AquaCal HeatWave SuperQuiet Pool Heat Pumps
A Gulf Coast owner who wants a heat pump from a Florida manufacturer with a real service organization behind it, built-in Wi-Fi out of the box, and the option to cool the pool in late summer.
Electric heat pump
SKU SQ140R
- Heating capacity
- 114,000 BTU/hr
- Fuel / power
- Electric
- Efficiency (COP)
- COP 5.7 at 80°F water / 80°F air / 80% RH, 5.5 at 80/80/63 and 4.0 at 80°F water / 50°F air / 63% RH (SQ140R, rated per AHRI Standard 1160)
- Heat exchanger
- Titanium
- Warranty
- Parts: 3 years, then years 4-5 limited parts on the compressor, heat exchanger and evaporator coil · Labor: 3 years on-site labor (the warranty linked from aquacal.com states a trip charge applies after year 1) · Heat exchanger: Limited lifetime, part only, on the titanium tubing of the ThermoLink exchanger
- Controls & automation
- SMART microprocessor control with a 24-character full-text LCD, built-in PoolSync Wi-Fi for app control and remote diagnostics, and the ability to connect to external controllers for heating and cooling mode.
Modern Pool Heating Equipment Score
Our score for the equipment itself. It is not a Google or customer review rating.
How we rate heatersFull specifications
Every row below is taken from a manufacturer document. Anything the manufacturer does not publish is left out rather than estimated.
| Family range | SQ140R 114,000 BTU/hr through SQ200R 138,000 BTU/hr at 80/80/80; the SQ160R sits between them and is covered by the same current national warranty |
|---|---|
| Heating capacity (SQ140R) | 114,000 BTU/hr at 80/80/80; 106,000 at 80/80/63; 72,000 at 80°F water / 50°F air / 63% RH |
| COP (SQ140R) | 5.7 at 80/80/80; 5.5 at 80/80/63; 4.0 at 80/50/63 |
| Heating capacity (SQ200R) | 138,000 BTU/hr at 80/80/80 with a COP of 6.1; 88,000 BTU/hr at 80/50/63 |
| Heat exchanger | ThermoLink pure titanium; 2 PSI pressure drop at 45 gpm |
| Heat or heat and cool | ICEBREAKER heat and cool |
| Refrigerant | R410A |
| Electrical | SQ140R 5.9 kW input; 208/230V 1 phase (MCA 38.5 A, 60 A max fuse) or 208/230V 3 phase (MCA 31.0 A, 50 A max fuse); 460V 3 phase offered on the SQ200R |
| Water flow | 30 gpm minimum / 70 gpm maximum; a heater bypass kit is required above the maximum |
| Dimensions and weight (SQ140R) | 34" L x 34" W x 40" H, 252 lb (SQ200R: same footprint, 285 lb) |
| Cabinet | Corrosion-proof, impact-resistant cabinet with louvered side panels protecting the evaporator coil and a built-in condensate drain pan |
| Certification | Rated in accordance with AHRI Standard 1160; ETL (Intertek) listed and CE marked |
| Controls and automation | Weather-protected SMART control panel with a 24-character full-text display; built-in PoolSync Wi-Fi (heating, cooling and autotemp modes, remote diagnostics); connects to external controllers for heating and cooling mode; the HP11 smart controller can program most common variable-speed pumps; optional PoolSync Relay Center for full pad automation |
| Manufactured in | St. Petersburg, Florida (AquaCal AutoPilot, Inc.) |
Why homeowners consider it
- AquaCal builds these in St. Petersburg — the brochure carries the company's 2737 24th Street North, St. Petersburg, Florida address and the line "Producing quality heat pumps since 1981". For a Sarasota or Bradenton pool that is a one-bridge parts chain, and the company is a heat-pump specialist rather than a full equipment line.
- The current national warranty is 3 years parts and labor, years 4 and 5 of limited parts coverage on the compressor, heat exchanger and evaporator coil, and a lifetime part-only warranty on the titanium tubing of the ThermoLink exchanger. The third year does not depend on PoolSync: the 2025 document this one replaced gave 2 years plus a third only if the heat pump was connected to the app within 30 days of installation, and the current document carries no such condition.
- Wi-Fi is built in rather than bolted on. The PoolSync antenna is embedded in the unit, so heating, cooling and autotemp modes, remote diagnostics and performance monitoring work out of the box with no extra hardware.
