Heat Pump Installs
Extending the swimmable season by keeping the water warmer for longer than the sun alone manages.
A heat pump extends the swimmable season by keeping the water warmer for longer than the sun alone manages, useful either side of peak summer rather than just a nice-to-have. Installs are fairly standard, though a few details matter for getting it right.
Where It Sits in the System
The heat pump goes in before the chlorinator in the plumbing run, with the feed pipes run into the right spots so the water reaching the chlorinator has already been heated. Getting the plumbing sequence right matters for both the heat pump's performance and the chlorinator's, so it's planned out rather than fitted wherever's convenient.
A bypass is added as part of the install, so the heat pump can be bypassed if it's not in use, or removed entirely for servicing, without disrupting the rest of the pool's circulation.
The Electrical Side
This is different from most of the rest of the work on a pool. Pool circulation plumbing doesn't legally require a licensed plumber in New Zealand, but pool electrical wiring does require a licensed electrician, so some heat pump installs need an electrician brought in for that part of the job.
Heat pumps also vary in their power requirements. Some run on single phase power, and some need three phase, which affects what electrical work is needed at the property before the unit can be connected.
How a Pool Heat Pump Actually Heats the Water
A pool heat pump doesn't generate heat the way an element or a gas burner does. It works more like an air conditioner running in reverse, pulling heat out of the surrounding air and transferring it into the pool water as that water passes through the unit. Because it's moving existing heat rather than creating it from scratch, it can put out several times more heat energy than the electricity it consumes to run.
That efficiency is usually described as a coefficient of performance, or COP. A unit with a COP of 5, for example, delivers roughly five times as much heat energy as the electricity it draws. Efficiency is best in mild, warm air, which suits the Auckland climate reasonably well outside of the coldest months, and it drops off as the outside air temperature falls, since there's less ambient heat available to extract. That's why a heat pump is generally sized and positioned to suit the specific pool and property rather than picked off a shelf.
Signs an Existing Heat Pump Needs Attention
Worth getting checked if you notice
- ✓An existing heat pump not reaching or holding its set temperature
- ✓Ice buildup or an unusual noise from the unit
- ✓A swim season that's noticeably shorter than it should be
Photo: a newly installed pool heat pump
Photo: the bypass plumbing fitted alongside it
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does a heat pump go in the pool's plumbing?
Before the chlorinator in the plumbing run, so the water reaching the chlorinator has already been heated.
Do I need an electrician for a heat pump install?
Pool electrical wiring requires a licensed electrician in New Zealand, so some heat pump installs need one brought in, depending on whether the unit needs single phase or three phase power.
How does a pool heat pump actually heat the water?
It works like an air conditioner running in reverse, pulling heat from the surrounding air and transferring it into the pool water, so it can put out more heat energy than the electricity it consumes to run.
Why isn't my heat pump reaching its set temperature?
Worth getting checked, along with ice buildup, an unusual noise from the unit, or a swim season that's noticeably shorter than it should be.
Can a heat pump be bypassed or removed for servicing?
Yes, a bypass is added as part of the install so the heat pump can be bypassed when it's not in use, or removed entirely for servicing, without disrupting the rest of the pool's circulation.
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