- Hayward heaters can be modified to run on natural gas or liquid propane. Converting the heater may necessitate the installation of a new gas valve, burner orifices, and/or an air restrictor plate. Conversion kits are available from your local Hayward dealer. The conversion will require the services of a licensed or certified gas professional.
- NOTE: Only trained professionals should diagnose and repair gas-fired heaters.
Is it possible to use a propane pool heater with a natural gas pool heater?
Your swimming pool can give your home a spa-like feel, but once fall arrives, you may no longer be able to enjoy this backyard feature. Do you want to know if installing a pool heater in Tampa is a good idea? If that’s the case, keep reading to find out the answers to some frequently asked questions concerning gas pool heaters.
It’s not uncommon for homeowners to ask if a pool heater will provide enough value to justify its installation. If your pool is uncomfortably cold for much of the year, it’s a good idea to install a pool warmer so you can make better use of this portion of your property. In addition, if you want to extend your pool season earlier in the spring and later in the fall, installing a pool heater can be a good idea.
If you have the ability to place a gas heater in your pool, this may be the best option. Gas pool heaters can be less expensive up front and have lower monthly operating expenses than electric pool heaters. Electric heat pumps, on the other hand, can save a lot of energy compared to both electric and gas pool heaters, but they can become inefficient once the temperatures drop too low. Individuals who wish to quickly raise their pool to a pleasant temperature and warm the water for short periods of time rather than continuously can benefit from gas pool heaters.
Propane or natural gas are used to power gas pool heaters. The gas is burned in a combustion chamber, and the heat generated is delivered to the pool water. To work, these heaters need to be connected to natural gas or a propane gas storage tank. Unlike solar heaters and heat pumps, gas heaters are not affected by the weather, so they can warm your pool regardless of the temperature.
What steps do I need to take to convert my natural gas heater to propane?
Connect the propane gas supply line outside to the gas supply line. Install a manual gas shutoff valve on the line, as well as a test gauge upstream of the shutoff valve. Connect the propane gas supply to the furnace and seal the pipe connections with thread sealant.
Is it more cost-effective to heat a swimming pool with natural gas or propane?
Natural gas, despite producing fewer BTUs per cubic foot, is also far less expensive. Natural gas can be up to 84 percent cheaper than propane depending on where you reside.
Is it possible to connect a pool heater to a gas tank?
Both types of heaters have the same installation procedure. Only the gas connection is different. If you’ve done your investigation and determined that a propane pool heater would provide you with the desired heat output, you can purchase one.
1. Propane heaters should be installed on a non-combustible surface with at least 2-3 feet of open space around them. They should not be placed indoors or near any of the house’s window openings or intakes. There should be no overhanging stairs, low eaves, or roof line over the heater.
2. Plumbing: After the return pipe has exited the filter, cut it and connect the pipes in and out of the heater using schedule 40 PVC, then reattach the exit pipe to the return line. To prevent corrosive gasses from backing up, chlorinators should be placed downstream, behind the heater, and at ground level.
3. Power: A millivolt heater, which does not require a power supply, is still available, but wiring a digital heater is simple. You can use the electricity from the timeclock or pump switch instead of a separate breaker. To connect power inside the heater, use 220 volt or 110 volt and follow the instructions. Simple.
Is it worthwhile to invest in a gas pool heater?
While there are numerous types of pool warmers available, propane pool heaters are widely considered to be the most cost-effective option. Propane pool heaters are more efficient than other varieties, allowing you to heat your pool faster while using less energy.
You can use propane gas heaters to keep your pool warm during the winter. You may also make the most of the hotter months by controlling pool temperatures properly.
Propane gas heaters provide consistent, warm temperatures, allowing your pool to remain comfortable for longer periods of time.
What is the cost of heating a pool with propane?
If you’ve never used a propane pool heater before, you might be surprised the first time you use it especially if you use it before the summer temperatures really start to increase.
The reason for this is that the average propane pool heater consumes around 1 gallon of propane per 100,000 Btus. A propane pool heater with a 400,000 Btu output for a standard-sized pool (21,000 gallons) will burn roughly four gallons of propane every hour.
So, how long will the heater be turned on? This necessitates a little math (bear with us).
- A average pool holds 21,000 gallons of water, which weighs 8.34 pounds per gallon. To raise the temperature of a standard-sized pool by one degree, you’ll need roughly 175,100 Btus.
- Pool heaters have an efficiency range of 80-95 percent; assuming an average efficiency of 80 percent, a 400,000 BTU heater will only produce 320,000 BTUs per hour. To put it another way, if you run a 400,000 BTU heater for one hour (using four gallons of propane), the temperature in a 21,000 gallon pool will rise by around 1.82 degrees.
