Is Anyone using a tankless water heater to heat a pool or spa?

[davesblackdiamond]

I have a customer who lives off grid. We are installing a conventional portable spa. Connecting it to his solar ac power and plan to fill it with on demand hot water heater. He will then maintain with ac power while in use. When done he will then use water to water garden etc. No chemicals needed!

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

Welcome to the forum davesblackdiamond

By "off grid" is the solar panel going to supply all the power for the electric tankless heater ??

 

[davesblackdiamond]

His whole home is solar with battery banks as he is off grid. The tankless hot water heater is going to be propane.

 

[duraleigh]

Welcome to the forum.

The energy required to heat the water in your tub will astonish you.

Make sure your customer (or you) does the calcs before you decide you need that tub. The propane guy may wear a path coming to refill your tank. How many gallons in the tub?

 

[Kiss4aFrog]

IMHO the owner might want to consider some solar or wood fired options to supplement the heating.

Just don't know enough about the physical setup or how often they intend to use it. I'd rather have something well insulated where I keep the water (and heat) and add a little bleach now and then rather than try to use it like a bathtub and drain it after each use.
Just depends on how often they use it whether it's worth it to try and keep it hot or just fill when needed.

Just seems for someone off grid wood might be a better way to go than the AC for backup heating. It just uses a lot of watts. But again I don't know the output of the solar or the storage capacity of the battery bank.

I had a propane heater and pulled it due to the amount of propane needed to get/keep it warm. Just didn't seem cost effective.

Come to think of it I don't know if we're talking indoor or outdoor ??

 

[ps0303]

On demand water heaters are not designed to be used to do anything other than heat water for short periods of time like washing clothes, dishes, baths, etc. They are better served to get a unit that is designed for the task. If it is a propane fuel source, get a real spa heater.