The Hayward H250FDN is built for efficiency and durability, and has proven itself to be one of the the Best 250,000 BTU Pool Heaters. We’ll fill you in on the details as well as review three additional 250K BTU pool heaters to give some options.
There is a reason why people have always loved commercial swimming pools. It’s because you feel warm from the moment you jump into the water. If they were freezing cold they wouldn’t exist. Basically, it tells us everyone values toasty pools.
If you have a pool in your garden you need a heater like the Hayward H250FDN. You’ll only be able to swim a few months of the year without one. We can discuss why pool heaters are essential, but let’s look at some of the best ones first:
- Hayward H250FDN (Natural Gas) : 250K BTU — Universal H-Series
- Hayward H250FDP (Propane) : 250K BTUb
- Hayward H250FDNASME (Natural Gas) : 250K BTU — Universal H-Series
- Pentair 460732 (Natural Gas) : 250K BTU — MasterTemp
- Pentair 460733 MasterTemp (Propane) : 250K BTU
- TRANE TR250NA (Natural Gas) : 250K BTU
- TRANE TR400LP (Propane) : 250K BTU
Hayward H250FDN
Universal H-Series Pool Heater — 250,000 BTU Pool Heater (Natural Gas)
Features:
- Standard cupro nickel heat exchanger for greater durability and longevity even in salt-based, high flow or aggressive water chemistry conditions.
- Excellent salt water and chemical corrosion resistance
- Same water velocity through all tubes for faster heating
- Patented header by-pass design
- Up to 18 percent savings by reducing pump run-time
- 2″ x 2.5″ CPVC union plumbing connections
- Common union for installation or service, adapts to larger plumbing recommended for greater efficiencies
- Low NOx emissions – meets clean air quality standards
- Forced draft combustion system constantly moves air through the combustion chamber at a precise flow rate, eliminating all outside weather influences which such as high wind conditions.
- Intuitive and easy to read LED Control Panel provides digital temperature readout, diagnostics and electronic ‘lock-out’ of temperature set-point.
- Patented polymer header design provides impressive hydraulic performance
Documents:
- View or download the INSTALLATION
- View or download the MANUAL
- View or download the BROCHURE
Overview
Pool owners will buy the Hayward H250FDN because they have absolute trust in the brand. They’ve been manufacturing the best products for over 80 years and show no signs of slowing down. The amount of people who have bought the Hayward H250FDN so far is unbelievable. Sales will keep increasing as more potential buyers find out about it.
VIDEO | Hayward Universal H-Series
If you look into certain areas around the country you’ll notice they have set standards for NOx emissions. It makes sense because they want to keep their air clean. When Hayward built the H250FDN they didn’t just want to meet the minimum standards. They set out to exceed them, so your pool heater is extremely environmentally-friendly. It’s a positive for those who care about our planet.
The Hayward H250FDN pool heater is popular all around the country, which can bring up a few issues. It’s because the weather conditions are so diverse. A forced draft combustion system was designed to overcome this problem. Air will move through the combustion chamber at a precise flow rate. It eliminates things like high winds from the equation.
Sometimes you set the temperature and it’s incorrect, which can cost you time and money. Hayward has worked hard to guarantee their heater is accurate. The LED digital control panel will let you see the temperature at all times. You camn also lock it in to prevent anyone from messing around with it.
Hayward H250FDNASME
Universal H-Series Pool Heater — 250,000 BTU Pool Heater (Natural Gas)
Features:
- Patented Cupro-Nickel Finn Plate heat exchanger with bronze header as standard
Independent left or right side electric, water and gas connections - 2in x 2 1/2in CPVC flanged connections
- ASME pressure relief valve included as standard
- Electronic lock-out feature prevents unauthorized access to configuration settings
- Easy installation and service via access of single front panel
- Easy gas valve adjustment
- Easy dual voltage conversion with fuse-protected circuit boards
- Texas Heater Kits Available
- 500,00 BTU provides unprecedented speak to heat, with just 2 models delivering 1 million BTU’S while using minimal pump room space
- New Warranty – 3 Years Parts and Labor
✓ View or download the BROCHURE for the Hayward ASME H-Series Pool Heaters.
