Confused about pool heater btu recommendations

[hesterific]

Hello experts and enthusiasts! We are ready to add a heater to our existing in-ground salt water pool. How many BTUs do we need? The recommendations I'm getting are anywhere from 90k-250k.

We are in Massachusetts, the highest summer water temp is about 78*, average is about 76*, we'd like it to be more like 79-80* from April/May through the end of September. Our electric rates are the highest in the nation at $0.48 per kWh so it will need to be natural gas. We already have 42 solar panels (max for our sun exposure and it's just enough to meet our needs) so electric solutions won't work for us.
15,500 gal, 14'x32' rectangle, 6' deep end.

Thank you!

 

[mknauss]

With a gas heater get the highest BTU model you can afford and that your gas line can handle. The cost to heat the pool will be the same with any BTU gas heater. All it will change is how fast the pool water is heated.
You also must have a cover on the pool to retain the heat or the cost to heat will be quite high.

So you need someone to check on the gas line size after the meter (unless you will be installing a new one). The meter may also need to be upgraded.

 

[ajw22]

90K BTUs will heat your 15,500 pool by about 3/4 degree per hour.

250K BTUs will heat your 15,500 pool by about 1 3/4 degree per hour.

400K BTUs will heat your 15,500 pool by about 2 1/2 degree per hour.

The more BTUs the better as the same time you are heating the pool on a cool day it will be losing heat to the cold air unless you have a cover on it.

 

[hesterific]

With a gas heater get the highest BTU model you can afford and that your gas line can handle. The cost to heat the pool will be the same with any BTU gas heater. All it will change is how fast the pool water is heated.
You also must have a cover on the pool to retain the heat or the cost to heat will be quite high.

So you need someone to check on the gas line size after the meter (unless you will be installing a new one). The meter may also need to be upgraded.

Thank you for this info!

 

[hesterific]

90K BTUs will heat your 15,500 pool by about 3/4 degree per hour.

250K BTUs will heat your 15,500 pool by about 1 3/4 degree per hour.

400K BTUs will heat your 15,500 pool by about 2 1/2 degree per hour.

The more BTUs the better as the same time you are heating the pool on a cool day it will be losing heat to the cold air unless you have a cover on it.

Amazing, I appreciate you typing this out, this was exactly what I needed.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Are you on natural gas or propane?