Can I put an electric heater on my pool? I ask because there might not be enough amps

[fabsroman]

I have 50 amps running from the house to the Pentair Easy Touch panel by the pool. I am about to install an Intelliflo 3hp variable speed pump, which would most likely go on a 20 amp breaker at the pool panel. This is the same breaker powering the current 1.5hp single speed Pentair pump. Only other thing on the panel will be three pool lights and the Pentair IC40. Believe I read in the IC40 installation manual that it draws 1, maybe 2, amps. Pool is somewhere in the 35,000 gallon range and I live in Maryland. The largest Rheem pool heater requires a 50 amp breaker. Wondering if I could get away with a Rheem heater that would use 40 amps. Wondering if I can install the 50 amp heater and just run the pool pump at a lower rpm so it does not draw as much power. Guessing the answer to the 50 amp heater and the Intelliflo pump is a "no", but want to ask anyway.

I know I could change the breaker in the house and increase the amps out to the pool panel, but that is a pretty long run for heavier wire and I really do not want to deal with it.

We are on liquid propane and electricity here. If I had natural gas, this would be a simple decision.

What do you guys think?

 

[ajw22]

You want to know what the NEC requires? What is safe? Or what will work?

Code requires breakers load not to be more then 80% of rated capacity. So your 50 amp subpanel should not have more then 40 amps of load.

IntelliFlo full load amps is 16. So you only have 24 amps left. Not enough for any Heat Pump.

You do not need the HP power running through the ET. Run a separate 60 amp line from your main electrical panel to the HP. Then you are good to go.

 

[fabsroman]

You want to know what the NEC requires? What is safe? Or what will work?

Code requires breakers load not to be more then 80% of rated capacity. So your 50 amp subpanel should not have more then 40 amps of load.

IntelliFlo full load amps is 16. So you only have 24 amps left. Not enough for any Heat Pump.

You do not need the HP power running through the ET. Run a separate 60 amp line from your main electrical panel to the HP. Then you are good to go.

Breaker at the house for the subpanel is 50 amps and there are two 20 amp breakers in the subpanel (i.e., pool pump and booster pump) and two 10 amp breakers (i.e., lights and IC40). This does not shock me because no repairs done to this house were done well, much less to code.

I have room in the house's electrical box to put in another 240 breaker. Could probably put two more in that box. Question is whether I want to run 60+ feet of wire in conduit out to the heater. If I decide to do that and wire the heater directly to the house's breaker box, then how do I control the heater with the Pentair Easytouch panel?

 

[ajw22]

EasyTouch controls heaters by a RS-485 data cable or by the low voltage “fireman’s switch”. It is not controlled by the high voltage power. The heater always has power on.

Heater Control with Automation - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com