install heater plumbing myself?

[aaron_w_o]

hello,
in ontario canada, i can have my local pool guy put in a heater, plumbed for 2900$ + tax.
that is for a pentair 250 gas unit.
(note i have to have the gas line run myself, separate cost- i have found a gas fitter at least)

I saw i can buy the same heater for 2100$ online, free ship, plus tax.
as you all can see, this is 800$ of savings, which is a lot.

how hard is it to plumb in a heater? there is presently no heater. would i need to also create a heater bypass loop? my gut tells me this is not so difficult. after the filter but before the SWG, just put the heater inline. right?

 

[pooldv]

Right. I installed my heater a year and a half ago. It wasn't a big job. IF you are up to speed on measuring, cutting and glueing PVC and doing some minor electric work. I would definitely leave the gas lines to the pros. A bypass is highly recommended. I bypass my heater in summer and winter. And when it eventually starts leaking it will make life easier. Be sure to use schedule 40 plumbing and not DWV plumbing.

There are pics of my install in the last half of my pool thread, link in sig.

Note: if you buy and install from a pro they will take care of any warranty repair issues for you. That service is worth something. Make sure you buy from a reputable dealer and that the warranty remains intact even if you install it. Some don't.

 

[Brianf60]

I found the biggest savings was in running the gas lone from the house to the heater. Nobody likes to dig...

 

[aaron_w_o]

hi, so my heater has arrived and is sitting on the pad in the back yard.
am having a hard time getting the gas guy to come over, but also not a huge rush, it's barely above freezing today.
i have noted that the slip fittings for the heater are 2"
all of my pool plumbing is 1 1/2".
I guess I need to use some reducers to go from 2" to 1 1/2"? or am i missing something?

pentair mastertemp 200 - it didnt come with parts to thread on myself in order to reduce down to 1 1/2". perhaps a separate kit I need to order?

 

[ps0303]

Just head to a local store like Lowes or Home Depot if you have one and get 2" to 1 1/2" reducers. Glue then into the unions that screw onto the heater.

 

[Brianf60]

It may be different in Ottawa but around here HD doesn't stock sh 40 PVC. Lowes has minimal selection. You may need to go to a pool store are plumbing supplier.

 

[aaron_w_o]

hi, thanks for the advice.
i would have thought the flow and pressure would change using a reducer, but obviously not enough to cause concern.
Brian: you are quite right about the hardware stores- no 2" or 1.5" parts at all.
pool stores have it though. I can get a better deal online, so now building up a shopping cart of parts: couple of valve to build a bypass, a check valve, and a bunch of elbows(90 and 45) + the 2 reducers needed.

i dont mind buying a length of 1.5" pipe from the local pool guy, but he has a 20% markup on everything else.

 

[aaron_w_o]

hello tfp'ers!
i have my reducers, elbows, and 3 way vales to create a bypass.
i also ordered a check valve.
it will arrive tomorrow.
i am attaching a picture of the check valve. looking for feedback if this is suitable as a check valve between the heater and SWG for my pool. it is not looking like a traditional little bullet valvel with spring.

 

[ps0303]

Yes you can use that valve.