Hamer of Swimming Pool Heaters - Heat Pump v. LP

[cynic]

I live in Southern MS and need to heat a 30k gallon pool year round to a minimum 82ºF. My options appear to be LP, electric, or heat pump.

My location has average temps of 59, 52, 50, 53, an 59 during the months Nov thru Mar.

Pool heaters here are VERY rare, so there are simply no subject matter experts for consultation.

Will a heat pump pull enough heat during the winter months to support a 30º ∆?

Will two?

The approximate cost of LP over the five coldest months is $10k. There HAS to be a cheaper way...right?

[Feynman]

No idea, but that is a lot of water to heat that high. Nuclear?

[specialk]

Nuclear?

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/06/tech/pioneers-nuclear-fusion/index.html

[cynic]

No idea, but that is a lot of water to heat that high. Nuclear?

Great. My "expert" on heating lives in Phoenix

[Ting Ho Dung]

Hamer of Swimming Pool Heaters

I like to call it, "The Sun." I saw it again today.

[sixesandsevens]

Not an expert, but my old neighbor set up a solar rig for *reducing* his heat bill.

I suspect his base system was electric but he had a "pool house" rigged with this black corrugated plastic roof that had a ton of little channels from one side to the other (it's pre-made). He would pump water up to the top of the front and it would run into the top, across it, down through the channels, and then exit the other side having been warmed by the trip through the hot black plastic.

I never did ask him how much it helped his bill, but it made him feel good to build it.

[Tres Aardvarks]

Not an expert, but my old neighbor set up a solar rig for *reducing* his heat bill.

I suspect his base system was electric but he had a "pool house" rigged with this black corrugated plastic roof that had a ton of little channels from one side to the other (it's pre-made). He would pump water up to the top of the front and it would run into the top, across it, down through the channels, and then exit the other side having been warmed by the trip through the hot black plastic.

I never did ask him how much it helped his bill, but it made him feel good to build it.

When I was back in Colorado this summer, I saw a lot of newer houses doing this for their hot water. I'm sure it's as an extra step (as it can get DAMNED cold in Colorado in winter), but people have been doing it for a long time around the Front Range.

[Disturber]

Perhaps a swiming pool heat pump? They are pretty efficient.

Or run the water through one of these solar heaters:

[Studio Custom]

A neighbor where I used to live used three elements to keep his pool heated. First he painted it black so it absorbed more heat when uncovered. He always had a solar cover on it to heat the water and reduce the heat loss over night. Finally, he had shed where he kept his pool equipment contained which is covered in solar panels. I have no idea if it will do 82° however.

[Teh]

Our pool is only 13,000 gal and we have a 333,000 BTU/hr natural gas heater to bring our temp up to the requisite 84F -- During Summer in Chicago. Typical temperature increase when running it is 3 degrees/hr. This might give you an idea of what you'll need to warm yours up.

I just closed ours for the Winter -- Drained down 2/3rd of the way, lines blown out, filled with anti-freeze and sealed, a couple gallons of shock and the cover put on. Always a depressing job...