Cost to install Glacier chiller

[DFWPoolNewb]

Anyone have an estimate of the installation cost for a Glacier chiller in the DFW area? I’m considering ordering one but have heard radical differences installation cost ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. Any experience or recommended installers?

 

[reggiehammond]

It all depends on distance to electrical, and amount of PVC work needed. It really isn't hard work, but the type of tradesman who can do both charges a premium because who else are you going to call? I have a good landscaping handyman who can do anything with PVC; if you can get it hooked up, any electrician can take it the rest of the way.

With that said - don't sleep on the simple, stupid little fountains that you can plug into a return and run overnight. I'm shocked at how effective they can be...

 

[jark87]

I purchased my GPC-210 through Corley’s Pool Pros in Haslet, which is out near Alliance Airport. At the time, I think he was the only Glacier dealer in the area. That was close to 10 years ago. He’s still listed on the Glacier website as an authorized installer. I paid around $3500 for everything: chiller, installation and all materials. I think the chiller itself was just under $2k, so installation was around $1500, but like I said, that was 10 years ago.

Jeff Corley did the installation. Good guy. He made 1 mistake - he placed an actuator down the line near the chiller instead of up the line near the pump, so there was about 4-5’ of PVC that held water. That winter, the pipe froze and broke, but Jeff was out the next day to repair it and change the placement of the valve.

The chiller was probably the best investment I’ve made in my pool. Our water would get to the mid-90s and we wouldn’t even get in the pool. It now stays 85° or below, depending on humidity. Our tree canopy has spread out quite a bit since I bought the Glacier so I thought there might be enough shade where I didn’t need to run it every day. Water temp got to 88° about a week ago and would have kept climbing. It’s sitting at 84° right now and thermometer shows 101°. The humidity has dropped some, so I expect the water temp to be around 82° or less by tomorrow morning.

I run it 3am - 8pm every day. Once the water gets hot, like mine did this year, it takes 2-3 days to get it cooled off, especially when the humidity is high like it has been lately. When drier, it cools faster and to a greater extent. I woke up to a 76° pool one day last summer when daily high temps were approaching 110°.

Last, it’s big, so make sure you have plenty of space. Mine is on a separate pad. You’re welcome to come see it if you’d like. I’m in Flower Mound.

 

[jark87]

With that said - don't sleep on the simple, stupid little fountains that you can plug into a return and run overnight. I'm shocked at how effective they can be...

I know others have had luck with those, but I didn’t. I used them for 3-4 years. I’d get a 3-4° temp drop overnight, but by noon, the water temp would be high again. They couldn’t keep up. And an even bigger problem was the wind blowing the spray onto the surrounding landscaping. That chlorinated water will kill plants. It was even damaging a beautiful red oak tree near our pool. I didn’t realize that was the problem until I stopped using those things. And, man, are they ugly. Really made the pool area look cheap.

 

[DFWPoolNewb]

It all depends on distance to electrical, and amount of PVC work needed. It really isn't hard work, but the type of tradesman who can do both charges a premium because who else are you going to call? I have a good landscaping handyman who can do anything with PVC; if you can get it hooked up, any electrician can take it the rest of the way.

With that said - don't sleep on the simple, stupid little fountains that you can plug into a return and run overnight. I'm shocked at how effective they can be...

Thank you. I have tried this with limited to moderate success. Fountain in return + two 13 ft cantilever umbrellas over my 32 ft pool drops the temp 3-5 degrees overnight but it’s still 93 degrees by the time we want to use it. Doesn’t help that I have black pebble.

I purchased my GPC-210 through Corley’s Pool Pros in Haslet, which is out near Alliance Airport. At the time, I think he was the only Glacier dealer in the area. That was close to 10 years ago. He’s still listed on the Glacier website as an authorized installer. I paid around $3500 for everything: chiller, installation and all materials. I think the chiller itself was just under $2k, so installation was around $1500, but like I said, that was 10 years ago.

Jeff Corley did the installation. Good guy. He made 1 mistake - he placed an actuator down the line near the chiller instead of up the line near the pump, so there was about 4-5’ of PVC that held water. That winter, the pipe froze and broke, but Jeff was out the next day to repair it and change the placement of the valve.

The chiller was probably the best investment I’ve made in my pool. Our water would get to the mid-90s and we wouldn’t even get in the pool. It now stays 85° or below, depending on humidity. Our tree canopy has spread out quite a bit since I bought the Glacier so I thought there might be enough shade where I didn’t need to run it every day. Water temp got to 88° about a week ago and would have kept climbing. It’s sitting at 84° right now and thermometer shows 101°. The humidity has dropped some, so I expect the water temp to be around 82° or less by tomorrow morning.

I run it 3am - 8pm every day. Once the water gets hot, like mine did this year, it takes 2-3 days to get it cooled off, especially when the humidity is high like it has been lately. When drier, it cools faster and to a greater extent. I woke up to a 76° pool one day last summer when daily high temps were approaching 110°.

