Has anyone used a Chiller?

[Sjde]

I just found out about this and wonder how they are-

Introducing CoolZone™ A Highly Efficient And Innovative Solution That Can Heat Or Cool The Water In Your Spa. With A Range Of Between 60 To 104 Degrees Fahrenheit. The CoolZone™ Option Is Professionally Installed And Easily Controlled Through Your Hot Tubs Control Panel.

While many hot tub users prefer to keep their spa water hot year round, some people want to cool down in their spa during summer. Now Caldera® Spas and HotSpring® Spas offer a great way to cool down and get more use from your hot tub during those months. With theCoolZone™ Hot Tub Cooling System, your Caldera or HotSpring Spas hot tub can both cool and warm spa water, something not possible with most hot tubs.
It works much like an air conditioner, cooling spa water to as low as 60 degrees. When you’re ready to warm the water again, the system works in conjunction with your heater to efficiently raise water temperature in just a few hours.

 

[jseyfert3]

Have not used it, but it's a reversible heat pump. In addition to cooling in the summer, during the colder seasons it will help make heating the hot tub more energy efficient vs the standard resistive heater, at least down to the lower limit of it's ambient air operating range.

 

[Sjde]

What happens to the current heater?

 

[jseyfert3]

Not sure, but it appears that it stays there and the control panel controls both the current heater and the heat pump.

That device would not be able to heat in the winter. Depending on humidity, heat pumps reach the 1:1 input:heating ratio somewhere close to freezing, say 35-40 degrees, as the coils start frosting up and it requires energy to defrost them.

So you would need to keep the existing resistive heater for cold operation.

The website implies that it would use both the heat pump and regular heater for faster than normal heating, when the heat pump is able to be used.

EDIT: Before someone says anything, I not sure that this specific unit could even operate down to ambient air freezing temps. Heat pumps can operate at or even below freezing, but they have to be set up to do it. It's likely this is not, and it may cut out somewhere around 50 °F ambient. I haven't checked the manual to know.