Hayward Heat Pump not heating

[SRQUSER]

Well, just barely. I works fine for about 6 mos when the air temps are in 80's & 90's, heating to my preferred temp of 82, but in winter, when I really need to heat my pool, nada! Right now it is 60 outside, and the pool is at 75. The pump/heater has been running for 2 hours. This is pretty consistent - by the end of a day like today the pool might get up to 77. But then overnight it cools to low 70's again. Tried heating my spa yesterday in similar weather - after 3 hours, the water temp went from 73 - 90. Normally, it gets to 102 in summer, but even that takes almost 2 hours.
Pool is approx 12 ft X 30 ft, ave depth around 4 1/2 ft.
I understand that a heat pump takes heat from the air, so it's not as efficient in cool temps. (My electric bill is generally much higher in winter than summer) But 60's isn't all that cold! Shouldn't it be heating faster?

I believe now that I was misled by my (AWFUL) builder (both he & his pool company are defunct) to use an electric heat pump rather than a gas heater. Would it be better to switch out the heat pump? SUpposedly there is a gas line near the pool equipment.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

Switch to a gas heater if you want more heat when the air temperatures drops. At 60F you lose 1/3 or more of the heating ability of a heat pump.

Sounds like your HP is working fine.

Heat pumps work best to maintain a water temperature and left running 24/7.

Heat pumps are not good for on demand heating with cold air temps as you can see.

Gas heater is best for on demand heating.

Do you have a cover on your pool and spa? A cover will help retain the heat your HP is creating.

 

[SRQUSER]

HP may be working fine - when it works. One issue we do have is that whenever there is a power blip, the HP shuts off and then does not come back on again until someone climbs up onto the platform 4 ft above the ground where the equipment is & reprograms the unit. Our neighbors who have the same unit have no such issues. Hayward has no solution, nor will they accept any responsibility. A few pool companies also can't understand what's going on.

IF I want to go with a Gas heater, the way the equipment is installed will make it extremely difficult to remove the old unit (HUGE - bigger than my HVAC) and replace. THe unit was placed against a concrete wall, and then all the pumps, piping, as well as our AC compressor are between it & the door to the equipment. THe unit would have to be raised up over a 4-5 ft wall to get it out, and then it would be a 10 ft distance once over the wall to the ground. (Attaching photo)

No cover - pool is oddly shaped so it would need some kind of custom cover I guess. And then I'd have to remove it when I wanted to use pool, which probably wouldn't be easy.

I'd expect my electric bill would soar if I ran it 24/7.

Thank you for response.

 

[ajw22]

That is a lousy equipment setup.

It is aggravating that builders do not consider that equipment will ever need to be replaced.

Hayward is not at the top of my list for heat pumps.

I take it you did not build that sitution.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Given the tight spacing in that area, you may not be able to get a gas heater in there. There are setback and placement requirements for gas heaters, particularly the exhaust. Also, the placement of that heat pump is terrible - the airflow is likely impeded by all the equipment around it and the small area. When the HP is running in heat mode, the compressor coils get cold (reverse of an AC) and they need warm air to get heat from. Given how confined that space is, my guess would be that the HP is basically cooling down that entire area and it is starving itself for warm air. So while your ambient air temp might be 60F, the ambient air around the HP is even lower.

You’re essentially suffering the effects of a very bad equipment pad design. Not much can be done unless you go through the expense of relocating the equipment.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

From the Hayward HeatPro manual -

Air is pulled through the evaporator coil and discharged through the top grille. A minimum clearance of 72 inches should be allowed above the unit for unrestricted air discharge. The unit must not be installed under a porch. Any side of the unit should be located at least 24 inches from a wall or from any other obstruction for unrestricted air intake and service

 

[SRQUSER]

WOW! I knew it was a bad set up, but didn't realize just how bad it was.
The Builder (now on Criminal probation) owned the Pool company. Pool company manager sued the Builder because the Builder never paid him. Several people sued the pool company for either not finishing or defects. Eventually pool co was "sold" to a pool maintenance company, who then sold to another pool company. They put the pool equipment in before the AC unit, so they had room to install, but not to change out. The HP is right under (by 4 ft) my office window, so I can hear the pump when it is running. Possibly we could knock down that rear wall. Except City Code requires a wall around the equipment, even, as here, it is up on a high platform. (But most neighbors have no such wall) It's part of a noise ordinance - nothing to do with functioning. But I had not before seen that installation manual (Builder left us no manuals at all)
THe remote control unit reads water temp & air temp. I assume it is reading the air temp right at the HP unit. it's never cooler than the reported air temp, so I don't think it is cooling that area.

I may have to try running the pump longer & see how badly that affects my elec bill - (and the pump's life?).

 

[JoyfulNoise]

What do you mean by “the remote control unit”? Do you have an automation system?

Automation systems generally have their air temp probes very close to the panel because it’s easy to just leave it hanging there unless the installer purposefully placed it somewhere else. The air probe for my automation system hangs below the panel and is about a foot and half off the ground. It always reads 20 degrees higher than ambient in the summer because the direct sun light hits it and it’s sitting next to the stucco wall so there’s a lot of reflected heat.

 

[SRQUSER]

What do you mean by “the remote control unit”? Do you have an automation system?

Automation systems generally have their air temp probes very close to the panel because it’s easy to just leave it hanging there unless the installer purposefully placed it somewhere else. The air probe for my automation system hangs below the panel and is about a foot and half off the ground. It always reads 20 degrees higher than ambient in the summer because the direct sun light hits it and it’s sitting next to the stucco wall so there’s a lot of reflected heat.

Yes - have an automation system, but it's never been connected for things like salt, etc. Only thing it does do is shut on & off, and has temp settings. There is a control panel mounted on the stucco wall where the unit is and then we have an Aquapod remote in the house that allows me to set temps, and switch pump from pool to spa. The air temp shown on this is generally very close to what the weather shows as air temp.

 

[redturboeclipse]

Heat pump from my personal experience wont work below 60. And if its 60-70, you definitely need a pool cover. Especially as it gets cool at night and then overnight. Without the cover you just lost whatever you gained. I read about this before I got mine. I was able to heat my pool to 80-85 with overcast no sun and outside temps in the 60s to low 70s, with starting water temp in the 60s, running the pump all throughout the day, off at night, on again in morning, keeping pool cover on. Took about 2 days. That was my surprised shock moment the water got that hot with just how the weather and water temp was. But yea cover was definitely the huge difference or I would have lost all the heat I gained.