Nice pool heater analysis program recently posted at AquaCal

[Hal3]

I just found this pool heater cost analysis program on the AquaCal website. I installed it and it works very well. Very detailed calculations although they seem to be tied to just a few brands of heaters. It looks like a heat pump is much cheaper than natural gas. It does pool volume calculations and includes local weather data by the half month. Very nice.

http://aquacal.com/index.php?option=com ... &Itemid=72

File Name: PoolAuditSetup.exe
Version: 5.0
Date: August 27, 2009
Language: English
Download Size: 17.7 MB

 

[Poolsean]

Thanks Hal3. If anyone has questions on the Heat Pump Audit, you can contact me.

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

Any chance of making it a Java based applet for a browser so those of us with Macs and Linux can use it?

Scott
PoolGuyNJ

 

[Poolsean]

Scott,
Wouldn't hurt to ask right? I'll let you know. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Hal3]

There is an update to this.

File Name: PoolAuditSetup.exe
Version: 6.0
Date: June 30, 2010
Language: English
Download Size: 17.6 MB

http://www.aquacal.com/sizing.html

Uninstall the old one before installing.

It sure would be nice to heat that pool and get in a few months early!

What ever happened to the Solar Heater as a separate Discussion Topic suggestion?

 

[bk406]

I'll download it when I get a chance and look at it but I'll go out on a limb and say it'$ most likely a touch biased. A lot of these types of analysis use very favorable eleric rates, max btu ratings, COP ratings that are at the top of the range etc. By my research, I've found that with electric rates between 10 to 20 cents and gas around $1 per therm, gas is about as cheap or equal in price to a heat pump when you use realistic COP values.

 

[Hal3]

OK. Here's the problem:

Looks I probably need the HeatWave SuperQuiet SQ 175.

Next I want to see the ........ PRICE!!!!

No, I don't want a dealer to contact me.

Yes, I know installation costs will vary.

Yes, I know the local company is making a profit on the price they will quote - plus installation.

I just want to know a price so that I can do an eyeball comparison to purchasing a natural gas heater and the prices of these are posted everywhere.

Also - in the next version of the program I would like to see an option to heat weekends only - Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday to sunset.

I suspect that will push the numbers back in favor of gas but that is how I would heat the pool if it saved money.

Still, this is a very cool program for anyone looking for real local data on the cost of running heat pump versus gas.

 

[bk406]

I'm trying to download it now. But as an aside, for weekend only heat, gas is the only way to go. Heat pupms are meant to keep the temp up 24/7. If you olny heat a couple days out of the week, it would not be practical to use a heat pump.

 

[Hal3]

Ah Ha!!!

A fellow cynic!

Actually, it is a much cooler program than you suspect.

You HAVE to put in your local rates for gas and electric.

It downloads YOUR local weather if you live in a major city or you can just use the nearest city.

You program in your own size, depth, wind exposure, etc.

Then you get the data.

It is tied to their brands but the numbers should apply to any brand.

I'm paying .06 per KwH and .47 per ccf. (city-owned, not privately owned)

A ccf is about equal to a therm so you don't have to look it up.

I'll download it when I get a chance and look at it but I'll go out on a limb and say it'$ most likely a touch biased. A lot of these types of analysis use very favorable eleric rates, max btu ratings, COP ratings that are at the top of the range etc. By my research, I've found that with electric rates between 10 to 20 cents and gas around $1 per therm, gas is about as cheap or equal in price to a heat pump when you use realistic COP values.

 

[bk406]

Ok, i looked at it. Although you can put in your rates for gas and power, the program uses the set BTU and COP ratings for their product with no way to alter them. I can guarantee you will not get that BTU rating except under IDEAL conditions. If you use realistic BTU out puts that you will get on either end of the swim season, the cost to run a gas vs heat pump will be very simialr given a buck a therm and 10-20 cents electric rates. Even though the generation charge might be 6 cents, when you add taxes, transmission charges, fees, etc, the rates are higher. Check it out and see if you 6 cents is the TOTAL charge per kw/hr.
Now I have no doubt that during heart of the swim season a heat pump is more cost effective to keep the pool warm, on the tail ends a gas heater is just as economical and works much better and faster.

 

[Hal3]

"Check it out and see if you 6 cents is the TOTAL charge per kw/hr"

I just called and asked the power company.

Where else could they be hiding a charge?

 

[bk406]

Look at the bill; it should be broken out. Some power companies add on transmission charges. If you want to know the true cost, just divide the total bill by kw used and that will give you a true number.

 

[Poolschoolgrad]

Hal3

The program is optimistic; however, not overly optimistic.

The program calculates the costs for the heat pump based on the FULL rated output using 80 f for the entire heating cycle.

In order to factor in for the reduced output at lower temperatures, calculate the number of hours per month when temps are in the 60s. Then multiply that hourly operational cost by 1.25. This should give you a fairly accurate monthly cost for these units and other brands of comparable size.

The 1.25 Winter adjustment factor can be found on page 22 of the Autopilot heat pump guide.
http://www.aquacal.com/images/stories/p ... manual.pdf

Entering the specifications for my pool and using a comparable output/input autopilot product yields monthly rates comparable to the actual costs that I pay during the warmer part of the season. Applying the 1.25 adjustment factor for the first and last month of operation yields accurate monthly rates during the beginning and end of the swim season.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To get the most accurate information, you need to input the total energy costs.
Base electricity rates in my area are 8.8 cents/kwh
After the environmental compliance fee, nuclear construction cost recovery fee, municipal franchise fee and sales tax are added to the bill, I then divide by the total number of kw used to calculate a cost of 10 cents/kwh.
I enter 0.10 into the Electric kw rate on the AquaCal program.

Calculate the total natural gas cost per therm in the same manner. Your total bill divided by the total therms used.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The program default is to heat to 80 F, but you can override the temperature difference. If you wanted to calculate for heating to 85 f then add 5 degrees to the temperature difference value.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A very useful and educational program.

Thank you for posting the link

 

[guamguy]

I tried to download it just for fun (don't need a heater here!). The program installed fine, but wouldn't let me get started when I clicked on the pool audit button. I'll try it later on another computer, the program may not like win7 64-bit.

 

[Mugs]

I tried to download it just for fun (don't need a heater here!). The program installed fine, but wouldn't let me get started when I clicked on the pool audit button. I'll try it later on another computer, the program may not like win7 64-bit.

Just "copy" the program folder from C:\program files(x86) to C:\program files
Has to be copy unless you want to update the shortcuts etc.

Work for me on win7/64 pro.

Mugs