Heat pool with condensing boiler?

Tom Reichert

Any experience or recommendations with the idea of using a condensing boiler to heat an indoor swimming pool? My concern is the chlorine in the water. Weil Mclain says don't do it with their Ultra line. What about other brands? Could you heat DHW and a pool (in addition to 3 zones in the house)?

marc

pool heat

you can heat the pool indirectly with an exchanger, tube/shell or flat plate. be sure to use a marine grade exchanger. marc

Mad Dog_2

Absolutely doable and economical

ANY boiler used for such purpose should be piped with a HX. Mad Dog

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Brian_11

I'm doing it....

right now as we speak in my own home with the Buderus GB-142 and a EZ-flo heat exchanger. This is for my outside pool and it does a great job.

Brian

joel_19

Uhuh

We are in process right now of doing one with Vitodens , gotta have the HX though as big a deal as trying to drive a car without tires

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Constantin

HX is pretty much mandatory...

... even the SS316Ti in the Vitodens is unlikely to be happy for long in the presence of Chrlorine, Ozone, and other pool chemicals. So, a large HX is a good idea.

I would also look into passive heating, i.e. solar. I've seen it done several different ways, from solar panels to the very ingenious, i.e. burying PEX tubing in the slab under the pool deck to use the pool deck to heat the water and keep the toesies from burning up also.

hr

A time may come

when condensing boilers could be direct piped to a pool system. Some are already approved for DHW use.

If I'm not mistaken several HTP employees have Munchkins tied to their own pools.

Probably need to keep the chemicals spot on for pool heating, although plain old copper tube boilers last 10- 20 years or more on pool systems.


For now, I'd suggest a pool specfic heat exchanger. Triangle tube has a nice Ti alloyed stainless exchanger.

hot rod

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Unknown

my most favorite HX for pools

Tom,

We've supplied many of these and have never had a problem.

Get one and use the SS nipples that are optional.

http://www.triangletube.com/HeatExchangers/MaxiFlo/HEMaxiFloOverview.htm

Regards,

Steve

Bob Lee

Pool Heating

I have installed a 200,000 BTU Munchkin boiler for use in my pool heating system. I operate the unit at approximately 180k btu which will quickly result in an output water temperature of 110 degrees. I have a 27,000 gallon gunite pool that I maintain between 82 and 88 degrees depending on ambiant temperature anticipated on a given day. The wife of course would like the temp at 90 every day.
The Munchkin will burn 1.8gallons of propane per hour at the above settings and the water temps will rise very quickly even when the entering temps are in the 70's.
This is my first full year with the unit and so far I am very pleased with the results. So far so good.
I'm sure the folks at HTP would be happy to answer any additional questions you may have.

Paul Merolla

Circulators?

I've installed an HX for pool heating as part of a radiant / snowmelt system at a customer's home. We're pumping pool water through the HX with a Grundfos UPS 15-42 SF circulator...is this pump compatible with the chlorine? We've smoked the bearings in 3 pumps now in a matter of a few months.

Perry_3

Another thing to be carefull on...

According to my local heating guy... You need to ensure that the combustion air inlet is remotely located from any chance of pool water spray and the pool chemical treatment room. Drawing in chemical vapors or misty water has killed a couple boilers on him due to combustion side problems on the boiler HX.

Other than that, no reason for a mod/con not to work very well in a pool application.

Perry

hot_rod

Why not use

the pool pump to move the pool side water thru the HX?

If the chemical levels are kept accurate I can't see why a bronze circ would not work. They see much harsher conditions in systems with glycol gone acidic.

Would the pump be in series with the pool pump? How is the pump mounted? The motor should not point up or down.

Fried bearings is usually a run dry or cavitation induced problem in those small circs.

hot rod

Unknown

Here is what Hot Rod is referring to

You should be using the pool pump. Here is a Link to a drawing of what HR is discussing.

http://www.triangletube.com/HeatExchangers/MaxiFlo/PipingArrangement1.html

Joannie_14

Check Local Codes, As Well

Some local codes require a pool heater certification on a product that is used to heat a pool directly. Some do not. So, it's a good idea to find out what is allowed in your area. There are condensing pool heaters on the market, as well....there have been for years.

Glenn Sossin_2

High Flow Rate Req'd

though most of the exchangers I've used. Usually 40 -90 gpm. Your never going to get the heat transfer using conventional heating circs, not enough flow. You use the pool pump.