Pool Heat Pumps

Share experience regarding ownership of property and/or living in Portugal.
widge
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Pool Heat Pumps

Post by widge »

Any recommendations for the most powerful / efficient electric pool heater available on the market. Has to heat 5 by 10 metre pool without cover. Existing Zodiac eden pac 5 might be on it's last legs and during past 3 days has increased water temp from 13 degrees to 22 degrees in daily increments of 3 degrees heat gain.

I know the arguments in favour of a cover but am interested in best available result without?
maccasa
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Re: Pool Heat Pumps

Post by maccasa »

Widge, whichever design you decide on, the first thing they will ask is if you have a cover. The heat loss from an uncovered pool at night is almost as much as you put in each day with your Heater. There is also a considerable economic advantage as well. The latest designs of pool covers - those with an ecobubble design will put 5-7C on yr pool in the summer.

However consider importing one from USA, with a titanium heat exchanger, send it to UK as the import duty and vat are lower; ship it direct to Algarve removals and they will ship to PT for £75

Typical units for 4kw input are $2500-3000 check http://www.inyopools.com/category_heat_pumps.aspx - I bought solar hetaing panels and recirc pumps from them (Hayward)
widge
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Re: Pool Heat Pumps

Post by widge »

Thank you for your recommendations, the heat pump prices in the USA are a fraction of those in Portugal!
maccasa
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Re: Pool Heat Pumps

Post by maccasa »

Yes, when I originally planned my house I looked at heat pumps (before going for solar mats) and got a quote from two places - one was in Lagoa (solar something) opposite Pingo, the other from Laurenzo pool maintenance by the Fatacil. They both wanted over €6000 when I could get ones from USA for ~$2000. I looked back In my records and found that shipping from US was ~$145 (unit weight is 25-30kg) and duty was 6% + 15% vat. Algarve removals wanted £50 to deliver it. So ultimately it was <50% of Pt prices. Also don't listen to the "how do you get it serviced" pundits! a) they are very reliable - its a fridge after all b) you can get Hayward service in Pt.

One other thing IF you can get 3 phase to your house, the energy consumption and reliability/life of the system is better than single phase - although more expensive.
RichardHenshall
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Re: Pool Heat Pumps

Post by RichardHenshall »

Remember that the US voltage and frequency are different to Europe and probably incompatible.
maccasa
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Re: Pool Heat Pumps

Post by maccasa »

Not now - a single phase in US is either 105-110v 50/60Hz or by changing connection pins, 230-250v and 50-60Hz. Similarly 3 phase. This is all now international standard.
RichardHenshall
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Re: Pool Heat Pumps

Post by RichardHenshall »

If so, why do Hayward's manuals for their North American heat pumps state a supply requirement of 240V, 1Ph, 60Hz (or 208/240V, 1Ph, 60Hz) but for European models state 230V, 1Ph, 50Hz or 400V, 3Ph, 50Hz?

While many appliances can accept multiple voltages/frequencies, where motors are involved it's not always so easy.
maccasa
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Re: Pool Heat Pumps

Post by maccasa »

The same motors can accept a wide range of voltage and frequency nowadays. Looking at the power rating tag on my Hayward pump it gives 230-250 v, 50/60Hz. Had it for 6 yrs. I supplied electric motors on my heating equipment all over the world and the motors were a universal rating.
RichardHenshall
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Re: Pool Heat Pumps

Post by RichardHenshall »

A filtration (?) pump is somewhat simpler than a heat pump so interchangeability is easier, though the motors will obviously run at different speeds in Europe compared to North America.

Because it could be a potentially expensive oversight, my warning to Widge still stands (though its basis can easily be confirmed or denied by Hayward themselves) but I will now add a further warning to you, maccasa! Be careful, if you ever need spare parts, that the European parts will fit the North American pump (& in particular the motor). I made the mistake last year in assuming the opposite, and ordered a new Hayward pump impeller from an eBay supplier in the US (it was £23 delivered and in stock against 90€ on special order) and when I went to fit it, it didn't as it was made with an Imperial thread to fit the North American motor spindle. :evil: :cry:

Maybe you could use it - it's an SPX2607C (rather than SPX2607CE)? :D
widge
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Re: Pool Heat Pumps

Post by widge »

I bought a European Hayward Sumheat SHE3003 & if my pool isn't 30 degrees before I go home I'll be asking for a replacement !! :D
maccasa
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Re: Pool Heat Pumps

Post by maccasa »

Mine was 31C this morning - mind I do have solar mats and a solar cover...... (free heating). In march we managed to get the pool up to 28C so for the first time in 6yrs we managed to get a dip in March. A nice pool heater would have helped then!
maccasa
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Re: Pool Heat Pumps

Post by maccasa »

RichardHenshall wrote:A filtration (?) pump is somewhat simpler than a heat pump so interchangeability is easier, though the motors will obviously run at different speeds in Europe compared to North America.

Maybe you could use it - it's an SPX2607C (rather than SPX2607CE)? :D
Think the clue is in the CE marking??? (denoting european spec). A friend in UK fell for exactly that one with his huge Koi fish pond - solved it by having the centre removed and a metric insert fitted.
RichardHenshall
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Re: Pool Heat Pumps

Post by RichardHenshall »

maccasa wrote:... Think the clue is in the CE marking??? (denoting european spec). A friend in UK fell for exactly that one with his huge Koi fish pond - solved it by having the centre removed and a metric insert fitted.
Of course, it's obvious now but an easy trap to fall into. I didn't spot the required additional 'E' suffix until afterwards as the original exploded parts diagram I found online was, I now realise, for the American version only. It was even formatted as an A4 page, which is most un-American. :roll:

31C? That's a bath not a pool!
maccasa
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Re: Pool Heat Pumps

Post by maccasa »

Yep, in July & Aug, we leave the cover off at night to let some heat escape as it gets up to 35C!
sam
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Re: Pool Heat Pumps

Post by sam »

If you are getting temperatures of above 25oC make sure the pool is adequately chlorinated as Legionnaires Disease multiples easily above that temperature.
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