Heater Advice for 18'

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joseywales

LifeTime Supporter
Jun 11, 2009
276
Exton, PA
OK. We got the pool last year. Kids love it...I went in once. Even as a kid I HATED cold water. Solar panels are an option. But a 100,000 BTU unit should do the trick. Can any be found for less than $800?

Any other recommendations you have?

Do solar panels = getting a larger pump to distributor the water?

A friend nearby tried the solar cover on his 15' pool, with limited success and he, too, is looking for heating options.
 
Both Pentair and Hayward make 100,000 BTU heaters that are ~80% efficient for around 8-900 dollars. So...that means you should get somewhere on the order of 80,000 BTU out of it. For a pool the size of yours, it will take about 45 minutes to raise the water temp 1 degree. For a 10 degree rise, thats 7.5 hours. It will use around 1 therm of NG per hour. How much is your NG per therm? Average of $1 per therm, it will cost ~$8 bucks to put 10 degrees in your pool.

For a 250k heater, it would take 3 hours to get the same 10 degrees. At $1 per therm, it would cost around $7. Overall gas cost is a little less with a bigger heater, and you heat the water in half the time. Obviously, initial cost for the bigger heater is a factor, but it's sometihng to think about.
 
I'd vote for a 4x20 solar bear panel...costs about $230 plus install materials and does not require fuel. The downside is that you'll need to run the pump during the day.
 
I'd agree with dmanb2b on the solar panel. With a pool that size a 4x20 panel in conjuction with a solar blanket/cover to keep the heat in would really boost your temperature at a greater value than a heater. A heater will continually cost you money to bring the temp up and keep it there. A solar panel is a one time investment and free heat from there on out. Your pump is more than enough for the addition of solar panels. Go for it!
 
How many BTU can you generate out of something like that? I'm sure it varies based on sun exposure, ambient air temp, etc. But ballpark estimates of BTU output would help in the analysis of whether or not solar will work well for a given application and area of the country. Where i am solar is not too practicle. The analysis really has to take into account how you use your pool, what temp you want to maintain, and how fast you want to increase the temp, etc. IMO, the choice of how you heat your pool requires a lot of variables to be considered. In a lot of cases, a one size fits all approach doesnt work too well.
 
We live in NW Minnesota and heat completely with solar on a pool larger than the one in question with very good results in an average year. The only time we had trouble keeping up was for a period last year when our nighttime temps would not reach above the low 40s and it still was able to heat up to 80 degrees, just not keep it above 80 until the night temps raised. Of course if they live in an area where it is extremely warm all the time a gas heater would rarely need to run. I'm guessing PA is rarely colder than Northern MN. Just a fair consideration to ponder - we are condidered the "Nation's Icebox" and found it to be the most bang for our buck. Good luck with your search!
 
I'm following, since I have an AGP and am curious about raising the temps.
Just for reference... when do you normally see your last frost in NW Minnesota? (That might be a good estimate of temps.)
We here in PA see our last frost end of April. (joseywales I'm about 1.5 hours from Exton, closer to Harrisburg. Hi neighbor!)
 
We have about the same last frost date too, end of April. But, my house faces the wrong direction to really get any good sun, i would think.
Another reason I discounted it was purely asthetics. I'm not too parital to the look of those big panels on my roof.
 
How do mkenyon2?

Asthetics is a concern of mine as well.

Sun hits from sun up to 2 or 3:00, so we get good expsure there.

Facing the back of my home, my pool sits at the left edge of the A-frame roof. So My panels would be above my BBQ deck and the hose/tube would hae to run to the side of that deck, into my pump, etc.

My only other option is to hang the panel(s), angled toward the sky of course, off the railing of my deck (about 14.5' long). Probably the most pleasing option to the eye.

My last option for panels, would be to hang them off the back of my house. I'd have to attachethem to the house, through the siding, and angle them to the sky. But again, not so pretty.

Hmm....
 
mkenyon2 said:
I'm following, since I have an AGP and am curious about raising the temps.
Just for reference... when do you normally see your last frost in NW Minnesota? (That might be a good estimate of temps.)
We here in PA see our last frost end of April. (joseywales I'm about 1.5 hours from Exton, closer to Harrisburg. Hi neighbor!)
Click to expand...


Generally our last frost is Mid May, however we had a hard freeze the first week of June last year. We aint called the Nation's Icebox for no reason! We can get our first cold weather as early as August or as late as October. Last year September was amazing and in the 70s and 80s all month long.
 

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joseywales said:
How do mkenyon2?

Asthetics is a concern of mine as well.

Sun hits from sun up to 2 or 3:00, so we get good expsure there.

Facing the back of my home, my pool sits at the left edge of the A-frame roof. So My panels would be above my BBQ deck and the hose/tube would hae to run to the side of that deck, into my pump, etc.

My only other option is to hang the panel(s), angled toward the sky of course, off the railing of my deck (about 14.5' long). Probably the most pleasing option to the eye.

My last option for panels, would be to hang them off the back of my house. I'd have to attachethem to the house, through the siding, and angle them to the sky. But again, not so pretty.

Hmm....
Click to expand...


or just lay them on the ground next to the pool....mine are behind the deck and pool...laying on landscaping fabric
 
Thanks, I actually am looking at laying them down. I do have a 20' run, just in front of my deck, and that could be the answer. What I'd like to do, is devise a way to slide it under my 14' deck, when the extra yard space is needed. I have the sliding apparatus in mind, so it could work.
 
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