Anyone have any experience with a A/C to pool heat exchanger? looks like a great idea to lower pool heating costs. Was looking to see if I could find any reviews or pros and cons. we are getting ready to set up a new above ground pool and looking at a pool heater. my only problem is ill probably have to upgrade my homes electrical service to 200A to be able to utilize a pool heater, which would add another $4400 to the pool costs given i have underground electrical service. here is a link to the pool heat exchanger.
A/C to pool heat reclamation?
- Thread starter htguru
- Start date
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
There are a few who have installed them, they are DIY 
www.troublefreepool.com
www.troublefreepool.com
FPH - Hotspot Energy Install Begins!
So, it has been a long three two months of planning to get ready for our pool building. What is unique about this build is that I will be installing the Hotspot Energy FPH System as the primary mode of heading our 12,000 gallon fiberglass pool. It is my hope to provide some empirical insight...
www.troublefreepool.com
Search results for query: HotSpot FPH
www.troublefreepool.com
I have this system currently heating my pool here in NE Florida. I've been swimming since early March right about the time I started having my AC run again after winter for at least 4 hours a day.
It works well and keeps my pool at a wonderful 85-87 degrees.
The installation was a PITA but I'm happy with it now.
the most difficult part was finding an AC guy who was willing to learn how to install the components on the fly with the assistance of Hotspot. Hotspot did a great job of being accessible to him via cell and even video to give him installation tips. That guy is now, to my knowledge, the ONLY guy here in Jacksonville who knows how to install one of these and he has currently installed two more for friends and acquantances of mine. The AC guy labor is not cheap. the water piping and the electrical supply isn't the hard part. the AC guy tying it all together correctly and troubleshooting the inevitable WTF's was the hard part.
All that being said, I'd install it again. My wife loves it and I do too!
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
I'd be inclined to agree. I've talked to a few people in other parts of the country about this and each and every one has said the most difficult part was finding an AC guy willing to learn and do the work.sounds like a flight for an ac guy from FL to PA would be worth it
- Jul 3, 2013
- 9,028
- Pool Size
- 15000
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool SJ-40
You would think Hotspot would offer an AC guy to travel to do it.. They would sell more units..
Eh. I dunno. I think it would price them out of more units than it would help sell. The system isn't exactly CHEAP and then adding an AC guy plus flight and lodging for a day or two would maybe be prohibitive for alot of folks. Granted, there would be some who wouldn't even blink...You would think Hotspot would offer an AC guy to travel to do it.. They would sell more units..
I really had no idea of the scope of the work I was asking the AC guy to do. I was wandering around the city offering $500 to do the job and it wasn't until I met one who listened to the description and said "that sounds cool, let me look at it and we'll discuss what it actually takes" before I was finally able to get it done. I had the system in my garage for several weeks trying to find someone to install. and in the end, $500 barely covered the cost of the copper and refrigerant and didn't begin to cover the amount of time he spent futzing around with it getting it right. We ended up agreeing on a price that took into account that he had the opportunity to learn a unique system at my expense and have since become friendly as heck. (He may only like me because i keep sending business his way that he can charge true AC man prices for...
)I installed my FPH in March 2021. It finally got warm enough to turn the A/C on temps between 65 degrees at night to 88 degrees during the day. The pool water started at 65 degrees and 7 days later it is 86 degrees, love the system so far.
Whereabouts in the country are you? here in Jacksonville, FL I was sporadically turning on my AC as early as March this year. I've been swimming in 82-87 degree water since the end of march early April.
drsipe
Gold Supporter
- Jul 24, 2020
- 384
- Pool Size
- 24500
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool RJ-60 Plus
I don't have any experience with this type of system, but I have done a little work in thermodynamics. I think one way to look at this is that when you need to heat your pool the most, you probably don't have your A/C running. Some areas of the country operate A/C 40+ weeks a year. In those areas a heat recovery system may make sense. I see you are in Erie PA, which is even further north than I am in the Harrisburg area. I use my A/C sporadically in the months of May and September, and the A/C is out of service from October to April, I really only run A/C in June, July and August. Heating my pool would be more of a priority in May & September, when my A/C would not run very often, I don't need to heat the pool in the summer, I have a complete southern exposure, so there are times in the summer my pool is 90+ degrees. Currently today my pool is 85 degrees without the use of any pool cover.
I don't mean to discourage you, but I just wanted to throw that idea out there, just in case you didn't think of that.
I will be curious to see your results if you do install,
I don't mean to discourage you, but I just wanted to throw that idea out there, just in case you didn't think of that.
I will be curious to see your results if you do install,