24' Round 48" Above Ground Pool

[Laenini]

Can anyone help me to figure out what size natural gas heater I need for my 24' above ground pool? Its 48" deep and round shaped. We just put this pool in at the end of the summer, and only had it open for a few weeks before the season was over. I am already thinking ahead now to spring and plan to install a heater very early in the season. I love bargain shopping and thought I would start looking around for a heater now during the off season as it might be a good time to find a deal. I am unsure what to get though. It seems to me that the pool store told me we would need a 100,000 BTU/hr heater. I found an incredible deal though on a Hayward 250,000 BYU/hr above ground pool natural gas heater. What would happen if I used that larger sized heater? Would it just heat up the pool quicker and run less as a result? Or would there be other potential negative consequences? Oh yeah, we are in Minnesota where the pool season is very short and maybe a bigger heater wouldn't be such a bad thing? Anyway, advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!!

[chem geek]

Can anyone help me to figure out what size natural gas heater I need for my 24' above ground pool? Its 48" deep and round shaped. We just put this pool in at the end of the summer, and only had it open for a few weeks before the season was over. I am already thinking ahead now to spring and plan to install a heater very early in the season. I love bargain shopping and thought I would start looking around for a heater now during the off season as it might be a good time to find a deal. I am unsure what to get though. It seems to me that the pool store told me we would need a 100,000 BTU/hr heater. I found an incredible deal though on a Hayward 250,000 BYU/hr above ground pool natural gas heater. What would happen if I used that larger sized heater? Would it just heat up the pool quicker and run less as a result? Or would there be other potential negative consequences? Oh yeah, we are in Minnesota where the pool season is very short and maybe a bigger heater wouldn't be such a bad thing? Anyway, advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!!

Your pool is around 13,500 gallons. A 250,000 BTU/hr would not be too large for that size pool. You first need to make sure that this is the output rating, not the input rating. For example, an inexpensive heater may only be 80% efficient such that 250,000 BTU/hr input of natural gas outputs 200,000 BTU/hr of heat to the water in the pool. Anyway, if I assume that the 250,000 BTU/hr is the output rate, then this raises your pool water temperature by 2.2F per hour. The heater will likely require a minimum flow rate of perhaps 30 GPM which would have the water be about 17F higher coming out of the returns which may be too hot and it's less efficient as well (more heat loss in heater and pipes). It would be better if your flow rate were around 50 GPM since that would be a temp rise out of the returns of around 10F which is OK.

Richard

[Laenini]

Thank you for the advice, Richard! The heater I am looking at is a Hayward H2501. We have a Hayward pump and looking at the specs on the pump it has a flow rating of 40 GPM. So we would be right in the middle of the range you specified. This heater is being offered at a liquidation auction later this week. Although it will likely go for a very low price, there will not be a warranty of any kind on it so its a risk too. The liquidator has no information on the origin or history of the heater. It was included in a lot of items purchased as a whole truckload of a variety of different merchandise. So I am pretty torn about whether or not I should pursue it. I do appreciate your advice though!