a pump like the one for the filter?

Would something like this work?
Hayward H-100 Induced Draft Heater
http://www.lesliespool.com/jump.jsp?...D=8677&tabID=0

I’ve looked into the solar panel thing and the problem I have with them is they take up too much room. I can’t mount them on the roof or anything like that. I want something that I can hide when I don’t need it.

Pool info: 16x32 IG, vinyl lined ~21k gal.

Thanks for all your help.

Ryan

Pool heaters are plumbed into the pool plumbing, so they wouldn't be well suited to portable use. Electric heaters require pretty substantial power hookups, and propane heaters would eat a portable bottle in just a few hours. Not to mention that your pool would cool rapidly when you stopped heating it.

Where is your filter located? no room over there? Most heaters only need a 4ftX4ft area.

I have never seen any kind of portable unit.

The H-100 will go through gas like a monster - so propane bottles won't be very useful unless you have a dozen or so lying around and don't mind hauling them back and forth to the store.

I'd suggest an permanent installation of a H-100 or H-250 (depending on the size of your pool) with Natural Gas (if you have service) or Propane and a large tank on site. You only have to use it when you need heat.

I have an H-250 (the less efficient model - not induced draft) on my 22000 gallon IG. I only use it 'when I want heat' like early in the season, or late in the season. The rest of the time it is powered off.

I think you will find that working a method to hook and unhook a portable unit (that you will likely have modify to be portable) will be more hassel than having a permanent install.

Thanks for all the responses. It looks like I might have to think of something more permanent.

Here it is if you can do some plumbing...

http://www.redneckpoolheater.com/

Now THAT is hilarious!

EricF

Quote:

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Originally Posted by poolbuoy

Here it is if you can do some plumbing...

http://www.redneckpoolheater.com/

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Now that's what I'm talking about!!! :-)
I liked the photochopped pic of the guy.