hello all. I have quite the story. We have a 15 x 24" Oval above-ground pool. We once had a heater (GAS)- that the plumber installed a gas line for etc. It worked for a few years then died because I am NOT the best at chemically balancing the pool water. It is crystal clear and all that BUT as for all the small particulars- NOT!- Like Calcium hardness or CYA etc. But the pool was fine otherwise. But those imbalances destroyed the inner GUTS of the Gas heater. We then purchased replacement parts for the inner GUTS of the heater and that too died after some years. It was getting quite costly. I shut it down and had the gas capped near the pool by a plumber. Now I want to heat my pool again because I have a 2-year-old grandson and we want to make him comfortable. I do not need the pool to be extra warm- just a little warmer than regular. So I am researching Pool Heater PUMPS. My main reason for wanting this type - is because 1) it is cheaper to run in the LONG RUN than a gas heater and 2) much less maintenance -I THINK? I know the cost upfront is more BUT LONG TERM - what do you guys think?? I really need to hear some thoughts from others in or who have had my situation. And if anyone knows what size I would need -please inform us- again we have a 15 x 24'above-ground pool. We live in Long Island NY and only use the pool from early JUNE to the first week of September(No longer than that). I am leaning toward a Pool Heater PUMP_ but please advise what you guys think.
Hello all. We have a 15 x 24' above-ground pool. We also have our 2-year-old grandson that is ready for some pool action. We are quite the nervous grandparents right now BUT excited also. We are in the market for 2 things for safety.
1) We are looking for a good pool alarm system. I have been looking at a few but one site recommends the POOL EYE alarm. and another site recommends the Black and Decker BDXBT13382. The more I read the more confused we get- so we are hoping that someone can give us some real-life experience and advise on which is an economical yet efficient alarm system for our pool.
2) My wife wants to get a POOL FENCE. Again I am looking at some online- but their installations seem quite the task. Who would we go to to get the proper sizes and pieces and measurements and then install to do this right? I do not know the first thing about this type of item. Any ideas? We thank you.
What exactly is a pool heater pump ?
Do you mean a heat pump ?
A heat pump is like a self contained air conditioning system that generates heat via a compressor.
It runs on electric and will use approx the same amount of electric as your central A/C system.
A water heater relies on a heat exchanger which transfers heat to the pool water as it passes thru.
Whether heat pump or gas type heater.... both heat exchangers will be damaged by water problems.
A 50k BTU heat pump would probably be good for your pool.
Amazon has a 20k BTU available. Might be good for a small boost.
As mentioned..... consider a solar cover.
Also consider solar heating. There are 20-40k BTU passive solar units that sit next to the pool.
They aren't expensive and since they're plastic.... there's nothing rot out.
With an above ground pool you may need 75k BTU of solar panels..... typically two.
My first question- and I want to thank you guys-- is I KNOW the gas heater is damaged BY water imbalances because the water goes THRU the heater- BUT I thought that is NOT the case with a Heat Pump? Please explain this.....
And on the other front- I do have a solar cover- but I do not use it regularly. I guess I should.
And as for the Solar Units-- I have a small backyard-- a cape cod home with a backyard that I will attach some pics of. I had fun last year and made my own solar unit heater that took quite some doing on my part( I am proud of myself- but I used a pump and pumped the water out of the pool INTO the solar coils and back into the pool- but it really did NOTHING and the force of the water was quite slow and not forceful- and it took forever to heat up? So when you say to buy a passive solar unit that sits NEXT to the pool- aren't they UGLY? My wife will go crazy if I make my backyard messy and congested and look like a junkyard. And when you say I would need 2 of the 75K BTU units of panels- how large are they- the one I built is about 40" x 40" and the biggest expense was the plexiglass that covers the coils to retain the heat. It took me many hours to do this- to no avail in the end. can you send me pics of the type of panels you are talking about and their size and how they would be hooked up? I will send pics of mine and please let me know where you think the panels if I get them should go. My wife will not allow them on the house at all- so that is out. Thanks,
guys.
Both gas water heaters and heat pumps use heat exchangers.
The pool water travels thru the heat exchanger and picks up heat.
The heat pump runs much cooler so the heat exchangers will last longer.
In my area here in NJ..... my natural gas is a better deal than electric for water heating.
Unfortunately I have an inground pool but no heater.
Mine as you can see is an above-ground pool- 15 x 24-- as you can see there is not much room for any solar panels. do you agree? And for the proper size BTU unit for my 10.000-gallon pool- the heat pump will run nearly $4K-- that is insane. what do most people do?
I moved the alarm question here due to the pictures posted here.
The PoolEye is a good alarm. You could use PE12 model...... PoolEye products by spqBrands
That B & D unit got good reviews. No negatives that I could locate.
How do you normally get in your pool ?
It's too high to climb over. Probably too high for your grandson right now but not for long.