Overview
ASME heaters are the flagship products of the H-Series. They are designed to be used commercially, but you can use them in residential pools too. The polymer and low lead bronze header will resist corrosion for so long it will still look new by the time you need to replace your heater. After all, commercial pools are running non-stop every day so they are engineered to last a long time.
The H250FDNASME uses the same cupro-nickel heat exchanger you’ll find in the Hayward H250FDN. The reason they are so popular in pool heaters is because they’re extremely reliable. They can handle saltwater and nasty chemicals. It’s actually a copper alloy that contains nickel, plus there are strengthening elements like manganese and iron too. Even though it has a high copper content they’re actually silver.
Diagram | Features of the Hayward ASME H-Series
Pool heaters like the Hayward H250FDNASME pull cold water into the unit and send hot water back out. In order to do this effectively, a great hydraulic system is essential. It’s one area where this particular model excels. For example, it can take 800 gallons of water and raise it by 30 degrees Fahrenheit within an hour. The circulation time is reduced thanks to the wonderful design.
I’m going to assume you have an old heater and you’re looking to upgrade it. Universal H-Series heaters stand out when it comes to installation flexibility. You can choose to connect the gas, electric, and water connections to either side of the unit. It’s easy to keep it maintained too, which you could argue is even more important.
Pentair 460732
MasterTemp Pool Heater — 250,000 BTU Pool Heater (Natural Gas)
Features:
- Heats up fast, so no long waits before enjoying your pool or spa
- Highly energy efficient. Saves you money.
- Manual gas shutoff when service is required
- Eco-friendly MasterTemp is certified for low NOx emission and outperforms industry standards
- Rotating digital display allows for easy viewing
- Tough, rustproof exterior handles the heat and weathers the elements
Overview
The Pentair 460732 MasterTemp can’t compete with Hayward models when it comes to aesthetics. Fortunately, when it comes to features it’s hard to decide which one reigns supreme. For example, this model is engineered for super quiet operation. When you’re swimming in the pool you won’t even notice it’s on unless you have ears like a rescue dog.
You won’t be able to fix the 460732 MasterTemp yourself, but you’ll instantly know when something is wrong. All you need to do is keep a watchful eye on the indicator lights sitting on the easy-to-read LCD panel. Enhanced diagnostic capabilities will tell you exactly what is wrong with it. Feel free to lift the unit off the ground if you can’t see it from the pool.
Pentair 460805 HD | 400,000 BTU Pool Heater
Pentair takes safety very seriously, so they’ll do everything possible to look after your heater. The pump won’t be able to overheat thanks to the water pressure switch sensing danger. Once the water reaches a certain temperature the high limit switch will turn it off straight away. A stack flue sensor stops the unit from overheating too. Also, everything can be cut off manually in seconds.
When you want to switch the Pentair 460732 MasterTemp on it’s done electronically by pressing a button. It’s a safe way to turn on gas heaters, plus it will save you a huge amount of time. Do you have any idea how hot surface ignition works? It’s made from a silicon carbide element. Natural gas ignites at 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. The low voltage, high current igniter is red hot (2,500 degrees Fahrenheit) which causes combustion.
TRANE TR250NA
250,000 BTU Pool Heater (Natural Gas)
Features:
- Durable cupro nickel heat exchanger
- Polymer header design provides superior hydraulic performance
- Low NOx emissions meet all air quality emission standards
- Easy retrofit installation
- LED Control Panel provides digital temperature readout, diagnostics and electronic ‘lock-out’ of temperature set-point.
Overview
TRANE doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. They’ve been manufacturing products for over a century, so they know what they’re doing. The advancements in technology they’ve went through is mind-blowing. This little 134 pound pool heater beats everything so far. The total dimensions are only 28 x 29.5 x 24 inches, so it can be hidden away if you don’t want it visible.
