Heater sizing

[nwardoh]

15x30 above ground in Wisconsin. Getting a propane heater. Playing with the raypak sizer and trying to decide. Calculator says 8 hours on the 106k for 82 May/september. 6 hours for the 156k. >4 but <6 for the 206k. Plugging the current propane price in gives the same dollar amount for all sizes, I’m assuming they are going on the total btu in. Heaters are $1500/2000/2500 depending on size. The 106k is not digital. What’s the move here?

 

[ajw22]

There is no substitute for BTUs heating.

8 hours means if you see it is a nice day at 8AM and decide you want to swim the pool will not be to temp until 4PM.

With 4 hours you can be swimming by lunch time.

If you want a heater then get the largest one your budget can handle.

 

[1poolman1]

15x30 above ground in Wisconsin. Getting a propane heater. Playing with the raypak sizer and trying to decide. Calculator says 8 hours on the 106k for 82 May/september. 6 hours for the 156k. >4 but <6 for the 206k. Plugging the current propane price in gives the same dollar amount for all sizes, I’m assuming they are going on the total btu in. Heaters are $1500/2000/2500 depending on size. The 106k is not digital. What’s the move here?

Bigger is better with a pool heater. That smallest heater may not be able to keep up with heat loss at the surface and, with an ABG, through the walls. The cost to heat is always the same per pound of water. Larger heats faster.
Without knowing more, your pool likely has about 110k pounds of water in it.

 

[nwardoh]

There is no substitute for BTUs heating.

8 hours means if you see it is a nice day at 8AM and decide you want to swim the pool will not be to temp until 4PM.

With 4 hours you can be swimming by lunch time.

If you want a heater then get the largest one your budget can handle.

Man that’s a Dang good point! My brain was just in the mode of keeping it at 82 not those early/late days where it would be better to heat it up on a day by day basis

 

[ajw22]

Man that’s a Dang good point! My brain was just in the mode of keeping it at 82 not those early/late days where it would be better to heat it up on a day by day basis

Is your pool covered when not in use?

You will find it very expensive to heat an uncovered pool on cool nights to maintain the temp.

Gas heaters are more economical as point of use heaters. Heat the pool in the morning when you want to use the pool that day.

 

[nwardoh]

Is your pool covered when not in use?

You will find it very expensive to heat an uncovered pool on cool nights to maintain the temp.

Gas heaters are more economical as point of use heaters. Heat the pool in the morning when you want to use the pool that day.

Yes it has a solar cover on it when not in use.

 

[wireform]

The gas it'll use to reach temp X is the same across all the sizes but difference is how fast it can consume that amount of gas through heat and have the pool warm faster.