Heater replacement - advice needed

[markayash]

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

Glad the heater is wirking. Pump still acting up?

 

[IceShadow]

Glad the heater is wirking. Pump still acting up?

I haven’t noticed it but I haven’t been babysitting it either. Wish it had some sort of wifi connectivity and could report errors to me, but that’s just wishful thinking. I did check on it and the heater 5-6 times today and both were running.

 

[Newdude]

I had the thick clear one. It wasn’t clear at all and was a hideous opaque white. It showed many stains from leaves/pollen. Also, it called your attention to it even at a quick glance. With the blue ones you can walk by in the general direction of the pool and it still looks like water. The thick cover was an extra pain to move every time and in the end the bubbles which are the same on all the covers is what failed anyway. I’ve had friends rip their thin covers but they were dragging it over a fence or doing something similar that was a no brainer when it happened.

I do believe the claims that it was in fact warmer than the blue covers. The ugly was not worth 1 or 2 degrees IMHO.

 

[IceShadow]

I had the thick clear one. It wasn’t clear at all and was a hideous opaque white. It showed many stains from leaves/pollen. Also, it called your attention to it even at a quick glance. With the blue ones you can walk by in the general direction of the pool and it still looks like water. The thick cover was an extra pain to move every time and in the end the bubbles which are the same on all the covers is what failed anyway. I’ve had friends rip their thin covers but they were dragging it over a fence or doing something similar that was a no brainer when it happened.

I do believe the claims that it was in fact warmer than the blue covers. The ugly was not worth 1 or 2 degrees IMHO.

I will take your advice then and go for a blue one.

 

[Newdude]

There will always be people for/against, and there has to be someone in this case too, But I can’t remember seeing anyone here happy with the white one after the fact. I’ve seen my above thoughts echoed many times however.

 

[IceShadow]

The only advantage it seems with clear is that they heat the pool from the sun better, but our heating will be via heater and this is mostly to keep the heat in.

 

[Newdude]

if You get a reel, I will also suggest a cover for the whole thing. I imagine the blue ones are similar but the cover on the reel would steam itself soaking wet in between all the layers and would be on the verge of boiling in just an afternoon.

 

[Newdude]

And that’s for us in the upper half of the states. I can only imagine how hot it would get in the warm climates.

 

[IceShadow]

if You get a reel, I will also suggest a cover for the whole thing. I imagine the blue ones are similar but the cover on the reel would steam itself soaking wet in between all the layers and would be on the verge of boiling in just an afternoon.

I don’t think there’s a good spot for a reel, sadly. We will probably get some sort of deck box and keep it in there when the pool is in use, and then over the winter. (We’ll be sure to clean and dry it for winter storage.)

 

[markayash]

Thats my problem, I don't have room for a reel withut being in the way. I bought some "solar rings" once but was a waste of money.

 

[Newdude]

I don’t think there’s a good spot for a reel, sadly. We will probably get some sort of deck box and keep it in there

Oddly enough that is bad news and good news. The reel makes it easier but is also it’s own set of headaches.

there is no question that solar covers work (and if you are paying to heat the pool, the only way to go). there is also no question that the reels work too, but neither one comes quite easy and/or without replacing every few years.

 

[IceShadow]

So - he said the pressure switch wasn’t working right. Previous owners left a spare, and I gave it to him. Heater seems to be firing even cleaner now.

That said - it’s going to be quite cold coming up, a couple of days with lows in the upper 20s - not gonna heat the pool now.

 

[Newdude]

One of our Canadian members was talking polar vortex on a different thread before. Yikes. And I thought my lows in the 40s was depressing this week.

 

[IceShadow]

Rather 20s for lows in May than -30s for lows in January like a couple of years ago....

 

[Newdude]

That was insane. It was colder your way than it was in Alaska for most of the winter. And much colder too, not just 3 degrees.

 

[IceShadow]

Low of 26 predicted for Saturday currently. Keep the pump running and I’ll be ok?

 

[Newdude]

26 will freeze and anything could always happen, but for one night it *probably* wouldnt freeze solid enough to cause pipe damage if the pump wasnt running, and certainly not underground with the dirt insulating it. Running the pump will garauntee that you dont have to worry.

 

[IceShadow]

New blanket

 

[Soupy]

Sounds like it's all fixed by now, but if you've still got any orange/yellow flame, you likely just need to clean off the burner. I've got a similar model heater. It's actually not too hard to do. The manual says to disconnect the gas pipe from the valve and slide the whole burner assembly out, but you can also remove each burner from the manifold with a wrench. Then just use a stiff brass-bristled brush to knock off anything that's stuck to the top of the burner.

I had to do mine a season or two ago. This can actually be a major safety issue, as the heater will produce a lot of Carbon Monoxide when it's not burning cleanly. I actually had CO in my drafty laundry room as a result; it's a good thing I had a detector inside the house. Cleaning the burners completely solved the problem for me.

 

[IceShadow]

The cold night is passed. So I fired the heater back up. Curious to see if the blanket makes it heat faster since it won’t be losing heat at night as much.

Want to trim it to final size tomorrow but possible rain in the forecast and I don’t want to mess with it while it’s raining. So we will see!