Are you considering the type of fence to go around the top of the pool ?
wow, you hit it spot on- yes- My pool as you can see from the pics I posted- is above ground and would need the type of fence you posted around the perimeter of the rails of the pool. I have outside steps(made of pressure-treated lumber) that we use to climb up into the pool that is attached by rails to a cake step inside the pool. (Not set up yet) So that area may have to be uncovered? as in the pic above with that deck. Or should we also have a door in front of the area where the steps on the outside are.?
here is last year's pic Summer time of my gorgeous precious boy and me _ those are the cake steps and I am leaning over the 3 steps wooden ladder on the outside. My pool is 15'24' oval- and that is the entryway to the pool - adults can climb right in. Where would I put the alarm -- and I know you found no negatives on the Black and Decker unit- so would either one be OK?
P.S.... as you can see my water is very clear and clean looking- and that is with using floating tabs all season and shocking with GREENOUT once a week-(and occasional adding of baking soda)--- but I still think the levels are off???????(Or am I just being paranoid?)
I'm no longer pushing the B & D unit.
I like to check reviews and then look at the tech specs/installation manual.
I can't find specs or an installation manual for that unit.
I can't find any connection to the Black and Decker we know.
I've seen the PoolEye ones in use. They mount to the top side of the pool.
If you go to the link i left.... there is a short video there.
I use chlorine tabs in my skimmers.
I have high mineral/metal content in my city water so need to use LesIron.
A demineralizer approx once a month.
Very little trouble with algae.
Thank you I will look into the pool eye alarm- you are very helpful. Now I just purchased a hose filter that I am waiting for from Amazon- to remove any impurities from my hose that might get into my pool when I fill it later today. Just one more thing I am trying to do better. As for Total alkalinity- the site i"In the Swim recommends that this be checked first and make sure that once TA is balanced that the pH would NOT fluctuate as often. Is this correct and should I purchase an Alkalinity Increaser and Decreaser-(or is there something more economical that I can use(like baking soda?)
Also is there something that JUST has CYA(stabilizer in it) without chlorine?
As for the shock- what should I look for on the bag- if I am to buy REGULAR shock- since as I have mentioned before- BOTH shocks that I have now both have ALGICIDE in them?- if that is NOT needed as my regular shock treatment - what does the bag need to say for me to know that it is JUST shock? And if I really want to- can I use CLOROX or a generic brand of liquid bleach as my weekly shock treatments and where would I find info on how much of this liquid Clorox bleach I would need to use for a 10,000 (15'x 24" )oval pool?
And lastly that same site- said that they use 2 bags of shock at the opening and pour the shock powder INTO a bucket of water and mix and then pour that around the perimeter of the pool and then let the filter run for a couple of days. But I have always been pouring the powder shock directly into the skimmer basket with the filter ON. Which is the better method?
I know I am quite the bother but once I get all of my ducks in a row I will stop pestering you-- Thank you for being so helpful.
New house with a pool so I'm learning and fixing variuous things. I ntoiced there is an intermatic timer connected to a Pentair Variable Speed Pump. The pump has a control panel that says "running on schedule". It looks like its running on a set schedule programmed with the control panel.
I'm wondering why there is a intermatic timer connected to it. I opened the box and I see there is no "off" position, and the intermatic timer is actually set to always on. I assume I can disconnect this thing and connect the pump directly to the breaker?
See image below.
[img]https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/img_4010_e49ecd80f5a9c7cb93dc6cd555ee4a3fc1a883c6.jpg[/img]
Hello all. We have a 15 x 24' above-ground pool in NY. I am not the greatest when it comes to balancing my water chemicals. I use a floating chlorinator with the chlorine tab in it. nd I occasionally use baking soda powder when needed by pouring the powder into a bucket and adding water and mixing then spilling that bucket into the pool around the perimeter while the filer is on. That is really all I do besides adding in some clarifier every now and then. The pool looks crystal clear BUT the particulars like hardness and whatever else there is MAY NOT be GREAT. I backwash and brush and all the cleaning is done by me. I am pretty OCD BUT I am not the best at chemistry. So my question is-- I was looking on a site and they said they sell an item called pH Free and Clear which is a tablet that you add to the chlorinator and that is all you need to keep the pool crystal clear. I checked an alternative product and it was Arm and Hammer Clear Balance which is less costly. But some sites said that BOTH of these products are ONLY baking soda. If that is the case then what I am purchasing from Costo in the form of powder in a huge bag is better economically and does the same trick. is this in fact TRUE? if anyone can advise me on this it would be greatly appreciated. with all the chemicals that era available- from pH bounce or increase to pH decrease to soda ash to calcium hardness etc- one can go broke with all this. One site that the only chemicals we need for a pool are Chlorine, baking Soda and a Chlorine Stabilizer(CYA)- BUT what product is CYA(chlorine stabilizer and when would you need it? As it is I almost rarely use Regular shock- I use a shock called GREENOUT. I use that and baking soda and the clarifier every now and then- is this OK??
lastly, I also vacuum the pool with my old robot - does OK. and also do it manually myself with the pole and the vacuum head at the end. But when I do this I have the filter on- it is a multi-valve filter- should I put this on any specific setting when I vacuum manually like this? One site said Waste- so that the algae etc does NOT go back into the pool? Again please advise on all topics.. Thank you again.
05-21-23, 12:04 PM
Pool heater and alarm purchase?
