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From: Brad Short
To: Todd Harrison

Hi Todd,

Here’s the story

This is one of those inline tank-less hot water heaters. Several years ago these systems were at a cost of thousands!!!
Now you can get a nice 100,000BTU unit for about $400. This one is natural gas. I got this one for $100 in the local “craigslist” ad.
I’m using a 1/2 inch natural gas barbeque flex hose into some 1/2 inch copper line out to the heater.
These heaters are loaded with safety cut offs. If the water stops, the flames go out.
If it fails to ignite, it shuts off and requires a manual reset. There is a gas flow control for high and low heat.
It’s a simple operation. Hit the switch to on. Then start the water and the flames ignite. The water flows at about 4gal/minute.
The water is very hot to the touch!!! About 140 degrees F. You can vary the water speed and vary the gas heat control.
I have a bypass valve on the pool pump water return line so that it feeds this heater then back the pool.
Here in Western Canada we have natural gas pricing that makes this project worthwhile. We pay $9.26 per Gigajoules for natural gas.
That is equivalent to I think about 1 million BTUs. The same BTUs using propane is about 2 and a half 20lb tanks.
In my neighborhood that’s about $35. There is no pool water thermostat control so I never leave it running unattended.
I tried solar heat for years but those systems don’t work on the cloudy days. This system will keep the chill out.
This project was not tough at all. Good luck.
Brad

----reply----

From: Todd Harrison
To: Brad Short

Brad,

That is a great solution! And the price is even better.
I will try to upload the photos to www.RedneckPoolHeater.com later this weekend. Thanks for sharing.
How long do you have to run the heater to bring up the temp of the pool the first time?

Todd

----reply----

From: Brad Short
To: Todd Harrison

Hi Todd,

The first test was encouraging. Pool temp started at 68F and went up by 2 degrees per hour. I stopped after about 3 hrs.
The temperature difference can be as high as 60 degrees F from input to output.
If the Pool is at say 75 degrees on a warm summer day then it shouldn’t take long to really kick it up.
The heater is a Bosch WR400. Good deals on eBay!!!! I’m ready for summer!!! Thanks for responding!

Brad