Pentair 460737 400K BTU propane.

[Wellersl]

I want very much to pull the trigger on a new, more efficient heater, the MasterTemp because the footprint is small and should be close to being a drop-in replacement.

However, there are some comments that give me pause:

1) They seem to be prone to being damaged in transit.

2) They've also been criticized as being the most noisy heaters.

Experiences, please?

 

[gldntgr96]

I believe that is the kind of Heater I have and it is very noisy. I am not sure if other are quitter but min sound like a large truck when it starts. I know it so loud because it has blower to feed the flames. This is my first so I cannot speak comparatively. But it dose do a good job of heating up our water quickly.

Hope this helps a little I know there are others with more knowledge to help with this.

Good Luck

 

[Mycall9550]

I believe I have the same, and I'm not sure about the noise part.

I can say, when the heat is activated you hear a low frequency "swoosh" but that's it. I can tell it's running thereafter, but I don't consider it any louder than my 2HP Northstar.

 

[davedive]

Wellersl,

I had my pool built only 4 years ago and I have the Pentair Mastertemp 400 propane heater. I never had a heater before or a pool so I have nothing to compare it to but I can say it really heats up the water fast. I have a 6' x 8' spa and It takes me about 30 minutes to go from 70 to 102. Not sure of the exact timing but it is pretty quick! Heating my 20 x 40 pool is a different story. If you are heading into the weekend and you know you will have guests you turn it on Friday morning. As far as the noise it is loud when it starts, basically it is like if you left the gas on in your gas grill for a minute then ignited it- wooosh! That is the sound of a big flame. Then it is pretty quiet. I will mention that my first heater developed a problem several months after installation- it would not ignite. The pool guy tried everything, then he called in an expert and he had no luck. In the end the unit was replaced (free under my warranty) and the replacement has always worked well. Except for the mice. One fall the mice got in and chewed up some stuff and I needed a new igniter and just this spring I discovered mice had taken over in the winter and for now I am out of commission. I wish they could make the unit mouseproof. Please Pentair make a mouseproof version of this heater!!!

 

[ps0303]

Rodents love these units. The set up house and chew up everything insight. Use mothballs to help keep them out.

I would say if you have the space, go with e Raypak. Fewer parts which means less repairs down the road.

 

[Mycall9550]

Good to know about the rodents, I'll need to inspect.

Another way to think of the sound is if you left the gas on in your grill with the lid on. Full of propane/nat gas and ignite you get the same whoosh... just no burnt hairs.


For my pool, we heated it over new years. It heated at a rate of about 1*/hr for my large pool.

 

[GDN]

The mice do seem to like the Pentairs from my experience and the threads on here. I'm not sure how the other manufactures build their heaters to prevent this but Pentairs are wide open through the large vents. There are add on solutions to this and at least one works very well - see my post here: https://www.troublefreepool.com/thr...-400-heater!?p=1203413&viewfull=1#post1203413

 

[Mycall9550]

The mice do seem to like the Pentairs from my experience and the threads on here. I'm not sure how the other manufactures build their heaters to prevent this but Pentairs are wide open through the large vents. There are add on solutions to this and at least one works very well - see my post here: https://www.troublefreepool.com/thr...-400-heater!?p=1203413&viewfull=1#post1203413

not that I want to spend more money on the pool, but as they say an ounce of prevention..

thanks for the refernce.

 

[Wellersl]

Thanks for all the comments, folks. It looks like the noise and shipping damage are being overstated. I'm looking at the Raypak now, too.

As for rodents, $700 will buy a LOT of mothballs.

 

[swimcmp]

Any heater in my experience has been a chance for a rodent home.

 

[JoelFitz]

The Mastertemp/Max-E-Therm heaters are only 84% efficient, peanuts. I think you need to step up to the big boy heater..... the ETi400 with it's whopping 96% efficiency