Can A Natural Gas Pool Heater Run On Propane

Pool heaters are often heated via natural or propane gas which means the heater must have enough gas pressure to operate properly.

Can a natural gas pool heater run on propane.

A propane gas heater can be used to heat an above ground or in pool swimming pool or spa. Propane molecule is much bigger than natural gas molecule also the natural gas service pressure is much lower than pressure of propane gas coming from propane tank plus the natural gas oriface are larger than propane orifice the higher pressure gas flowing through a larger orifice will result in more gas through the. In our example 1 hour on propane will cost 10 00. These two types of gas for a pool heater cannot be switched if you have not changed the sizing of its orifice.

Pool heaters can operate on either fuel but you can t just switch gas without changes to the orifice sizes. The propane tank in the backyard market is huge however not huge enough to justify a totally separate line of water heaters dryers ranges and furnaces just for it. Yes propane appliances can run on natural gas but it is not advisable without installing a conversion kit. Natural gas is by far the most common because it s cheaper than propane and is often used to heat homes.

The two gases are also under a different pressure controlled by specific gas regulators. Therefore most manufacturers offer jetting kits to convert the appliance from one fuel to the other. If your home is on a natural gas line you can choose to install a gas heater. If not you can still have a gas heater but you ll need to use propane.

One discoursing factor about using a propane gas heater is the operating cost and is not the most energy efficient of the pool heaters available. If the pool heater does not have enough gas pressure a variety of problems may occur so understanding the typical gas pressure necessary to operate the pool heater can help avoid potential issues. Show activity on this post. It s relatively easy for a gas fitter to run a separate out of sight gas line to a bbq or pool heater from the house to provide constant fuel when needed.

Gas heaters can run on either natural gas or propane and although either fuel will make your pool just as warm and comfortable as the other differences in the energy content distribution methods. You can figure about 1 therm per hour per 100 000 btu s for natural gas. Can a natural gas pool heater run on propane. These heaters are costly to run due to the increased price in propane gas.

This is because propane gas has a different heating value than natural gas and the orifices for the pilot gas valve and burner tray are smaller when using propane gas. Natural gas pool heaters. For a typical 400 000 btu pool heater that s 4 therms per hour. This can increase your installation costs.