gas vs. electric heater?

[rlp]

We're getting ready to buy a heater for our in ground pool. We live in Tampa, but the pool stays pretty cold most of the year. I keep hearing that gas is more expensive to run, but I don't get any details as to how much money we're talking about or what the pros & cons are for each. Anybody know or have any experience with this? Any advice would be appreciated.

[blk133]

We're getting ready to buy a heater for our in ground pool. We live in Tampa, but the pool stays pretty cold most of the year. I keep hearing that gas is more expensive to run, but I don't get any details as to how much money we're talking about or what the pros & cons are for each. Anybody know or have any experience with this? Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi,

Have you thought of getting a heatpump instead of gas/electric. Heatpump pump won't heat it as fast but it will save you some $$$ in a long run.

I got myself one after donig a lot of research. (Aquacal H155) and my pool is about 35,000 gal.

I don't know how big your pool is, but for Tampa heatpump wouldn't be such a bad idea IMO.

If you'll wait a little longer some one will chime in and tell you how much money you'll be spending on gas v. electric. For heatpump it shouldn't be a lot that is IF you use a solar cover during a night to cover your pool and prevent a heat loss.

[rlp]

I didn't know you could buy just a heat pump. Our pool is only 10,000 gallons. I'll have to look into it as well. I just know I don't only want solar b/c I want to heat more than 10-15 degrees. The thing down here is sometimes you'll have an 80 degree day in the winter, but then it'll drop to 50 degrees the next day so it keeps the pool from staying at a decent temp. Plus we have a lot of shade trees which doesn't help. Thanks for your input!

[blk133]

I didn't know you could buy just a heat pump. Our pool is only 10,000 gallons. I'll have to look into it as well. I just know I don't only want solar b/c I want to heat more than 10-15 degrees. The thing down here is sometimes you'll have an 80 degree day in the winter, but then it'll drop to 50 degrees the next day so it keeps the pool from staying at a decent temp. Plus we have a lot of shade trees which doesn't help. Thanks for your input!

Sure you can buy just a heat pump. It works of 220 V though. You'll need someone (electrician) to run the dedicated line for it that will bring 220v with it. I don't know if electric heater also need 220v.

As for Gas heater you will need ofcourse to run a gas line from your house or you can buy a propane heater (which is also an expensive way) and for this one you'll have to fill the tank with propane.

After you'll do some research you'll find that Heat Pump will cost more than Gas heater, but as I said before in a long run it will be cheaper to use.

50 Degrees might not be a great temperature for a heat pump that doesn't have an ice braker option installed, but Aquacal sells one with that option, same name H155 only it has ice braker installed.

Again as I said, it will take longer to heat, but cheaper.
I don't work for any Pool company, just trying to help.

B.

[kaybinster]

Heatpump is the only way to go in my mind. I have had one for my 20x40 IG in Northern NJ for 8 years and it works great. Much more cost effective than nat gas. Check with any company that makes them and they will be glad to share the economics with you -- some even have this on the websites.

One thing you must understand is that while a heatpump is more efficient it will not raise the temperature as fast as a gas heater. A gas heater might be sized at 400,000 BTU/hr while a typical heatpump is around 100,000 BTU/hr -- thus is will take about 3-4 times longer to raise the temperature. But, once you are at temperature it will maintain it just fine.

A heat pump uses electricity to run a compressor to extract heat from the air. Typically for each unit of energy you put in you get 3 or 4 units of energy out. It is about the same as a home central air conditioning unit. With a central air unit you are extracting heat from the house and dumping it into the air outside. With a pool heatpump you are extracting the heat from the outside air and dumping it into the pool water.

[duraleigh]

A heat pump uses electricity to run a compressor to extract heat from the air. Typically for each unit of energy you put in you get 3 or 4 units of energy out.

HuH?

Folks, heat pumps' effectiveness depends on how far North you live. Not many heat pumps in Sasketchewan....nor probably Wisconsin, either.

Dave S.

[PoolDesignnet]

RLP an Aquacal H120 is much better suited for your pool. Also, before buying a heat pump, please have an electrician determine if your existing panel has enough power to run an additional load (40 to 50 amps).

I didn't know you could buy just a heat pump. Our pool is only 10,000 gallons. I'll have to look into it as well. I just know I don't only want solar b/c I want to heat more than 10-15 degrees. The thing down here is sometimes you'll have an 80 degree day in the winter, but then it'll drop to 50 degrees the next day so it keeps the pool from staying at a decent temp. Plus we have a lot of shade trees which doesn't help. Thanks for your input!

[Zaphod]

I've been following this thread, as I, too, am interested in a pool heater (a consideration I make as I have my liner replaced).

I've received informal quotes for installed gas heaters at $2,500 and about $7,000 for installed heat pumps (the quotes are informal in that I've described on the phone that I have a 16X40 in-ground vinyl pool that's 8 feet in the deep end. No one's come out yet to look at my pool).

Do these numbers sound reasonable for the South, specifically Georgia?

One follow-up question: For either heating option, what other modifications need to be made to the pool to get the water heated (aside from the gas line for a gas heater and a dedicated electrical line for the heat pump)?

Thanks.

[kaybinster]

Assuming you have no heater now, the numbers seem totally messed up. If the gas heater requires that a natural gas line be run from the house then it is way low. The heat pump number seems way high even if it includes running 220VAC electric. I think you should get some other bids.

As for other modifications they are minimal. Obviously you will have to cut into the return piping and run it to the heater and then connect the heater output to the return lines. You might want to install valving so that you can by-pass the heater at times. Other than that you should be fine as is, unless your pump is at its limits in which case the extra pressure drop from the heater might restrict your flow. You can always install it and then see if you need to upsize the pump based on actual flow rates once you are done.