How to Install a Pool Heater

Welcome to Mr Pool Man’s DIY guide series! Today we’re going to look at how to correctly install a pool heater. Now it’s worth noting that different types of heaters will have different installation procedures and today we’re going to focus on how to install an electric pool heater or a pool heat pump.

We won’t be touching on how to DIY install a gas pool heater because that involves tapping into your gas lines and we cannot in good conscience recommend installing a gas pool heater on your own. Why? Well, the worst thing that can happen with a botched pool heat pump or electric pool heater installation is that it won’t turn on properly (because of the built-in protections of the heat pump). On the other hand, a gas line leak… well, we’ll just leave that to your imagination.

Plus, if you’re confident enough (or skilled enough) to work with gas lines, then you probably won’t need a DIY guide!

Half of the battle is choosing the right location for the pool heat pump. Location will determine whether your pool heat pump functions efficiently or if it loses some performance.

• The first thing you should consider is that your heater should have enough clearance all around the unit. It is recommended that there should be at least 500mm of clearance in all directions. So check out the model that you’re interested in, check the dimensions, and check the planned installation location to see that you have adequate ventilation on all sides.
• Lack of ventilation can cause your unit to malfunction or get damaged! So make sure there’s enough room all around!
• Once you have a suitable location, make sure that the area where you will be installing your heater will be stable. What does this mean? Well, cemented surface will be best to ensure that the heater won’t shift on its feet and get damaged!
• Another thing to note is that the heater should be installed directly AFTER the filter, but BEFORE the chlorinator (if you have one).

Aside from having the proper installation area, here are some things that we need to keep in mind

• Do not forget to install a bypass valve in between your filter and heater so that you can still use the filtration system if ever that you’re not using the heater or if you need to remove it for servicing.
• When installing water inlets and outlets, DO NOT USE Soft/Flexible pipes. Pool heaters must be connected with rigid pvc pipes for safety purposes.
• Ensure that the machine is earthed/grounded properly before connecting it to the power supply. Do not forget to check the rated voltage of the heater before connecting it and ensure that the power supply is rated to handle the load required by the heat pump.

Let’s move on to operating your pool heat pump or heater. You might be saying, wait, what? That’s it? Well… actually yes. If you were expecting something long and complicated then well, sorry to burst your bubble! Pool heat pumps are extremely easy to install (one of the main reasons why we can’t recommend them enough) and with just a bit of common sense and general guidelines, you can easily install a heat pump on your own!

Operation for a pool heat pump is simple. Just set your desired temperature, turn on your pumping system and it should function by itself! Pool heat pumps have flow switch activated heating. What this means is that it will only function once it detects the flow of water from your pump going through the unit. Once the desired temperature is reached, the inverter technology will kick in and will just work enough to maintain the temperature.

To visualize it, here’s how pool heat pumps work, step-by-step

• The pump turns on
• The heat pump’s flow switch detects the water flow
• The heat pump starts to operate and heats up the water until the desired temperature is reached or if the pump is turned off

Since pool heat pumps don’t heat up the pool as fast as regular gas or electric pool heaters and they may need a few days to raise your pool water’s temperature to a comfortable level (if used in extremely cold weather) it may be a good idea to pair it with a variable speed pump. Remember that the pool heat pump only functions when water is flowing and single speed pumps aren’t built for savings! With a variable speed pump, you can keep your heat pump running without the added electric cost burning a hole through your pocket!

One question that we usually get from potential customers is why does Madimack (Mr Pool Man’s Pool Heat Pump brand of choice!) have multiple models for their pool heat pumps. There’s really no easy way to put it since they’re ALL good, and they’re all recommended. But we’ll do our best to highlight the best feature each model carries.

Note: All Madimack heat pumps will provide amazing savings when it comes to heating your pool, but they have subtle differences that will fit different use cases.

• Madimack Summer ECO - This is their basic, no-frills heat pump model. Perfect for those who just want to heat up their pools and save money at the same time. Average C.O.P. is 8.
• Madimack Elite - The elite model is also called their whisper-quiet model since, well, it’s whisper quiet! This model also saves more in the long run with an average C.O.P. of 10!
• Madimack Eclipse - The Eclipse is basically your Elite series with a revamped design. With a top discharge design, this is perfect for homes with limited space with a smaller footprint than all of the other models!
• Madimack Elite Max - These are for commercial applications. Unless you have an olympic-sized pool at home, then you’re better off looking into the other models!