We’ve talked about how LED digital control panels will save you money, but let’s explain why in more detail. Firstly, the TRANE TR250NA is so accurate you’ll never accidentally waste energy. Also, everyone is locked out of the temperature settings except you. Your kids can’t attempt to turn your giant swimming pool into a luxurious hot tub.
Trane has been in business for over 120 years
You know a superior hydraulic system can cut down the circulation time, which is what the TRANE TR250NA will give you. It’s also one of the best ways to extend the lifetime of your pool heater too. A patented polymer header design takes hydraulic performance to the next level. If you experience high flow conditions the damaging effects of corrosion simply won’t appear.
The TR250NA is smaller than your average pool heater, but it doesn’t mean it won’t be able to look after itself. Leave it in the harshest weather conditions for a couple of seasons and it will still look brand new. You won’t need to scrub any rust off it. You already know they use the most reliable components inside the unit itself. Everything they have carefully included is built to last.
Why You Need A 250,000 BTU Pool Heater
Before we look into why you need a 250,000 BTU pool heater we’ll need to make sure you know what a ‘BTU’ is. It stands for British Thermal Unit, which is a traditional unit of heat Northern Americans still use despite the name. It’s basically the amount of heat you’ll need to raise a pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. Get ready because we’re going to delve into some math.
To determine how many BTUs you’ll need you can begin by measuring your swimming pool. You want to work out the surface area of the pool in square feet, which can be done by multiplying the width and length.
Width x Length = Pool Area
This is where things start to get a little complicated, so I hope you didn’t stare out the window too often in math class. You want to find two specific temperatures. The first one will be the average temperature of the air during the coldest month you’ll use the pool. Let’s say it’s 66 degrees Fahrenheit.
The second temperature you’ll need is the one your pool will be sitting at. It’s pointless arguing about how warm people like their pools, so we’re just going to assume it will be sitting at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. You can plug different numbers into the equation, but it’s actually a pretty popular temperature.
So, now we’re left with two temperatures:
- Average Air Temperature
- Swimming Pool Temperature
The difference between each one is called the ‘Temperature Rise’. We’ll need this for the final equation, which should tell you how many BTUs you’ll need. This is what it should look like:
Pool Area x Temperature Rise x 12 = BTUs Required
Please Note: In an attempt to make things easier to understand we’ve skipped something pretty important. You need to take the wind speed into account too (which is where the last 12 comes from), but the equation will get far too complicated.
Do you want to know an easy way to eliminate this from the equation? Buy a pool heater like the Hayward H250FDN even if it looks a bit too powerful. It’s guaranteed to cover all your bases. There won’t be a big difference in price, plus a more powerful heater comes with extra benefits we’ll discuss later.
What Size Pool Will it Heat?
So far, we’ve only looked at numbers. It’s a bit hard to wrap your head around it, so I think it will help to imagine swimming pool sizes in your mind. It will let you appreciate how powerful a 250,000 BTU heater actually is. They say it is perfect for pools with up to 20,000 gallons of water inside it, so let’s use that number to imagine two pools:
- A Rectangular Pool – 27 Feet Long x 20 Feet Wide
- A Circular Pool – 26 Feet In Diameter
Please Note: Depths vary depending on the swimming pool, so we’ve averaged it out to 5 feet. The shallow end is usually 3 feet deep and it gradually drops to 7 feet at the deep end.
The pools we’ve just discussed are pretty large and anyone would be ecstatic to have one in their back garden. It proves how advanced heaters like the Hayward H250FDN have become over the years.
Benefits Of Gas Pool Heaters
I’m sure you know there is more than one way to heat a swimming pool, so we’re not going to count ‘warmth’ as a benefit. Luckily, there are a few other benefits you’ll appreciate and we’ll cover some now:
- Heats you pool quickly
- Gas Prices Change Regularly
- Reliable
Heats you pool quickly – No other heater in the world can compete with gas models when it comes to heating up your pool fast. Switch it on a little while before you’re ready to go swimming and the water will be perfect as soon as you jump in.
