Preliminary Results
- Thread starter Guard Dad
- Start date
Well, it's working too well...the pool is 91 degrees and climbing. LOL
So I gotta go back in and put an override on it, but that won't be too hard.
As for water temp...mid to high 80's sounds warm, but it really isn't. Because water absorbs heat much more rapidly than air, water of a given temp will feel much cooler. 70 degree air feels good, 70 degree water is c-c-c-c-cold.
Waski, this is a good time for a Hwy physics lesson. ;D
Just to give you some examples...A typical bath is around 100 degrees. I shower at 104 degrees. A hot tub is usually 105 degrees.
So I gotta go back in and put an override on it, but that won't be too hard.
As for water temp...mid to high 80's sounds warm, but it really isn't. Because water absorbs heat much more rapidly than air, water of a given temp will feel much cooler. 70 degree air feels good, 70 degree water is c-c-c-c-cold.
Waski, this is a good time for a Hwy physics lesson. ;D
Just to give you some examples...A typical bath is around 100 degrees. I shower at 104 degrees. A hot tub is usually 105 degrees.
I'm Floored
Lover of BS!
About how much would this cost to do? (Equipment, labor, etc.)
If you want to send me a message, that would work, too. My best friend installed a pool last year, and they have very limited time they can spend in it because it stays too cool. They are looking into heating alternatives, but so far, everything is BIG BUCKS!
If you want to send me a message, that would work, too. My best friend installed a pool last year, and they have very limited time they can spend in it because it stays too cool. They are looking into heating alternatives, but so far, everything is BIG BUCKS!
I'm Floored
Lover of BS!
Guard Dad said:
Well, that would still be an option for them. The least expensive they've been quoted was $3000. And that was just an estimate. (They were warned it could go up.)
MacDaddy
Training wheel examiner
So GD, any thoughts about a thermal switch/bypass? Could go with something isolated so no risk of stray current.
I had a sweet set-up for watering the garden at my pre-marriage house. Ran the A/C condensate via some clear tubing over to the garden. Used some small splitters to divide it over the plant roots. It was simple enough to move when mowing, and I never had to water the garden again.
Won't work at this house. Too far from the A/C to the garden, I'd have to bury everything and worry about the grade.
I had a sweet set-up for watering the garden at my pre-marriage house. Ran the A/C condensate via some clear tubing over to the garden. Used some small splitters to divide it over the plant roots. It was simple enough to move when mowing, and I never had to water the garden again.
Won't work at this house. Too far from the A/C to the garden, I'd have to bury everything and worry about the grade.
MacDaddy said:
Yep, I just made some changes to it. I flip-flopped the coils; now the hot gas runs through the air coil first. And I installed a thermostat on the water inlet line that will kick the condenser fan on whenever the water gets to a certain temp. Kicking the fan on will remove most of the heat before the gas gets to the water coil.
It's a work in progress, still working the bugs out.
I'm Floored
Lover of BS!
Guard Dad said:
But it is a great idea. I love the idea that it uses the heat from the A/C. They were looking at solar panels, too.
I'm Floored said:
Ask your friend how close their A/C is to their pool pump, and make sure she doesn't have a heat pump. This would have some issues with a heat pump.
In the mean time, I'll work the kinks out of this one and see what I could do another one for.
I'm Floored
Lover of BS!
Guard Dad said:
Will do.
naturegirl
Rolling down the highway
Shoot our pool stays pretty close to 85-90 in the summer, sometimes it is too warm. It gets sun from daylight to sunset. Feels soooooo good on those cool nights, almost like a bath tub. I have a heater but it's very expensive to operate. We do use it to heat the spa at the end of the pool mostly in the spring and fall.
Yea, when the pool got an inch of ice on it two winters ago, I turned the heater on the lowest setting to keep it from freezing. Woke up the next morning and steam was coming off the water, it was 19 degrees outside. Checked the pool temp and it was 72.............
, the gas tank was 1/2 empty and we'd just had in filled a couple days before. So we don't use the pool heater here. ;D
In Florida they use a lot of black pipe on Southern exposures to heat the water going back into the pool. Not sure on the cost or how much Southern exposure your friend has IF, but she could look into it.
Yea, when the pool got an inch of ice on it two winters ago, I turned the heater on the lowest setting to keep it from freezing. Woke up the next morning and steam was coming off the water, it was 19 degrees outside. Checked the pool temp and it was 72.............
, the gas tank was 1/2 empty and we'd just had in filled a couple days before. So we don't use the pool heater here. ;DIn Florida they use a lot of black pipe on Southern exposures to heat the water going back into the pool. Not sure on the cost or how much Southern exposure your friend has IF, but she could look into it.
Update
I added the "bypass" to effectively cut off the pool heat when the water reaches a preset temp. I made some other tweaks too.
It seems to be working well now, but I want to see how accurately it controls the temp over the next few days.
And when the pool gets to temp and the "bypass" kicks in, it makes the A/C super efficient.
So at this point, I feel like the operation will be a success.
I added the "bypass" to effectively cut off the pool heat when the water reaches a preset temp. I made some other tweaks too.
It seems to be working well now, but I want to see how accurately it controls the temp over the next few days.
And when the pool gets to temp and the "bypass" kicks in, it makes the A/C super efficient.
So at this point, I feel like the operation will be a success.