Electric Heat Pump vs. Gas for Saltwater Pool

[petepool]

How do I estimate how long my pump would normally run if I didn't have a HP? Is that a personal preference thing or driven by other factors? My pool will be 20x40 in ground vinyl, 3.5'-6' deep (28.5k gallons).

I am not opposed to using a solar cover, but I think I would only use it during the shoulder periods before mid June and after late August. Those are the periods when it is colder at night, and when we would only be using the pool on the weekends so I won't have to keep taking the cover on/off every day. During the peak summer when the pool is being used everyday I would just leave it off, for convenience and since the HP would have to do very little work to keep up (pool gets sun all day).

 

[Catanzaro]

You could run your pump 4-6 hours, not 12 hours. I run mine 6 hours because of the heat pump (when I am not home). If you brush your brush, have a robot that you run a few times weekly, or even use The One & Only Circulator rotating heads, you can cut your pump run time down tremendously. There was a study in Florida, the there was no difference between long pump run times and short run times (very interesting) and I have to locate it. Start with 6 hours and cut down based on testing, or start with 10 hours the first week, 8 hours the second week and eventually down to 6 hours. You have to ultimately make this decision.

 

[ajw22]

Here is a data point. 35K gunite outdoor pool without an solar covers kept at 86 degrees with ocassional spa use at 102 degrees from June through September. Pentair MasterTemp 400 NG heater. Bergen County in NJ.

My NG bills were:
- June $148
- July $143
- August - $100
- September - $226

Average of $150/month. $5/day to heat the pool for the season.

Gas Heat 2019

• ajw22
• Oct 10, 2019
• 2019 gas heat

35K outdoor gunite with no covers kept at 86 degrees Pentair MasterTemp 400 NG Heater

 

[Newdude]

June through September.

My electric heat pump was probably very similar to that. But June through September is cheating. When it’s already warm. We used ours for April, May and October and spent the June-September bill EACH month. Lol

 

[ajw22]

My electric heat pump was probably very similar to that. But June through September is cheating. When it’s already warm. We used ours for April, May and October and spent the June-September bill EACH month. Lol

April, May and October are hot tub weather on clear nights for us. Wine and snacks sitting out looking at the stars and talking.