Heat Pump Usage in SW FL - HP selection and estimated costs

[athflying]

I have to measure, but I believe our pool is 10-15k gallons in SW FL. My last pool we had solar which was nice, but certain times of the year wasn't quite enough to keep the pool an enjoyable temp. We also had horrible roof issues, so between the two I am hesitant to do solar again.

I am beginning to research heat pumps, but hoping to get a ballpark cost from anyone that has FPL in FL on what their monthly cost is running it. We would mostly use the pool on weekends....is it feasible or help at all to only run it Thursday to Sunday? not sure if the energy needed to heat it up on Thursday in prep for the weekend negates any savings of having it off Mon - Wed.

Lastly, I think I am capable of the install myself...I just replaced the original equipment with a Pentair Superflo VS and Clean/Clear RP 200 filter which wasn't to bad. Seems like the plumbing is pretty straightforward and I would hire an electrician to do the wiring. After talking to several people, it sounds like I have to have a line run directly from the main breaker box and can be anywhere from $800-1200ish in itself. However, not sure how a DIY install would affect warranty, so going to get a couple estimates just to see if the savings is worth it.

Any feedback is appreciated.

 

[ka8yiu]

We are just south of you, and we had a Built Right 117,000 BTU heat pump installed in October. I just compared Nov, Dec and Feb of last year to this year. This years bill was an average of $38 more than the same three months of last year.

It’s not overly scientific, but it’s something to give you an idea.

 

[athflying]

Awesome thanks. You run it daily?? What temp are you keeping it at?

 

[ka8yiu]

I keep it set between 78-80, and bump it up if we know we are getting in. Then, I will put it to 82 or 83 that morning. Depending on the outside temp (of coarse) I can be to temp in just over an hour.

In January when we had the below normal cold temps, I turned it off instead of trying to maintain a temp until the cold snap passed. The house heat pump was MUCH more costly during that time!

 

[ka8yiu]

Let me further explain the temps that I use: The thermometer that I have in the pool water constantly reads 1-2 degrees warmer than the thermostat in the heat pump. So, when I set it to 83, my water actually feels 84-85, according to the water thermometer. So, my pool usually stays at 80-81 with my settings and the use of a solar blanket. So, there may be a short amount of run time in the morning to keep it at the set temp when the pool is not being used. This seems to work for me better than trying to heat it several more degrees by setting it too low. I think the average of $38/month is very reasonable.