It’s not always the case when you’re using other kinds of pool heaters. Will the water be warm when you’re ready to go swimming? Perhaps, but you’ll need to keep the heater on all day. You’ll end up burning through a lot more money in the meantime.
Gas Prices Change Regularly – The price of gas goes up and down all the time. When it reaches its peak it will cost you a lot of money to swim in comfort. Fortunately, gas prices are more predictable than you might think.
The price of gas (and oil) will always be higher during winter. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why it will benefit you. Nobody will be swimming in the pool in December (unless you’re down south). Gas prices will drop to their lowest during the summer months.
Reliable – Gas pool heaters are a thousand times more efficient than they were in the past. Newer models like the Hayward H250FDN are so efficient you’ll hardly waste any money. It means they won’t need to run as often as other models.
If you don’t need to run a gas heater too often it won’t suffer from much wear and tear. Therefore, you won’t need to call the repair guy all the time. It will save you a chunk of money, plus you won’t be forced into leaving the water while it’s being fixed.
Why A Pool Cover Is Absolutely Essential
Nobody in the world will buy a pool heater like the Hayward H250FDN without factoring in the costs. In the end, they might decide a heater is worth it. It’s hard to imagine anyone deciding to buy a pool heater without looking at covers too. Your H250FDN will make your skin feel more comfortable, but pool covers soothe your bank account.
We need to speak about the options available when it’s time to buy a pool cover, but first we’ll need to convince you how important they are. Would you like a basic explanation a child would be able to understand? A lot of body heat is lost through your head, so to prevent it you’d wear a hat. The same kind of thing applies to pools except it’s much worse, so let’s just focus on the stats.
90-95 percent of the heat in your pool escapes into the sky. The largest percentage is caused by evaporation, but radiation accounts for a decent amount too. Hardly any energy is lost through the floors and walls. If you covered your pool up these numbers would shrink beyond belief. Anyone with a brain can tell you it’s bad, but it actually gets worse.
You will need to fill your pool with up to 50 percent more water if you don’t use a cover. NASA satellites conducted a 10-year study, and we know 21 (we have 37) of our largest aquifers are past the point of no return. It’s where we get water out of the ground and it will eventually disappear. A cover allows you to use up to 60 percent less chemicals in your pool too.
Okay, I hope you’re convinced a pool cover + an energy efficient pool heater are a match made in heaven. We’ve looked at some of the best heaters including the Hayward H250FDN, so let’s take a quick look at the different kinds of pool covers.
Pool Covers | Overview
Any pool cover you choose will work well with your Hayward H250FDN, but they all have their strengths and weaknesses. The fact you’re going to put one on your pool is good enough, so don’t stress out about buying the right one. That being said, we’re still going to discuss each one in a little detail to help make your decision a bit easier:
- A Large Sheet Of Plastic
- A Security Cover
- An Automatic Pool Cover
- A Thermal And Solar Cover
A Large Sheet Of Plastic – Those who don’t have a lot of money to spare could use a large piece of plastic. It would work even though it’s not ideal. Energy would be prevented from escaping into the air so it’s better than nothing. You would need to hold it down with water bags to stop it from moving. It would need to be readjusted multiple times during the off-season.
It would only last a couple of seasons, but it’s so cheap it wouldn’t affect your wallet. There is one big problem you’ll need to think about. It holds less weight than any other pool cover, so you don’t want anyone to fall on top of it. It’s probably best if you stick with a cover designed for swimming pools.
A Security Cover – Have you ever bounced around on a trampoline? The reason you don’t crash into the ground is because the material is anchored to each side with spring-loaded straps. A security cover is designed in the same way, so it’s the most effective way to stop anyone from drowning if they fall into the pool.
There are a couple of different kinds you can get your hands on, so we’ll run through the benefits of each one:
Mesh Material – The mesh will have small holes in the material, but it will still be able to keep leaves and other debris out of your pool. It won’t require a pump because water will fall into the water. You won’t have to touch it during the off-season.
