Heat Pump questions

[HotShot53]

I am looking to get a heat pump for my pool this spring so I can start swimming earlier and more than I was able to last year, and have a couple questions, if anyone can give advice or opinions.

I am considering getting either:
Hayward HP21104T HeatPro 110,000 BTU for $2,650 (http://www.poolsupplyworld.com/Hayward- ... 21104T.htm)
Pentair UltraTemp Model 110 108,000 BTU for $2,510 (http://www.poolsupplyworld.com/Pentair- ... 460932.htm) or
Pentair UltraTemp Model 120 R H/C 125,000 BTU, Heat/Cool for $3,444 (http://www.poolsupplyworld.com/Pentair- ... 460935.htm).

Apparently the Hayward HP21104T is poolsupplyworld's best-selling heat pump. The Pentair UltraTemp Model 110 looks better for slightly less though, am I missing anything on the Hayward that would make it the better heat pump?

Is getting the option of having the heat pump also able to cool the water worth the $1,000 extra it would cost? I live outside of Philadelphia, PA, so it does get pretty hot here sometimes, but not normally for too extended of periods. Has anyone else had a heat pump that also cools, and do you use it often/would you recommend it? Or for anyone who lives in this area, how often have you wished your water was a bit cooler?

For normal use of a heat pump, I assume it is run during the day when the ambient heat outside is greater so it has better efficiency? How much do you need to pay extra attention to a heat pump to be sure your water stays the right temp? Or does the built-in controller regulate the heat without much extra work?

I look forward to hearing everyone's opinions/suggestions and any other comments you might have about heat pumps

 

[swimcmp]

In my opinion you would have alot better luck heating your agp with a gas heater. We sell alot of Pentair with the heat/cool option for ingrounds with auto covers and those get along very well with the heat pump. An agp just has to much radiant surface for a heat pump to keep up early and late season. Also a heat pump will usually shut down somewhere below 55 degrees as there isn't any way for the unit to extract heat from the freon to heat the water.

 

[Bama Rambler]

I can't answer about the models but I think living in PA cooling would be way down the list of wants! I'm not sure I'd pay that kind of extra money for something you may never need. Also a fountain spraying in the air will do a lot of cooling.

 

[HotShot53]

In my opinion you would have alot better luck heating your agp with a gas heater. We sell alot of Pentair with the heat/cool option for ingrounds with auto covers and those get along very well with the heat pump. An agp just has to much radiant surface for a heat pump to keep up early and late season. Also a heat pump will usually shut down somewhere below 55 degrees as there isn't any way for the unit to extract heat from the freon to heat the water.

I don't have a natural gas connection at my house, so I'm guessing propane would be more expensive and more of a hassle to use, which is why I'm leaning towards a heat pump. I don't plan to go swimming if the air temp is less than say 70 or 75, so I'm not planning to run it in temperatures below say 65-70.

 

[HotShot53]

I can't answer about the models but I think living in PA cooling would be way down the list of wants! I'm not sure I'd pay that kind of extra money for something you may never need. Also a fountain spraying in the air will do a lot of cooling.

Yeah, that was sort of my thoughts. My sister-in-law and a friend (the 2 people other than me who swim in my pool the most) claimed there were a few days last year that the water "was like bathwater" and not very refreshing, but I don't remember them actually not wanting to swim lol.

 

[HotShot53]

Anyone else have any comments/suggestions before I order one this weekend?

 

[Melt In The Sun]

Just another vote that cooling is not worth the $...our pool gets mighty hot here (95+ for a couple months), and cooling with a fountain is good enough. I could use our heat pump to cool it, but never have.

 

[JasonLion]

Heat pumps are great if you are trying to maintain the pool in the 80s in the mid summer when it would naturally be in the 70s without heat. They are not so good if you want to heat up the water just for the weekend in the spring and fall. Propane is by far the better choice for "special event" heating in the spring and fall. Heat pumps are best for constant maintenance through the summer when your electric rates are reasonable (ie not in California).

 

[HotShot53]

Thanks for everyone's advice, I want it mostly to just keep the water warmer during the spring/fall, and add a couple weeks to the swimming season, so I decided the heat pump was the way to go. And I agree that $1,000 is too much to pay for a couple days maybe of cooling off water a little, so I just ordered the Pentair UltraTemp Model 110 BLK 108,000 BTU http://www.poolsupplyworld.com/Pentair- ... 460962.htm for $2,380 (after coupon and rebate). $130 less than it originally was a week ago, guess the main demand is past for them already.

Now I just have to wait for it to get delivered/installed... I can't wait to go swimming in warm water in a few weeks!