kayley

Can anyone advise me on the approximate costs of heating an 8X4 pool using oil?

fionamw

I'll be watching this too - interested to see if anyone comes in with heat exchangers...

Fredbargate

Buy a wetsuit

Solarwhizz

You'll need a heat exchanger irrespective of which method you use, including direct solar as the panels then act as the heat exchanger.

But using goil for central heating is extremely expensive so wouldnt recommend it for heating a pool. The cost of the heat exchanger and appropriate valve s an controls on your system would be relative cheap in comparison,

Have you considered a heatpump, which is probably the most efficient method available and relatively low cost to run,.

on the size pool you mention I would gues a heatpump would cost about 500€ per annum at current power rates at sea level on the CB. (NB this is a guess as there are lots of other factors to be taken into consideration, such as Ambient ,location, thermal insulation etc etc)
I would be surprised if a heatpump allowed use of the pool in the depths of winter (Nov Dec Jan Feb)unless the pool is indoor or encased in a greenhouse type structure.

kayley

I certainly wouldn't install oil heating if I was starting from scratch, but as it is already in place, I would like to get an idea of running costs.

We occasionally get rental enquiries asking about pool heating and I would like to find out if advertising a heated pool makes any difference to our winter bookings, but first I need to find out what it would cost to run.

snikpoh

We looked into this for ages before deciding the best method for us. Our pool is 8*5 so about 60-65 k litres. We have solar panels that heat the water directly (so not electric producing panels). The water is then pumped 'round the system into the pool. This installation, including additional pump etc., cost far less than a heat exchanger and costs almost nothing to run. In fact the only costs now are for running the pump when the temp. difference between heated water and pool requires it.

This system has increased the pool temp by around 5-7 centigrade but, more importantly (for the children) has extended the period we can use the pool.

fionamw

We've got a couple of solar panels plumbed into a separate loop of our pool system, but it certainly doesn't raise the temp by 5-7; how often do you run yours? are the panels correctly aligned as per usual solar installations (ours were placed so as to be 'out of the way' but get the best possible sun)?
How long do you think it extends the season - when did you start swimming this year & at what temp? Do you have a cover? etc

snikpoh

Our system is slightly more sophisticated - the controler can be programmed as to under what conditions the pump 'kicks in'. I set it so that it goes on when the temp. diff. is about 10 centigarde and then goes off when it gets to a difference of about 6. I change this at either end of the season because the suns strength diminishes so I reduce the upper difference.

Our panels face s-s-w.

The children were in the pool at about 26 in March and have only just come out due to very heavy rain etc. This lowered the temp of the pool to about 24 now.
Yes we have a summer cover as well that we use at either end of the season. Over the winter months we have a winter cover as well.