How do I choose a new pool heater?

[Katygirl]

Hello,
Our 7 yr old Hayward 150 400,000 just broke down. The pool company through our home warranty is giving me a choice of the Pentair Mastertemp, or a Jandy heater, however I could choose another brand as well.
We use the Jandy Aqualink wall control, no remote. I want to make sure the heater can be fully controlled by the Aqualink, including changing temperatures from the control panel and not having to go to the heater to change it manually.
Are these heaters compatible with the Aqualink? Which heaters will last the longest? Which heat the fastest?
Any advice is much appreciated.

 

[Patrick_B]

Hi Katy, and welcome to the forum!

Generally speaking, heaters of a given size are going to heat at about the same rate, with little if any discernable difference. If the internals are the same on a given heater, meaning Copper heat exchanger versus Cupro-Nickle, it becomes a Ford/Chevy/Dodge argument. In your situation, they are likely not offering a Cupro-Nickle heat exchanger package as they are much more expensive. For simple automation, any brand should work well with your controller, but some may shed more light on this with regard to Jandy control/heater packages. I have Pentair equipment with a Raypak heater which also another favorite brand of many. Generally speaking, Raypak, and Pentair heaters seem to be the most popular overall. Sorry I can't offer more help.

Good luck, and enjoy your time on the forum.

 

[JasonLion]

Welcome to TFP!

The BTU rating affects how quickly it heats, brand has nothing to do with that.

Any brand of heater can be fully controlled by an AquaLink system.

The most commonly recommended heaters are Raypak. But a number of other brands are alright, including Jandy and Pentair.