Heater replacement - advice needed

[IceShadow]

I think I'll just wait for the service guys and see if I can hang around while they clean it, pay attention to what they do.

 

[Her pool boy]

Good plan, gas appliance can be very dangerous. Be safe. A good servicing by a professional will probably save you several grand this summer by not having to buy a new one. Good luck.

 

[IceShadow]

Is there any downside to getting a heater that's rated too high on BTUs aside from initial purchase cost?

 

[ajw22]

Is there any downside to getting a heater that's rated too high on BTUs aside from initial purchase cost?

No. You pool will just heat to the set temperature quicker. You use the same amount of gas to heat to a set temperature.

 

[JamesW]

You need to verify that the meter and gas line are big enough for the new heater.

 

[IceShadow]

You need to verify that the meter and gas line are big enough for the new heater.

Is it just the pipe size or is there some sort of rate of flow that I need to worry about? I can measure pipe size myself, but I would need an HVAC place to measure rate of flow.

 

[ajw22]

Is it just the pipe size or is there some sort of rate of flow that I need to worry about? I can measure pipe size myself, but I would need an HVAC place to measure rate of flow.

It is the meter and any regulator on the gas line that determines your maximum gas service. There may be data plates on your gas meter.

 

[JamesW]

The meter should have a label that says how many cubic feet per hour the meter will do.

Usually, the model number will be the cubic feet per hour.

One cubic foot per hour provides 1,000 btu per hour.

So, a 250,000 btu per hour heater will require a 250 cubic foot per hour meter.

The gas line depends on the length and btu/hr required.

What is the distance from the meter to the heater?

What is the current pipe size?

Note that the pipe size is the inside diameter and not the outside.

 

[IceShadow]

The meter should have a label that says how many cubic feet per hour the meter will do.

Usually, the model number will be the cubic feet per hour.

One cubic foot per hour provides 1,000 btu per hour.

So, a 250,000 btu per hour heater will require a 250 cubic foot per hour meter.

The gas line depends on the length and btu/hr required.

What is the distance from the meter to the heater?

What is the current pipe size?

Note that the pipe size is the inside diameter and not the outside.

Meter and heater are close but I don’t know how direct of a run there is. Meter is stamped with 250 CFH so it looks like I should probably stick to my current size of 200k BTU. I can’t tell the inside diameter of the pipe right now. I’ll ask the pool guys when they stop by to troubleshoot it.

 

[JamesW]

A 200,000 btu/hr heater should have at least 1" gas line up to 100 feet. 1" pipe has an outer diameter of 1.315".

A bigger heater up to 400,000 btu/hr needs at least 1.25" gas pipe up to 100 feet. 1.25" pipe has an outer diameter of 1.660".

You can have the meter replaced if necessary. Sometimes the gas company will do it free. Sometimes they charge.

 

[IceShadow]

On a whim - turned it on and everything is working great. Flames blue, maybe some red crud on the face of the burners, but no smoke. Still gonna have them clean it off but for now I feel ok to run it.

 

[ajw22]

You may have incinerated whatever bugs were in your heater.

 

[setsailsoon]

Thanks for the follow up and glad you're in business again. I'd take it apart as Allen says and blow it out with compressed air or get the service tech out to do it. At end of season a few squirts of bug spray around the base and at pipe/electrical penetrations wouldn't hurt.

 

[IceShadow]

Thanks for the follow up and glad you're in business again. I'd take it apart as Allen says and blow it out with compressed air or get the service tech out to do it. At end of season a few squirts of bug spray around the base and at pipe/electrical penetrations wouldn't hurt.

I’m still having the guys come by to clean it out. Though when I asked about that they sounded pretty hesitant, like it was a real PITA to take apart. At the very least I’m going to have them check out the controls. The end of last year showed that even all the way down it was still running at 80-85 degrees.

 

[Newdude]

they sounded pretty hesitant, like it was a real PITA to take apart

it’s more about how the old parts break while coming apart and won’t go back together. Then it’s blamed on them and not the age of the heater. You might get the disclaimer speech before they touch it. ‘Will be extra careful, no promises,’ etc

 

[IceShadow]

Whelp, the temp outside dropped into the 40s but the pool is now in the 70s. So the heater is certainly working.

I think I'm gonna need to invest in a solar cover...

 

[Newdude]

I see fog as thick as a horror movie in your immediate future. Each cubic inch of fog is $1. The first few times (before i got my electric bill AND then a solar cover), I ran around to the backyard thinking a neighbors house was on fire it was so thick.

 

[markayash]

I left my heater on one night, looked out the window and wondered why steam was coming off my pool

 

[ajw22]

I left my heater on one night, looked out the window and wondered why steam was coming off my pool

It was not steam since your pool was at at the boiling point. You were seeing Evaporation of Pool Water - Further Reading

 

[IceShadow]

I see a solar cover in our near future. Eyeing the clear 16mil ones.