- ICEBREAKER heat and cool is part of the line, which matters in Florida: the same unit that carries the pool through a January cold front can take the edge off the water in August, and AquaCal states it keeps heating at freezing temperatures to minimize heat loss.
- The ThermoLink exchanger is designed around low flow. AquaCal publishes a pressure drop of only 2 PSI at 45 gpm, which is what lets a variable-speed pump run at lower RPM while the heater is on — the single cheapest efficiency gain available on most equipment pads.
What to know before buying
- The warranty is conditional in ways worth reading. It applies to units purchased through an authorized dealer and installed inside the contiguous United States, claims must be authorized in advance and performed by a qualified service technician, and the owner is responsible for any travel charges imposed by the servicing agent. AquaCal's two 2026 documents disagree on call-out fees: LTP0159 Rev. H, the one linked from aquacal.com, states a trip charge applies for service performed after year 1, while the April 2026 warranty card LTP19255 Rev A states trip and shop supply fees are waived during years 1-3 and may apply in years 4-5. Budget for a trip charge from year 2 unless AquaCal confirms otherwise in writing. Disputes are settled by binding arbitration in Pinellas County, Florida.
- Model naming has moved, and the warranty moved with it — twice. SQ145 and SQ166R are not a retailer invention — they were AquaCal's own previous designations, and the superseded warranty LTP0159 Rev G (May 2024) covers HeatWave SuperQuiet 120R, 125, 145, 166R and 225. That document gave Florida installations five years parts and labor plus years 6-7 of limited parts. For units installed after January 1, 2025 AquaCal first published LTP17196 Rev A — 2 years parts and labor, plus a third year only if the heat pump was connected to the PoolSync app within 30 days of installation — and in February 2026 replaced it with LTP0159 Rev. H, which covers the SQ140R, SQ160R and SQ200R at three years parts and labor plus years 4-5 limited parts with no PoolSync condition. That is still a material downgrade from the 2024 Florida terms, and some retailer listings still quote the 2025 wording, so make sure the model number on your quote matches the warranty document you are being shown, and ask for that document by its LTP number and revision.
- Flow has to land in the window: 30 gpm minimum and 70 gpm maximum, and AquaCal states a heater bypass kit is required when flow exceeds the maximum. On a big variable-speed pump that is a real design decision, not a footnote.
- Check the panel before you fall in love with the unit. The SQ140R is rated at 5.9 kW input with a minimum circuit ampacity of 38.5 A on 208/230V single phase (60 A maximum fuse); the SQ200R needs 42.1 A. Three-phase and 460V versions exist, but a house almost always gets the single-phase configuration.
- Automation is AquaCal's own ecosystem. PoolSync is excellent on its own terms and the unit can take a heating/cooling mode signal from an external controller, but it is not a native member of a Pentair, Hayward or Jandy automation system the way those manufacturers' own heaters are. If your pad is already one brand end to end, ask how the heater will be switched.
- This is an upper mid-range price tier. You are paying for a Florida-built, heat-pump-only manufacturer with a service organization and built-in Wi-Fi; a value-tier unit with a similar titanium exchanger will usually quote lower.
Warranty, term by term
The warranty only matters on the parts that actually fail. Here is how this one splits up.
- Parts
- 3 years, then years 4-5 limited parts on the compressor, heat exchanger and evaporator coil
- Labor
- 3 years on-site labor (the warranty linked from aquacal.com states a trip charge applies after year 1)
- Heat exchanger
- Limited lifetime, part only, on the titanium tubing of the ThermoLink exchanger
Terms are from AquaCal's National Heat Pump Warranty LTP0159 Rev. H (02/26), the document linked from the warranty tab of the SQ140R and SQ200R pages on aquacal.com when we checked on September 18, 2026. It applies to HeatWave SuperQuiet SQ140R, SQ160R and SQ200R (all versions and voltages) purchased through an authorized dealer and installed inside the contiguous United States on or after January 1, 2025. AquaCal's April 2026 warranty card (LTP19255 Rev A) lists the same terms but differs on call-out fees: Rev. H states a trip charge applies for service performed after year 1, while LTP19255 states trip and shop supply fees are waived during years 1-3 and may apply in years 4-5, so confirm which document came with your unit. Neither document makes coverage conditional on PoolSync; the 2025 document they replaced (LTP17196 Rev A) gave 2 years of parts and labor plus a third year only if the heat pump was connected to the PoolSync app within 30 days of installation. Both current documents carry a QR code for registering the product, and Rev. H adds "Register your AquaCal heat pump online at www.aquacal.com"; neither makes registration a condition of coverage. Where owner documents are missing, the warranty start date defaults to sixty days from the date of manufacture. Claims require prior authorization and a qualified service technician; non-OEM parts void the warranty; consumables, freeze damage and installation in corrosive environments are excluded. Warranty terms subject to manufacturer requirements and registration. Professional installation / authorized-channel requirements may apply.
