Hi all
Back in 2008/2009 I purchased an Intex AGP (24 x 12ft) and installed "above ground", in the UK (midlands).
I bought a salt water chlorinator, sand filter pump and Competition RA 9Kw heat pump (30,000BTU) and covered the pool with a solar "bubble" sheet.
The heat pump couldn't cope with UK temperatures and I literally could only warm the pool enough on a warm day in summer - if I recall correctly 2009 wasn't a great summer and I really struggled to get it warm enough.
The other issue I had was that the heat pump had different size connections and I suffered months of pressure based leaks.
I sold it all the next year (was moving out anyway).
So: come 2022/2023, have heat pumps massively improved / are they any use in the UK? Or should I bite the bullet and go for a gas heater this time?
Also, was the fact it was an AGP one of the heat loss issues? I'd like to make the new pool project "pretty" and I've been considering "burying" it. Or at least, getting a deep enough hole dug to either come half way up the side, or fully to the top, and then have a nice decking built around it. There would be plenty of space gaps around the side though (due to the angle of the support legs) so not sure whether this would achieve anything in terms of heat loss or not...?
Finally, how do I ensure all the equipment fits together with the same connections? It seems the Intex (US) connections aren't always the same size as UK or Chinese suppliers... but Intex don't do a heat pump nor a gas heater...
Many thanks!
Ross