Sizing a Heat Pump
Swimming Pool Heater
You should have a trained
pool professional perform a proper sizing analysis for your specific
swimming pool to determine pool heater size.
Sizing a gas or a heat
pump pool heater involves many factors. Basically, a heater is sized
according to the surface area of the pool and the difference between the
pool and the average air temperatures. Other factors also affect the heating
load for outdoor pools, such as wind exposure, humidity levels, and cool
night temperatures. Therefore, pools located in areas with higher average
wind speeds at the pool surface, lower humidity, and cool nights will
require a larger heater.
Gas pool heaters are
rated by Btu (British thermal unit) output. Outputs range from 75,000 Btu to
450,000 Btu.
Heat pump pool heaters
are rated by Btu output and horsepower (hp). Standard sizes include 3.5
hp/75,000 Btu, 5 hp/100,000 Btu, and 6 hp/125,000 Btu.
Calculating Approximate
Size
To calculate an
approximate heater size for an outdoor swimming pool, follow these steps:
- Determine your desired
swimming pool temperature.
- Determine the average
temperature for the coldest month of pool use.
- Subtract the average
temperature for the coldest month from the desired pool temperature. This
will give you the temperature rise needed.
- Calculate the pool
surface area in square feet.
- Use the following
formula to determine the Btu/hour output requirement of the heater:
This formula is based on
1º to 1-1/4ºF temperature rise per hour and a 3-1/2 mile per hour average
wind at the pool surface. For a 1-1/2ºF rise multiply by 1.5. For a 2ºF rise
multiply by 2.0.
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