Aqua Pro500 Heat Pump Review and Feedback

[bbrian017]

I have just got this heat pump and so far it seems to be warming up the pool. From my initial viewing and usage, it's very expensive to purchase.

I ran it overnight, 12 hours it went down to 16 degree Celsius... 60.8 Fahrenheit... I found the unit little to no use for heating the pool overnight but it did maintain my temperature of 24.4 degrees Celsius... 75.92 Fahrenheit...

Now it's hot, feels like 29 degrees Celsius.. 82 Fahrenheit and the pool is heating up fast, already at 27 degrees Celsius... 80.6 Fahrenheit...

So in Canada we get discounts for running our electricity off peak hours... seems with a heat pump unless it's warn at night (when it's actually not needed lol) it's not worth trying to take advantage of low peak hours seeing the pool will not heat much overnight during lower temperatures...

Whats everyone feedback on the product I did a video here... Aqua Pro500 Pool Spa Heater - YouTube

What do you think?

 

[Catanzaro]

Brian:

Welcome to TFP and please add your signature. Here is the catch to this whole scenario. Heat pumps work best with higher temperatures and humidity. I purchased a gulfstream heat pump and ran a test about 3-4 weeks ago. It took 6 hours and 22 minutes to raise the temperature from 80 to 86. The pump shut off the temperature was maintained all day. Shut if off and have not used it until yesterday/today. Yesterday, I took the temperature from 75 to 81 and the system shut down at around 7 p.m. The pump ran about 8 hours without the cover. A total of 6 degrees in 8 hours. The temperature was a little on the cold side and I had no cover on the pool.

Last night, I put the cover on (95% covered) and this morning the temperature dropped to around 79, but back up to 80 degrees within 30 minutes. I will be tracking the heat pump per hour until 12 p.m., and then I have to leave.

If you provide me the Kwh hour rate during peak and off peak times, then the calculation could be made. If rates are 50% less during off peak, with a cover, the heater may be worth using. Outside of this, anything less may not make sense as the temperatures at night will drop a lot, especially this time of the year, and there will be no relative humidity at night.

I would cover the pool with a solar blanket and then if the sun is strong in the morning, take off the cover and keep the heater running. The temp/humidity/wind speed this morning was at 65/70/9 and there has been about a 3* rise in outside temperature each hour. Heat pumps, from my research and talking to others, are extremely efficient at around the 75* mark and higher. With these temperatures, you will get .5 degree rise per hour and with a cover you will be looking at about 1* rise per hour.

If you search gulfstream heat pump in the forum, you will find my thread. My computer is down, or would have attached a link. In that thread, I have a detailed analysis of that day. Next year, I will run some more tests, each month from June, July, August and September (at least over an 8-10 hour period). Each time I do this, the thread will be updated with actual results.