Why the heat exchanger matters
The heat exchanger is the part of a pool heater that actually moves heat into the water, and what it is made of decides how long the heater survives Florida water chemistry. Here is what the four materials mean in practice.
- Copper
- The traditional material and the cheapest to build. It transfers heat well and is fine on a well-balanced chlorine pool, but it is the least forgiving of low pH, high chlorine and salt. On the Gulf Coast it is usually the first component to fail.
- Cupro-nickel
- Copper alloyed with nickel. It gives up a little heat transfer in exchange for much better resistance to unbalanced water chemistry and salt. On gas heaters this is the upgrade worth having in Florida, and some manufacturers now ship it as standard.
- NiTek (nickel alloy)
- A nickel-alloy exchanger used on some gas heaters as a corrosion-resistant alternative to copper. Positioned between cupro-nickel and titanium in both durability and price.
- TitaniumThis heater
- Effectively immune to pool water chemistry, including salt. It is the standard on quality pool heat pumps and the reason a heat pump can sit on a salt pool for years without exchanger trouble. It is expensive, which is why you rarely see it on gas heaters.
Whatever the material, plumbing order matters just as much: a chlorinator or salt cell belongs downstream of the heater, never upstream.
How we scored it
- Three years of parts and labor, two more years of limited parts on the major components and a lifetime part-only term on the titanium tubing is a strong package. It falls short of a 5 because years 4-5 are parts only, and because AquaCal's two 2026 warranty documents disagree on call-out fees — the one linked from aquacal.com states a trip charge applies after year 1.
- The ThermoLink pure titanium exchanger in a corrosion-proof cabinet is the best combination available for salt pools and coastal air, which is why durability takes the full 5.
- COP 5.7 at 80/80/80 on the SQ140R and 6.1 on the SQ200R is at the strong end of the fixed-speed category, and the published 4.0 at the 50°F air test point means it still works through a Gulf Coast cold front.
- Serviceability is a genuine strength: a Florida manufacturer with its own service organization, a published service-request process and dealers required to stock OEM parts and employ qualified technicians. It is not a 5 only because warranty work must go through that authorized channel.
- Built-in PoolSync Wi-Fi, real remote diagnostics and an external-controller connection put controls above the category average; it loses half a point for being AquaCal's own ecosystem rather than a native member of a Pentair, Hayward or Jandy system.
- Value is the weakest subscore, and deliberately so: this is an upper mid-range price tier, and a value-brand titanium heat pump with five years of parts and labor will often quote lower. What you are paying for is the service organization and the controls.
Real Modern Pool Heating installations
We have not published a job-site photo for this exact model yet. Installation photos on this site are only ever our own work, and we label each one as the exact model or as a representative install.
Installed locally, researched for everyone
Affordable Solar & Pool Heating, LLC installs and services pool heating in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte & Pinellas County, Florida. If you are outside that area this page is still yours to use — take the questions on it to your local contractor. Pool heater installation in Sarasota.
Other heaters worth putting beside it
Same job, different tradeoffs. Every one of these has its own verified spec page.
GulfStream · GulfStream HE Series
GulfStream HE150-TA Heat/Cool Pool Heat Pump
Model HE150-TA
- Heating capacity
- 135,000 BTU/hr
- Efficiency (COP)
- COP 6.0
- Heat exchanger
- Titanium
- Warranty
- 7-Year Parts / 2-Year Labor
- Wi-Fi / automation
- Automation Compatible (Relay)
A Gulf Coast pool that gets used most of the year and an owner who also wants the option to take the edge off the water in late summer.
