Pool is too HOT

fortunate

Silver Supporter
Oct 24, 2022
59
Puerto Rico
It's typically 85F where I am, with summers around 90F. The pool is often some 92F degrees and it sucks. Can't even get in the pool to cool off!

Are there any solutions for this?

I don't have an infinity edge (and it doesn't make sense for my yard) but I imagine that'd provide a significant amount of evaporative cooling (and water loss).
 
I use a Glacier Chiller. It's an evaporative chiller, so it uses less power than a heat pump chiller.

It's been hot here this summer, but I can keep the pool at 85. I have been running it 4-5 hours each morning. I could run it longer to get the temp lower, but the wife/kids don't like it below 85.
 
Thanks mknauss, it didn't turn up in a quick forum and internet search.

I don't have time to DIY up some sprinklers. A sprinkly out of the box solution might work.

The Glacier looks better! It's 8A max and seems to be a fan and pump, so I guess it's roughly equivalent to running a VS pump, but probably fewer hours/day. Installing it is a pain though, and I don't have room for it next to the existing equipment, at least not if it's going to look nice! I'd need to pour a new pad. I've attached some pics, how would you suggest I install the Glacier in this space? It's 59" wide. My pool is 10,600 gallons so the smallest Glacier seems OK (GPC25) unless the bigger models would work better.

@mfifield01, how loud is the Glacier? Is yours open to the air above? Not needing a cover over it is nice.
 

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It goes between the filter and the pool, so it'd need to go next to the filter in the first pic. That's closer to the rest of the house, so I hope it's not loud. I wonder if the pad there is big enough, I think it is! I've attached dimensions: 36"x23" with space around it. The awning is 60" above the ground at the lowest point. If it gets condensation maybe that'd be OK.
 

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@mfifield01

What do you estimate the cost to run your chiller is per hour???

Thanks,

Jim R.
I estimate that it costs $11-12 per month to run 4 hours a day. The unit uses between 300-900 watts when on. It has two components, a large fan and a sump pump. The sump pump comes on every 2-3 minutes and the fan is on the whole time. It's somewhere around $.10 per hour.
 
It goes between the filter and the pool, so it'd need to go next to the filter in the first pic. That's closer to the rest of the house, so I hope it's not loud. I wonder if the pad there is big enough, I think it is! I've attached dimensions: 36"x23" with space around it. The awning is 60" above the ground at the lowest point. If it gets condensation maybe that'd be OK.
The unit is large. I'm not sure it will fit in that area. Attached is a picture of the GPC25 during my pool install.
 

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I live in the dry desert southwest but I’m able to just run my aerator at night and maintain the temperature around 87-88° F. If you don’t have an aerator, you might try picking up or using a pump that you would normally use to drain excess water. Just don’t connect the outlet hose. I set mine on the top step and let it shoot a flow of water into the air like an aerator.
 
The GPC25 that was $2400 with free shipping, after you try to pay for it, is actually $2000 more for shipping to Puerto Rico. The island "tax" is common but I'm not sure that's worth it. I might stop into a local pool shop and see if they have something equivalent.

@tcross04 that sounds OK. I can't use my return jets, so I need a separate pump. Is something like this what you had in mind? Ideally it's not terribly loud.
 
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When I was in GA, I had the same issue and and tried various methods to make the pool enjoyable at a reasonable price. I ended up using the largest shade sails I could attached to 6x6 posts around the pool with heavy duty wire cable and snap attachments so I could take them down each season, or for a big storm. My pool would be in the mid to high 90's and was not refreshing. After the shade sails were put in, pool temps dropped to upper 80's, and that feels refreshing when it's high 90's out! Project was inexpensive, and quick to put up. Picture attached below.

14115622_1408346772513579_4270475074416855312_o.jpg
 
Shade panels would be great, but it's a pain to install posts. Also there's a fair amount of wind and storms here.

@tcross04 Is it this one? The 1/6hp model has a top and side exit. The 1/4hp has only a side exit. I'm guessing you have the 1/6hp? If I place it on a pool step and have the water shoot straight up, how high will it shoot the water?
 
Still waiting for the WaterBUG. In the mean time I talked to a local pool guy (cleaner guy, not a pool equipment store). He has never seen an evaporative cooler locally. He suggested a heat pump inverter by Crosswind. He said he can handle buying and installing it, except that my concrete pad would need to be enlarged. The Glacier is ~$4500 with shipping. A heat pump is ~$3500.

The "Cooling a pool" page is light on info for a heat pump. I searched a bit, but a lot of the info is for heating. How does it work for cooling? Do I run it at night, or set a temp and let it run all the time when the pumps are on? How long does a heat pump take to bring temps down? My pool is small at 10,600 gallons. Any ideas on how much it costs to run / how much power it uses? 50-I model says 1.28 kW.
 
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@mfifield01

What is the sump pump for??? Where does the sump pump send the water??

I assume the pool pump is what pumps the water through the chiller... Is that true.

Thanks,

Jim R.
The Glacier cooler works by spraying water via slowly spinning wands and letting it drip theough several feet of vertical baffles. There is a fan above the wands that draws air up from the bottom and out the top. The idea is that the evaporation and to some extent the increased surface area allows rhe temperature of the water to drop if the ambient air is cooler and the humidity is not too high.

The water falls into a basin at the bottom of the chiller. The basin has a pump with a float switch. When the water reaches a certain level the pump pushes the water out. Glacier says the optimum flow has the basin filling every 2-3 minutes. There are two options for how the chilled water gets to the pool. With a new pool a dedicated lime is plumbed to the lowest point in the pool. If retrofitting an existing pool, the output is injected into the suction side of the filter pump.
 
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Here we goooo! It's splattering out of the narrow pool a bit. It's less bad after some adjusting, but need to wait for the water on the coping to evaporate to really see. The pool was 91F at 6pm when I turned the WaterBUG on and the ambient temp was 84F. I'll check it in the morning and tomorrow at 6pm.

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