Last, it’s big, so make sure you have plenty of space. Mine is on a separate pad. You’re welcome to come see it if you’d like. I’m in Flower Mound.

Thank you - I will reach out to them about an install. I live about 20 minutes from you and even with two massive umbrellas covering the majority of the pool and running the foundation at the highest speed overnight and we’re already at 93 degrees. I’d be super pleased with 88 degrees.

I know others have had luck with those, but I didn’t. I used them for 3-4 years. I’d get a 3-4° temp drop overnight, but by noon, the water temp would be high again. They couldn’t keep up. And an even bigger problem was the wind blowing the spray onto the surrounding landscaping. That chlorinated water will kill plants. It was even damaging a beautiful red oak tree near our pool. I didn’t realize that was the problem until I stopped using those things. And, man, are they ugly. Really made the pool area look cheap.

Thank you for this. Luckily my equipment is at the side of the house and isn’t really visible from the swimming area. With these temperatures I’m feeling like a gambling man and willing to roll the dice.

 

[jark87]

Thank you - I will reach out to them about an install. I live about 20 minutes from you and even with two massive umbrellas covering the majority of the pool and running the foundation at the highest speed overnight and we’re already at 93 degrees. I’d be super pleased with 88 degrees.

Sounds like you’re at the same place I was 10 years ago and I can completely relate to the frustration of having a pool but not getting the benefit that you expected. I even tried large shade sails over the pool, in combination with the misters. The Glacier was the first thing that actually worked. And, as expected, my pool is at 82° this morning - incredibly refreshing! Our 9 month old granddaughter will be over tomorrow (along with Mom and Dad) and Mom wants me to turn the chiller off and let the water get back to the upper 80s. Can’t win.

One other note, my pool equipment is in a very heavily shaded area and doesn’t get any direct sunlight. Even though the pool gets lots of direct sun, I’m sure the shade on the chiller helps.

Given that most pools cost well over $100k these days, even a $5k investment is reasonable in my opinion. That’s probably less than 5% of the cost and that spend will allow you to actually enjoy the part that you spent the most on.

Good luck!

 

[reggiehammond]

I run it 3am - 8pm every day. Once the water gets hot, like mine did this year, it takes 2-3 days to get it cooled off, especially when the humidity is high like it has been lately. When drier, it cools faster and to a greater extent. I woke up to a 76° pool one day last summer when daily high temps were approaching 110°.

Last, it’s big, so make sure you have plenty of space. Mine is on a separate pad. You’re welcome to come see it if you’d like. I’m in Flower Mound.

I assume you mean 3am to 8am? If not - can you explain the thinking?

Also interested to understand how you have it piped in your equipment pad and how it's controlled.

 

[jark87]

No, 3am - 8pm, which is the same as my pump schedule. (Technically, it’s 3:15am - 7:45pm, as I wait for the pump to cycle before starting the chiller and shut it off prior to the pump.) I run it continuously in order to maintain temp throughout the day. Water heats up 2-3° during the day with the chiller running, but would heat a lot more if it wasn’t running. It’s controlled through my Jandy Aqualink system, which is circa 2007. When installed, it was added as a piece of equipment that I can schedule, including actuators.

As far as plumbing, I have a picture I can send. Remember, mine was installed after the pool was built. I think the plumbing is different when pre-planned, with a dedicated return for the chiller.

 

[reggiehammond]

Interesting; I would have thought wet bulb is working against you during the day, perhaps even warming the water.

 

[jark87]

Interesting; I would have thought wet bulb is working against you during the day, perhaps even warming the water.

I had to look that up to see what it meant. I’m still not sure I understand it, but since the Glacier works off of evaporation, our most arid time of day is usually afternoon/evening. So I’ll get evaporative cooling even when temps are high. At least I assume that’s what’s occurring. I do know that if I don’t run it during the day, the water temp will rise much higher. I’ll be putting that theory to test today since my kids want the water in the upper 80s for the grandkids. I’m sure it will get there quickly since I shut the chiller off this morning. And I’m not worried about the cost of running - it’s only a fan motor, so it doesn’t draw too much electricity.

 

[reggiehammond]

Rejecting heat from an evaporator usually works least well when hot, especially when hot and humid. Wet bulb, in this connotation, is just a measure of how hard it is to reject heat.

 

[an1vrsy]

Interesting thread. I live in Las Vegas, low humidity here. I only run the chiller from
9am - 5pm. Because my wife and daughter won’t get in the water unless it is at least 87*. With that schedule the water only gets up to 87* - 88*.

If I don’t turn it on, the water by noon will be getting close to 90*. By 2pm well above 90*. With an autocover, we don’t get overnight evaporative cooling so it is use the chiller or swim in very warm bordering on hot water by the afternoon.

I have the GPC-215, yes it is oversized and it is loud. I placed the pool equipment pad in the far corner of our yard so the noise isn’t a problem even if I run it overnight. Although it is in full sun all day, it can maintain the water temp. Currently, here in the northwest corner of LV, it is 105* with 8% humidity, the water is 87*