How to know if Pool Heater is warming the water

[nhr594]

Hi,

So I turned on my pool heater (or I think I did). I see the flame underneath and the heat coming out the heater.

How do I know if the heater is warming the water? I put my hand next to one of the return valve and I don't really feel it to be warm.

I am using Hayward 250H series. My pump is Hayward Vari-Flow. I also have AquaRite electronic CG. I am not sure how old these are since I inherited them when I bought the place. My pool would be around 18K Galloons.

Thanks

 

[BassPlayingDude]

Strange .. I feel the warmer water coming out of my return almost immediately. How is your heater plumbed in? If the flame is on, it's heating SOMETHING ... I would make sure that water is flowing through there. Some heaters have a plumbed bypass, but they also have a flow switch that shuts things down if no water is flowing so that you don't burn up your heat exchanger or cause a steam explosion in the pipes.

 

[HeyEng]

Depending on how cold the water is, it may not be too obvious at the returns...at least initially. How about the gas exhaust vent? Can you feel that? It should be pretty darn warm...similar to a dryer vent.

 

[BassPlayingDude]

You could try putting your hand on the piping at the heater outflow.. you should be able to feel that the outflow pipe is considerably warmer than the inflow pipe. That's what I do to make sure my hydronic heating zones in my house are working properly.

 

[JamesW]

I also have AquaRite electronic CG.

The Aquarite cell has a temperature readout.

The Aquarite cell temperature should be after the heater.

Compare the Aquarite cell temperature readout to the actual water temperature from a thermometer in the skimmer or pool.

Is this your heater?

 

[JamesW]

Formula for temperature rise (Heater btu/hr X efficiency) ÷ (gpm X 60 X 8.33).

Example: (250,000 X 0.82) ÷ (40 gpm x 60 x 8.33) = 10.25.

Gpm.. temp. rise

25........16.4

30........13.7

35........11.7

40........10.25

45..........9.1

50.........8.2

55........7.5

60.......6.8

65......6.3

Check the gas meter. Assuming that the heater is the only thing running, the gas meter should indicate about 250 cubic feet of gas used per hour.

 

[JamesW]

The pool water temperature should increase by 1.37 degrees per hour.

This assumes no heat lost.

If the pool is losing heat, you have to subtract the heat lost from the heat gained.

 

[nhr594]

The Aquarite cell has a temperature readout.

The Aquarite cell temperature should be after the heater.

Compare the Aquarite cell temperature readout to the actual water temperature from a thermometer in the skimmer or pool.

Is this your heater?

Yes that is heater/pool/SWG I have. The current on aquarite reading is showing 65.

 

[JamesW]

The current on aquarite reading is showing 65.

Is that with the heater on?

What is the pool temperature?

What is the flow rate?