Hybrid heater for pools and spas

Abstract

A swimming pool or spa may include hybrid heater. The hybrid heater includes an enclosure, a first heat source within the enclosure, and a second heat source within the enclosure. The first heat source may include an electric heater. A method of heating a swimming pool or spa using the hybrid heater includes receiving information about a desired temperature of the pool, determining an operating mode of the hybrid heater based on the received information, and controlling the hybrid heater pursuant to the determined operating mode.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A heater for a swimming pool or spa, the heater comprising an enclosure, a first heat source within the enclosure, and a second heat source within the enclosure, wherein the first heat source comprises an electric heater. 
     
     
         2 . The heater according to  claim 1 , wherein the second heat source and the first heat source utilize a same type of power source. 
     
     
         3 . The heater according to  claim 1 , wherein the second heat source comprises an electric heat pump. 
     
     
         4 . The heater according to  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to selectively control operation of the first heat source and the second heat source. 
     
     
         5 . The heater according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the first heat source and the second heat source based on at least one of information provided by a sensor associated with the heater or information provided by a user or other source. 
     
     
         6 . The heater according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to receive information about a desired temperature, determine an operating mode based on the received information, and control the first heat source and the second heat source pursuant to the determined operating mode. 
     
     
         7 . The heater according to  claim 6 , wherein the operating mode comprises at least one of an activation or deactivation of the first heat source, an activation or deactivation of the second heat source, a heating duration, a heating output level of the first heat source, a heating output level of the second heat source, and/or heating pattern from the first heat source and the second heat source for optimized energy efficiency. 
     
     
         8 . The heater according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the first heat source and the second heat source such that only the first heat source is operating, only the second heat source is operating, or both the first heat source and the second heat source are operating. 
     
     
         9 . The heater according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
 a sensor associated with the heater; or   a user interface on the enclosure.   
     
     
         10 . The heater according to  claim 1 , wherein the electric heater is an electric resistance heater. 
     
     
         11 . The heater according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises a normal mode in which only the second heat source is operating, a fast heat mode in which both the first heat source and the second heat source are operating, and a low ambient mode in which either only the first heat source is operating or the first heat source and the second heat source are operating to minimize or prevent icing. 
     
     
         12 . A heater for a swimming pool or spa, the heater comprising an enclosure, an electric heat pump within the enclosure, and an electric resistance heater within the enclosure. 
     
     
         13 . The heater according to  claim 12 , further comprising at least one sensor associated with the heater. 
     
     
         14 . The heater according to  claim 12 , further comprising a controller configured to receive information about a desired temperature, determine an operating mode based on the received information, and control the electric heat pump and the electric resistance heater pursuant to the determined operating mode. 
     
     
         15 . The heater according to  claim 12 , further comprising a controller configured to control operation of the electric heat pump and the electric resistance heater such that only the electric heat pump is operating, only the electric resistance heater is operating, or both the electric heat pump and the electric resistance heater are operating. 
     
     
         16 . A method of heating a pool using a heater, the method comprising receiving information about a desired temperature of the pool, determining an operating mode of the heater based on the received information, and controlling the heater pursuant to the determined operating mode, wherein the heater comprises an enclosure, a first heat source within the enclosure, and a second heat source within the enclosure, and wherein the first heat source comprises an electric resistance heater. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein determining the operating mode comprises determining the operating mode from predefined operating modes, and wherein the predefined operating modes comprise a normal mode in which only the second heat source is operating, a fast heat mode in which both the first heat source and the second heat source are operating, and a low ambient mode in which either only the first heat source is operating or the first heat source and the second heat source are operating to minimize or prevent icing. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein receiving the information about the desired input comprises receiving the information on a user interface on the enclosure of heater or receiving the information via wireless transmission by a controller of the heater. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein controlling the heater comprises controlling at least one of an activation or deactivation of the first heat source, an activation or deactivation of the second heat source, a heating duration, a heating output level of the first heat source, a heating output level of the second heat source, and/or heating pattern from the first heat source and the second heat source for optimized energy efficiency. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein controlling the heater comprises activating only the first heat source, activating only the second heat source, or activating both the first heat source and the second heat source.