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.

[kaybinster]

Dave while that maybe true for home heating it does not make sense for pool heating. The reason is that if it is warm enough to swim in an outside pool then the air is warm enough to provide plenty of heat for the pool. The efficiency is impacted by the outside temperature, but I don't think too many people swim when the outside temp is under 60 degrees.

[kaybinster]

Found this info at the following site:

http://www.millsco.com/Heatsiphon.htm

THE LOWEST OPERATING COST OF ALL POOL & SPA HEATERS.
Using 220v electricity, based on US Dept. of Labor Average US City fuel prices, HEAT SIPHON® will cost you:
50% LESS to operate than NATURAL GAS POOL HEATERS!
80% LESS to operate than PROPANE (LP) GAS POOL HEATERS!
75% LESS to operate than ELECTRIC RESISTANCE POOL HEATERS!

Also some very good info on how a heatpump works at the bottom of that page.

[waterbear]

I live in St. Augustine and my Aquacal Icebreaker not only kept my pool (6600gal fiberglass) warm all winer it will heat my spa (300 gal acrylic) to 100 deg. in abut 15 mintues! Heatpumps cost more inially but if you look at the cost over a 10 year period vs electric or gas they will actually save you money.(at least in Fl)

[rlp]

Thank you so much for your input. We will go with the heat pump. I was already leaning that way, but when I went to Leslies the sales person didn't really give me the information I was asking him for. He just kind of handed me some paperwork on the most expensive one & told me gas was too expensive to run, so I thought I'd ask opinions of those that use them so I wouldn't feel like I was getting misinformation. Thanks again!