- Now, if your pool is 60 degrees and you want to swim in 80-degree water, you’ll have to operate the pool heater for 10 to 12 hours; propane costs about $3.00 per gallon in Connecticut.
Of course, this is an extreme example, as you are unlikely to need to raise the temperature in your pool by 20 degrees any time other than late spring or early fall. However, it emphasizes the need of doing all possible to improve the efficiency of your pool heater.
- Use a pool cover – 70% of a pool’s heat is lost through evaporation, so cover it while it’s not in use!
- Maintain a pool temperature of 78-80 degrees Fahrenheit. Increasing the temperature by one degree raises energy expenses substantially; keep the water warm, but not spa-warm.
- When you won’t be using the pool for a few days, cover it and set the thermostat to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn off the heater if you’re going to be gone for an extended amount of time.
- Have your pool heater serviced at least once a year A pool heater, like any other fuel-burning appliance, requires routine maintenance to function properly. In fact, an annual pool heater tune-up will usually pay for itself in efficiency gains alone, not to mention the long-term benefits of frequent maintenance for your pool heater.
Are you having fun in your heated pool? Great! Just make sure you’re not spending more money than necessary to keep it going. To maintain your pool heater functioning at top efficiency, sign up for a Hocon Pool Heat Inspection and Tune-up, one of the many high-value Home Comfort Solutions we provide our loyal Connecticut customers.
What is a propane conversion kit and how does it work?
Because the air/fuel mixture is automatically changed as the load varies, this conversion kit works. This automated adjustment is only possible because a vacuum hose connects this unique flow regulator to the carburetor.
This enables the flow regulator to detect changes in engine intake vacuum, which are directly related to changes in engine load. As a result, as additional load is applied, the carburetor throttle changes, increasing intake manifold vacuum. As a result of the vacuum, the flow regulator in the propane conversion kit increases fuel flow to maintain the appropriate air/fuel mixture. It’s hard to keep the fuel/air mixture perfect and the motor operating without this feedback!
The modification of a carburetor to deliver alternative fuel and provide a feedback method (a port to the vacuum inside the carburetor) to an external propane fuel delivery flow regulator, which is designed to accept the vacuum feedback and adjust the fuel delivery flow rate, is at the heart of the conversion. This unique vacuum flow regulator acts as an extra hand, automatically adjusting the regulator output knob to maintain the optimal air/fuel mixture!
So, without further ado, here’s what it takes to convert one of these engines to run on propane using an off-the-shelf conversion kit:
What’s Involved?
The most important part of carburetor modification is replacing the present gasoline fuel delivery tube (the red plastic tube) with a metal propane delivery tube.
This will necessitate drilling out the carburetor opening where the old jet was installed. The gasoline delivery jet will be replaced by a new brass jet (along with several additional fittings and a valve assembly).
A slower-running brass fitting will be replaced with a bigger (hollow) fitting that will function as a vacuum feedback port for the vacuum-controlled flow regulator.
RTV silicone will be used to seal any unused air channels that are solely necessary for gasoline fuel use.
(The photographs below depict a specific carburetor model, but the adjustments are the same for all carburetors.)
What’s the difference between propane and natural gas heaters?
Propane and natural gas are both fossil fuels that are mostly generated in the United States. The biggest difference between the two for homeowners is that propane is compressed into a liquid form and sold in portable canisters or supplied to a permanent storage tank on their property by truck. Natural gas, on the other hand, is transported to the residence in a gaseous state via a pipeline.
What’s the difference between propane and natural gas water heaters?
Electric water heaters may not heat water as efficiently as natural gas water heaters. Propane must be pumped, separated, and distilled, whereas natural gas grows naturally. Propane heats water exactly as effectively as natural gas, but at a higher cost. According to the Consumer Energy Center, a natural gas water heater costs $190 per year to operate, compared to $343 for propane at 70 cents per therm.
Which pool heater is the most cost-effective?
Solar pool heaters are the most cost-effective solution for heating your swimming pool water using the sun’s energy. Solar collectors, a filter, a pump, and a flow control valve are used to heat the pool in a cost-effective manner. In reality, it pays for itself in three to five years and has very low operational costs. It’s worth noting that the quality and design of solar collectors will have a significant impact on the solar pool heating system’s efficacy.
Our Thermopanel tubes at Thermopools are held together with our unique interlocking mechanism, so no dust or moisture is trapped, unlike loose strips. Furthermore, our Thermotube solar panels outperform other solar pool heaters because they contain 80 tubes per square meter (most systems have 60 tubes per sqm) and the pool heating tubes have an 8mm exterior diameter, which is the most efficient size for Australian circumstances according to the CSIRO. When compared to other solar pool heaters, this results in a 45 percent higher efficiency.
