Electric heat pump

[Just-a-PB]

One of our larger local pool companies teamed up with a home builder and put this system together.
Great for your home, not as great for your pool swim season, as it is heating in the summer and cooling in the winter.
Heard a lot about it when it first came out, but not so much any more.
Here is a link:
http://www.azmag.gov/Documents/pdf/cms. ... _60895.pdf

For the OP:
Why would you want to run your pump speed any faster then is needed to turn on the heatpump.
That is just a waste of energy. Not sure how you would gain more heat running faster.
Simple solar cover makes a major difference. Just cut it into two pieces, it doesnt have to be perfect to work.

 

[Bluegrassman]

Thanks Just-a-PB, looks like with that system utilizing the "upper reservoir", rising pH could be a real problem especially in warmer climates where the system would need to run a great deal.

 

[UnderWaterVanya]

I see what you mean, but in our area it would still work because this time of year we are still running the a/c to cool the house during the day as we see temps in the 80s. . However night temps have been dipping into the 50s and 60s, so we personally could definitely benefit from the cooling the house while heating the pool technology this applies. For example it was 54 early this morning, but now it's 85. Tomorrow's forecast is low 60, hi 87. By the time we no longer need to cool the house, it will remain too cool outside for us to be swimming.


**edited to include additional details

I see that - but my guess is that the heat rise would be very small. Water by volume takes a lot more heat units to move temps than air. But the potential energy savings is huge. Sadly it looks like a major retrofit not a minor one.

 

[Angnjam]

So let's say we are having 50-60 degree nights, but 70+ degree days. Would you recommend only running an electric heat pump during the daytime hours given those variables?

Thats the conundrum. 70+ degree days, a heat pump will put heat in the pool. But the nights get so chilly that the amount of heat they transfer is about equal to whats lost, so it basially a wash. Sure, a HP will move some heat at 55 degrees, the amount lost negates the amount put in. Personally, I wouldnt waste the power running it at night with those low temp. The problem is that this time of year it might take all day to get to 70+ degrees. So even if you run it during the day, the best you can acheive is maybe 2-3 degrees before it starts to cool down. Thats why i dont recommend a heat pump to extend the pool season in that type of climate. HP's work great during the traditionalb swim seasonn. But to extend it on either end, you need gas.

So would you think a heat pump would work well in Southern California (zip 92592) if we wanted to extend the season from March-Mid October and like the water temp in the mid 80s?