Heat Pump Questions and Answers
Revised: May 10, 2011
- What are the benefits of heating a swimming pool with The Pool Team heat pump?
For constant comfort. The Heat Pump has been designed to have an easy operation and unsurpassed reliability. The weather proof, neat and compact Pool Team heat pump will bring you a level of continual comfort irrespective of cloudy weather conditions. It is a very efficient pool heater with user friendly controls that make it hassle free. Compared to other types of heating equipment, The Pool Team heat pump is a very economical and efficient system. It will heat your pool to your desired temperature.
- Why should I use a solar blanket or pool over?
As with all swimming pool heating systems, you are advised to use a pool cover when the swimming pool is not in use. This will keep evaporation, the greatest heat loss to a minimum and so reduce the overall pool heating costs and unwanted frustrations. A pool cover can cut total heat loss by 50% to 95%.
- What are kW and BTU?
Electricity is sold by the kilowatt-hour which equals 3412 BTU. BTU stands for British Thermal Unit. It is a unit of measure that some heat pump manufacturers use on their literature.
- What does COP mean?
COP stands for Coefficient of performance – i.e. The ratio of energy output to energy input. This is dependent on the ambient air temperature and the temperature of the water of the swimming pool. It tells you the energy efficiency rating the unit has.
- Will the heating unit run all the time?
No! At the beginning of the season, you set the electronic programmable thermostat to the desired temperature. Once set, it will monitor the swimming pool water temperature and only start the unit when needed (i.e. the pool water temperature drops below the set temperature).
- What is the operating cost?
Compared to other types of heating equipment, with the exception of of solar heaters, which only heats when the sun is present, The Pool Team heat pump is very economical. Two types of energy sources are utilized to produce the required heat output, the heat from the ambient air and electrical power used to run the compressor.
- How is the unit controlled?
It is controlled by the programmable electronic thermostat on the control panel which, has a very accurate digital temperature display.
- What is the lowest ambient air temperature at which the heat pump can work?
The Pool Team model is a heat pump with a positive de-ice system that allows the unit to efficiently heat your swimming pool water at near zero degrees Celsius ambient air temperatures.
- Will the unit ever need more freon?
The heat pump has a sealed refrigeration system. The factory charge of freon should last for the life of the unit. Freon is very stable and should not degrade or breakdown, even under severe operating conditions. If your unit needs freon, then it has a leak which must be located and repaired before adding freon or the problem will not be resolved. Fortunately, freon leaks are very uncommon and usually occur due to shipping damage.
- What maintenance is required?
To allow proper air movement, we recommend the cleaning of the evaporator coil. The cleaning of the cabinet is also recommended.
- Who do I call for service?
First of all, you should take a look at the “Troubleshooting” pages of your heat pump manual to prevent unnecessary service calls.