Solid Vinyl Material – Debris of all kinds will build up on your pool cover during the year. You’ll need to clean it up to prevent it from collapsing. On the plus side, it won’t let dirty water seep into your pool, so it will still be clean when you strip the cover off.
An Automatic Pool Cover – I doubt we need to get into the specifics of why automatic pool covers are an excellent choice. Anyone with common sense knows they’ll perform typical pool cover duties while making your life much easier. Who wouldn’t like to cover their pool up for the night with a single push of a button?
Unfortunately, we do need to get into the specifics of why they’re a bad choice. If you don’t have a lot of money you won’t be able to afford one, because you need to pay for convenience in the real world. Also, if they break down (and they sometimes do) you’ll be in trouble until it’s fixed.
A Thermal And Solar Cover – We’re throwing these into the same category because they share so many similarities, but thermal covers and solar covers are the exact opposite of each other. First, let’s look at the benefits they have in common. They both cut evaporation by up to 97 percent, so your pool will lose less energy, require less chemicals, and won’t need to be topped up all the time.
There are a few differences between them, but let’s get to the big one. Thermal covers will retain a lot more heat. They’ll do everything within their power to stop it from escaping. The material used to design them is an excellent insulator.
Solar covers warm up your pool by letting sunlight through. The translucent materials used can heat pools by as much as 46 degrees Fahrenheit, but they’re flimsy and don’t last long. One won’t let the heat escape, whereas the other will let it in.
Pool Heater Safety
A few large pool heater companies became embroiled in a lawsuit because a unit exploded. Two people standing close to the heater were seriously hurt. I’m not saying this to scare you into avoiding them, which would be pointless because they’re almost essential. You just need to be aware of the three biggest dangers so you can protect your family:
Ventilation – Gas pool heaters can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, which will definitely kill you once you’ve inhaled enough gas. Fortunately, pool heaters are a lot safer than the heating system in your home. You need to make sure your unit is properly ventilated. If your swimming pool is indoors the gas should always be vented outside.
Ensure there are no blocks or breaks in your ventilation system all the time. Purchasing a carbon monoxide detector from Amazon would be a wise investment too. Keep on top of it and your family won’t need to worry (and you won’t need to worry about them).
Blockages – Have you ever heard anyone say water can find its way anywhere? Surprisingly, animals are pretty good at squeezing into tight spaces too. They don’t fair well when it comes to getting back out. The gas lines in pool heaters can also become blocked from debris like wet leaves. To be honest, it doesn’t really matter what’s causing a blockage.
If a pool heater like the Hayward H250FDN suffers from ignition problems it could lead to flame rollout, which is a nice way of saying combustion will take place outside the heater. Oh, and it could cause an explosion.
Gas Leaks – Natural gas will reach your pool heater through connections, which means they could have leaks in them. Owning an excellent model like the Hayward H250FDN doesn’t count for anything if gas leaks are coming from somewhere else. These leaks can eventually lead to fires and explosions.
A few smart companies added a rotten smell to odorless gas, so you’ll sometimes know when something is wrong. Others don’t and you’ll need to check the connections for signs of leaks on a regular basis.
Do you know what these three problems we’ve spoken about have in common? Neglect. If they were looked after properly they wouldn’t become an issue. Please don’t try to do too much on your own. Call in professionals to check everything on a yearly basis. They’ll know exactly what they’re looking for and can fix problems in less than an hour.
Hayward H250FDN Pool Heater
The pool heater you have at the moment is likely inefficient, which is costing you lots of money. If you have an old pool heater it’s a good idea to upgrade because newer models are far more efficient.. The Hayward H250FDN happens to be the most popular one right now. We’ve looked at several models to give you some options to consider.
If you feel like now is the right time to upgrade your pool heater, you’re probably right. All the pool heaters in this article are highly regarded and have been well-reviewed by customers, proving that they are worth your hard-earned money. The choice is yours.
