Comments on: Could A/C Units Vent Heat to a Swimming Pool? You Tell Me

By: Bob_Wallace

Bob_Wallace — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 19:29:00 +0000

No allcaps shouting, please.

http://cleantechnica.com/cleantechnica-comment-policy/

By: tc0nn

tc0nn — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 17:49:00 +0000

Can you say “MARINE AIR CONDITIONER” ?

By: Louis

Louis — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 02:06:00 +0000

Hello Susan, I am a product designer with a technology development and product manufacturer, company (www.geoflexsystems.com) in Canada, with links into the US that presently make a system that “will” heat pool water while air conditioning the space/home. It will also switch modes and just heat the pool absorbing heat from surrounding outdoor air, plus it will just air condition when the pool is warm enough. the functionality is fantastic, while the efficiency is unparallelled and it just make sense. The efficiency doubles, when you are in air conditioning the house while heating your pool or any other hot water need, such as a restaurant that may have a high air conditioning need, while they simoultaneuosly need lots of air conditioning. There are many unique products our there that while offer environmentally friendly, while saving money and reducing energy at the grid and I am happy to commnet on just one with this type of format, thank you. Lou

By: itsallgreentome

itsallgreentome — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 07:43:00 +0000

what about instead of using the AC unit, you used the kitchen fridge? it’s always on, removes heat in May-Oct period from kitchen, etc. Maybe not a lot of heat, but some?

By: Lee

Lee — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 21:42:00 +0000

This company is already doing this. I’m thinking
about doing both the domestic water heating and the pool heating.

http://www.hotspotenergy.com

By: milky1018

milky1018 — Mon, 27 May 2013 17:40:00 +0000

I wouldn't recommend it. It has nothing to do with a basic pool system. www.swimnj.com

By: seodipu

seodipu — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 07:01:00 +0000

Air conditioning saves lives and is a likely adaptation to global warming. Unfortunately, it will probably also fuel global warming, a new study finds. air conditionin air conditioner ac air conditioning furnace hvac

By: John

John — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 07:31:00 +0000

Dear Paul,

can you supply drawing and spare part lists?
We would like to modify in the same way.

Info (at) schulte (dot) co (dot) th

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:10:00 +0000

There is a company that makes a pool heater like this, it connects to an air conditioner and captures the waste heat, puts it in the pool. It’s called Hotspot Energy.

By: Ainsworth Paul50

Ainsworth Paul50 — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 20:41:00 +0000

Ok here we go. I am an HVAC/R professional and have done this on several occasions. Most all residential AC condensing units air cooled in other words they use the ambient air to transfer warm air from inside the house to outside. The fan that sits near the top of the unit pulls outside air through the condensing coil,this changes high pressure refrigerant gas to high pressure liquid, which then flows to a control device and becomes a low pressure liquid and finally a low pressure vapor before returning to the compressor to start the refrigeration process all over again. Instead of using an air cooled condenser like what is normally found on residential units I have replaced it with a water cooled condenser sized to the existing unit. Just some modification to piping is required. I then use head pressure switch to regulate the water flow through the exchanger so my condensing pressure is not too low or too high. My existing pool pump has adequate flow and pressure so I do not need an additional pump. I have a 20,000 gallon pool that between the 6 tons of cooling that my systems are and the natural sun heating I have very comfortable 85 degree pool water almost all summer long. The only issue is that in some jurisdictions this is not acceptable practice because of the potential leak concerns between the refrigerant and the pool water. If the heat exchanger should develop a leak then refrigerant and refrigerant oil will mix with the pool water. No problems so far though. I estimate the SEER rating of almost 18 from an ordinary 12 SEER unit.

By: Suzy Going

Suzy Going — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:26:31 +0000

Hi, I just love your writings. Keep up with writing and we hope to read more from you soon.

cheers

By: Steven Wiencek

Steven Wiencek — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:16:37 +0000

I built such a system on Long Island 4 years ago and is still working great to this day. It was in response to LIPA’S Geothermal program. A long story why I was never rebated back the credits, but I think it had to to do with the system being arcane. Anyway to stay on topic, you are not venting (air transfer) heat, but rather rejecting heat to the pool via a water source heat pump.

The pool is 20,000 gallons and the heat pump is 5 tons. The a/c is zoned and can “remove heat” from the house or the attic, dependent upon the call from the pool or the house. Another 2 zone decide whether the conditioned air is returned to the house or atmosphere. Pool temperature is “controlled” if you will by a small decorative cooling tower. AKA a fountain. The excess heat can be lost to atmosphere so the net back to the pool is zero.This eliminates the need for a water cooled condenser and a air cooled condenser in one unit, as this becomes prohibitively expensive. The initial reaction by engineers to this project said that the heat would become too high in the pool. That is true. Left unchecked , the pool would max out at about 100 degrees f. But a simple bit of automation and water spray take care of this. So to answer your question can a ac unit heat a pool, most certainly.

By: Susan Kraemer

Susan Kraemer — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 00:21:52 +0000

Let me know when you get somewhere with the research, it sounds terrific. Hope it leads to a product.

By: Curtis

Curtis — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 23:00:39 +0000

I am a research engineer at UC Davis and have been studying the use of swimming pools as heat sinks for air conditioners for a couple years now. It is hard to control pool temperatures with these systems since cooling is demanded by the thermostat. The most significant pool heating will occur when the cooling demand in the house is largest and pool temperatures are the greatest (during the hottest periods of the year). So when pool temperatures are already high is when you would get the most benefit. More importantly, a system that rejects heat to a swimming pool instead of outside air can reduce air conditioning energy use by 20-40% and will work best in dry climates.

By: Seamus Dubh

Seamus Dubh — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 03:41:02 +0000

Honestly the largest hurdle is the integration of the thermal loops.
The redundant and cross piping alone would drive most plumbers mad, let alone the design process and automation equipment of said system.
I’m all for it myself.
Thermal recovery, reuse and regeneration breakthroughs could solve not only issues with heating and cooling, but even ones with power generation.

By: Save Home From Foreclosure

Save Home From Foreclosure — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:11:16 +0000

Checked ou your blog and linked back with a trackback I like it so much!…

By: MD

MD — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 21:14:25 +0000

You could if you had a industrial size AC unit, however its way cheaper and easier to get a bunch of coiled up U75 pipe, a 12VDC solar panel/pump setup and pump the pool water through the coils. The key is that big nuclear reactor up above us, you know, the sun.

By: Home Air Conditioning

Home Air Conditioning — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:36:06 +0000

Interesting article. Always great to learn better ways to reduce our carbon footprint and save money.

By: Could A/C Units Vent Heat to a Swimming Pool? You Tell Me – CleanTechnica | Pool Cleaning & Services

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:58:21 +0000

[…] CleanTechnica […]

By: Susan Kraemer

Susan Kraemer — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 06:32:39 +0000

Sounds effective though! A municipal swimming pool can’t be that small!