Pentair, AFAIK, requires a pool pump and a filter and a 3rd item to qualify for the 3 year warranty. Unless his rep gets it OKed, your list would not qualify.

Using a heat pump for a spa is not something I would recommend to my customers. They take too long to get the job done, especially if it's somewhat cool out, like a fall evening.

I'd take the Ultra-Temp over the Rheem/Ray-Pak. Its a more efficient machine.

Scott

initially I had a lot of problems with my pentair heat pump. They were all covered under warranty but took a long time to get a tech and parts and finally the control panel was replaced and I have been problem free for the last two seasons. I live in new england and the heat pump is fine for keeping the pool in the eighties thru the end september but after that it is really hard to maintain temps and i know mine would not heat a spa all year long. If you are in a warm climate it might be fine.

thank you scott. i am down in miami and my home doesnt have gas service. do you think the heat pump can take the temp in the spa to about 100 when i channel all the flow through the spa?

yes it will with no problems

thank you domingos35!

In Miami, it will heat the spa sufficiently but will take some time. A 500 gallon spa, starting at 80 degrees will usually take about 45 minutes to an hour to get to 100, assuming the air and humidity are high enough for the unit to run effectively.

Cooler January and February evenings might present some challenges. There might not be enough warmth in the air for the HP to gather.

While natural gas may not be an option, there is still propane as a viable source. With this type of heater, it might take 15 minutes to get to 100 with the same spa. It will cost more per therm but what is your time worth? The gas fired heater will always give you everything it can while the heat pump loses efficiency as the air temps decrease.

Scott

thats a great point scott. do u have any idea how much it costs to install a propane tank? my spa is 1200 gallons and my pool is 16,000 gallons. you really have me rethinking my heating plan!

I rent my two 125 gallon tanks.

Scott

Scott, I checked with a few propane contractors and it looks like it's near impossible for them to install a propane tank because it has to be at least 10 feet from an ignition source and I am trapped in by setbacks and some utility easements. What do you think about keeping the heat pump but also adding a raypak spapak electric heater to only heat the spa on demand when my pump is too slow or the temp dips? Thanks a million!

Not enough additional BTUs. Electric heating elements are meant to be "on" for longer periods to maintain the temp. It's like a portable hot tub. It takes hours to bring them to temp from a fresh fill.

Do they bury tanks by you? Not done here in NJ. They get set on a slab.

The tank(s) don't need to be next to the heater. They can run the feed line from the tank to the heater like any other gas line. Smaller diameter line is used. For example, my tanks are about 20 feet away, The tanks have a high pressure regulator feeding a 3/8" copper line in a 1/2" protective conduit to a low pressure regulator. That regulator has a 3/4" pipe feeding the heater. Unlike natural gas, mine is not buried as deeply.

Scott

Scott, thanks for all of your advice. Its priceless. It looks like I am going to go with a combo system consisting of a heat pump to maintain temp in the pool and SPA around 80 and then a propane gas heater to heat the spa on demand. My plumbing is currently setup where the pool and spa are on one filtration pump so the heat pump can heat the entire body of water. Then I have two multiport valves on intermatic actuators that can channel all the suction and return only to the SPA so the heat pump can increase the spa temp more effectively. How do you recommend that the gas heater be incorporated into the plumbing system?

Put it in series with the heat pump. Filter, HP, Gas heater, return side valves.

What automation system are you using?

Scott

JANDY PDA

Time isn't the only consideration - what about cost? Gas and propane heaters cost 5x as much to heat your pool or spa as a heat pump. That quick heating comes at a steep price.

I live in an outlying Phoenix suburb. I've been using my spa nightly for the last few days. It takes about 3 hours to heat the spa from 55 degrees to 100 degrees. That's about 15 degrees per hour. Ambient air temperature while heating the spa has been in the 48-55 degree range.

At least here in Phoenix, I would never use gas or propane due to the high cost.

1) What are you paying for power?
2) What is your time worth?

A 125K BTU (at 80 degrees/80% Relative Humidity) rated heat pump looses a lot of efficiency once the temps dip below 60 degrees F. In the 40's, they are nearly useless.

A gas fired heater loses nearly none due to ambient air temp. It will cost nearly the same for a 10 degree rise when the air is 80 or 50. It also doesn't care about the Relative Humidity like a heat pump does. Dry air does not release it's heat energy as well as more humid air.

Your local power costs and usage patterns weigh a great deal on which is actually the best for each situation. You can't blindly say one is better than the other or one is 5X cheaper to run when that isn't the case.

Scott

Naples, FL

Low at night 60.

Spa temp: 72

Spa temp tp reach 102: 1 hour with Jandy heat pump

Just FYI.

Power costs more on the west side of the US.

That heat pump will draw about 25 amps or more continuously. Imagine paying $0.35/KwH.
Imagine wanting to heat a 20,000 gallon pool from 75 to 82.

As I said, power costs, weather, and expected usage have a lot to do with it.

Do you think someone like Peyton Manning or Michael Jordan cares what it costs to heat his spa? I'll bet the 40 minutes saved means more to him.

Scott