New Heat Pump Chiller Issues?

[akenis]

Greetings!

Live in SW Florida. 18,000 gallon pool. Didn't really plan on this project at this time. Hadn't really thought much about a heater..... it's too cold! Hate the pool in the hottest summer months.... sometimes 94 deg water....like taking a bath. Always thought a chiller might be nice. Not much shade.

Anyway, we got a new natural gas grill for Christmas. I thought why mess with propane bottles when I've already got gas a few feet away in the kitchen. So 2 plumbers did estimates. But they didn't consider the short run from the kitchen. They wanted $2500 or so to run new 3/4" pipe to the meter. That got me thinking about heaters and future proofing my gas set up. That led to a $3K estimate to run 1 1/4" pipe back to the meter. That led to considering pros/cons of gas heat/electric heat/heat pump/heat pump chiller/solar.....so confused! Thank God for Asa Strong at poolheatpumps.com. Very patient and informative. Led me to decide on a Gulfstream Heat Pump Chiller. And I don't need a $3K gas line!

Couple of issues/questions before proceeding with the project:

1. I didn't know about the Wi-Fi remote. Your thoughts? Gimmick or useful? We are a pilot/flight attendant couple and travel frequently during the week. Might make sense.

2. I'm fairly handy. Think I might tackle installation myself. Should I get a permit (City of Largo)?

3. If I don't do it, do you have any recommendations in Largo, 33774? Or use Gulfstream's locator?

4. Electrical: I've got a brand new 220V line from a new main panel. Not sure what size breaker is on the main panel. The users are Pentair Superflow VS Pump on 220V, Jandy Trueclear SWG that runs off 115V through old school Intermatic timer. The intermatic also passes 115V to an outlet that powers an irrigation controller.

Unfortunately, someone saved a buck and ran the new 220V line to a circa 1950 sub panel. A few months ago the lugs on the box corroded and shorted the ancient breaker. Instead of trying to find parts, I removed the breaker and used wire nuts to route 220V and 115V within the enclosure. Not ideal.

So I'm guessing I need a nice new subpanel with 3 breakers: 220V/50A for new HP, 220V/?A for Pentair Pump and 115V/?A for the Intermatic which powers the Jandy SWG and 115V outlet.

5. Jandy. Not sure if my cell housing has unions or not. If it's glued, should I just cut the PVC and use couplings in my new plumbing, or get a new housing?

6. Pump schedule. The Pentair pump has 3 consecutive timers. My current schedule is to run 12 hours a day between 8am to 8pm. It runs at 3000 RPM for 2 hours in the morning, circulates for 8 hours at 1,500 RPM, and then closes at 3,000 RPM at the end. Recommendations on how this should be set up for heating? Or Cooling?

7. Flow rate. The spec sheet says the HP is ok with 30-70 (GPM I assume), and ideal 45 GPM. I don't have a flow meter. Any guesses about how that equates to my Pentair Pump speed?

Thanks for your time.

 

[ajw22]

1. I didn't know about the Wi-Fi remote. Your thoughts? Gimmick or useful? We are a pilot/flight attendant couple and travel frequently during the week. Might make sense.

A lot to unpack here.

A Heat Pump heats slowly. So you need to think about how you are going to use the HP and any remote. With a fast heating gas heater you can arrive at the airport and turn on the heater remotely and have the pool heated when you get into the house. That will not work with a HP. A HP is good at maintaining a water temperature and you just leave it on at the set temp.

Do you have automation to switch between pool and spa or manually turn valves?

2. I'm fairly handy. Think I might tackle installation myself. Should I get a permit (City of Largo)?

Does the City of Largo require an electrical or plumbing permit for the HP installation?

3. If I don't do it, do you have any recommendations in Largo, 33774? Or use Gulfstream's locator?

Can't help there.

4. Electrical: I've got a brand new 220V line from a new main panel. Not sure what size breaker is on the main panel. The users are Pentair Superflow VS Pump on 220V, Jandy Trueclear SWG that runs off 115V through old school Intermatic timer. The intermatic also passes 115V to an outlet that powers an irrigation controller.

Unfortunately, someone saved a buck and ran the new 220V line to a circa 1950 sub panel. A few months ago the lugs on the box corroded and shorted the ancient breaker. Instead of trying to find parts, I removed the breaker and used wire nuts to route 220V and 115V within the enclosure. Not ideal.

Sounds like you bypassed a breaker that does not sound safe.

So I'm guessing I need a nice new subpanel with 3 breakers: 220V/50A for new HP, 220V/?A for Pentair Pump and 115V/?A for the Intermatic which powers the Jandy SWG and 115V outlet.

What size wires do you have running to the subpanel? Will you need to rewire that?

Pump breaker needs to be 20A GFCI and should be a Siemens QF220AP or Pentair PA220GF.

Do you have lights in the pool or spa?

5. Jandy. Not sure if my cell housing has unions or not. If it's glued, should I just cut the PVC and use couplings in my new plumbing, or get a new housing?

Jandy Truclear has unions.

6. Pump schedule. The Pentair pump has 3 consecutive timers. My current schedule is to run 12 hours a day between 8am to 8pm. It runs at 3000 RPM for 2 hours in the morning, circulates for 8 hours at 1,500 RPM, and then closes at 3,000 RPM at the end. Recommendations on how this should be set up for heating? Or Cooling?

The HP will only heat or cool when the pump is running. You need to see how much heating or cooling you need and how long the HP needs to run during various times of the year.

7. Flow rate. The spec sheet says the HP is ok with 30-70 (GPM I assume), and ideal 45 GPM. I don't have a flow meter. Any guesses about how that equates to my Pentair Pump speed?

What model number Pentair pump do you have?

You should put in a bypass valve so any flow over 70GPM is bypassed. The HP Installation manual probably says to have that.