Built Right · XW Series
Built Right XW Series Pool Heat Pumps
Model BR135XW
- Heating capacity
- 135,000 BTU/hr
- Efficiency (COP)
- COP 6.0
- Heat exchanger
- Titanium
- Warranty
- 5-Year Parts & Labor
- Wi-Fi / automation
- Automation Compatible (Relay)
A Sarasota, Charlotte or Manatee County pool owner who wants five years of parts and on-site labor on one warranty term from a factory an hour down the road, and does not need app control.
Pentair · UltraTemp
Pentair UltraTemp 140 H/C Heat and Cool Pool Heat Pump
Model UltraTemp 140 H/C
- Heating capacity
- 140,000 BTU/hr
- Efficiency (COP)
- COP 5.6
- Heat exchanger
- Titanium
- Warranty
- 2-Year Parts & LaborLifetime Heat Exchanger
- Wi-Fi / automation
- Automation Compatible
A large Gulf Coast pool that gets swum in most of the year, on a pad that is already Pentair, where the owner also wants the option to chill the water in late summer.
SQ140R questions
Which HeatWave SuperQuiet size fits my pool?
The residential range runs from 114,000 BTU/hr on the SQ140R to 138,000 BTU/hr on the SQ200R at the 80/80/80 test point, with the SQ160R in between. Surface area, whether the pool is screened, how exposed the lot is and the temperature you actually want matter more than gallons, so we size against the pool rather than from a chart.
What electrical service does it need?
The SQ140R is a 5.9 kW unit with a minimum circuit ampacity of 38.5 A on 208/230V single phase and a 60 A maximum fuse. The SQ200R needs 42.1 A on single phase. Three-phase and 460V configurations exist for commercial work. Older Florida panels often need attention before a heat pump this size goes in.
Is it safe on a salt water pool?
Yes — the ThermoLink exchanger is pure titanium, which is the material you want on a salt pool, and the cabinet is corrosion proof. As always, the salt cell or chlorinator has to be plumbed downstream of the heater so chlorinated water is never pushed back through the exchanger.
Can I control it from my phone?
Yes. PoolSync Wi-Fi is built into the unit with the antenna embedded, so no extra hardware is needed: the app adjusts heating, cooling and autotemp modes and gives remote diagnostics. The heater can also take a heating/cooling mode signal from an external controller, and AquaCal sells a PoolSync Relay Center if you want to manage the rest of the pad.
What does the warranty actually cover?
Under AquaCal's current national warranty (LTP0159 Rev. H, 02/26), the first 3 years are parts and on-site labor, years 4-5 are limited parts coverage on the compressor, heat exchanger and evaporator coil, and the titanium tubing in the ThermoLink exchanger carries a lifetime part-only warranty. That document states a trip charge applies for service performed after year 1; AquaCal's April 2026 warranty card says trip and shop supply fees are waived in years 1-3, so ask which applies to your unit. Coverage does not depend on PoolSync — that was the 2025 document, which gave 2 years plus a third only if the unit was connected to the app within 30 days. The unit has to have been bought through an authorized dealer and installed in the contiguous United States, and claims need prior authorization.
Do you install AquaCal heat pumps in Sarasota?
We install and service pool heaters throughout Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte & Pinellas County, Florida, and we are happy to tell you honestly whether this brand fits your pool. We are not claiming authorized-dealer status for any manufacturer on this site; this page is comparison content written for pool owners anywhere.
Is the SQ140R right for your pool?
We install and service pool heating in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte & Pinellas County, Florida. If you are outside that area, the comparison above is still yours to use — ask your local contractor the same questions.
Licensed & insured · Florida Certified Pool/Spa Contractor #CPC1460367 · Mon-Sat, 8am-6pm
Last verified September 18, 2026
Specifications and warranty terms are taken from the manufacturer documents below. Manufacturers revise these without notice, so confirm the current terms before you buy. If you spot something out of date, email us and we will fix it.
Sources
- AquaCal — HeatWave SuperQuiet brochure AC-3232 V3 (BTU and COP by test condition, electrical, dimensions, flow, controls, St. Petersburg address)
- AquaCal — National Heat Pump Warranty LTP0159 Rev. H, 02/26 (current: the PDF linked from the SQ140R and SQ200R warranty tabs on aquacal.com; covered models, 3 years parts and labor with a trip charge after year 1, years 4-5 limited parts, lifetime ThermoLink titanium tubing)
- AquaCal — HeatWave SuperQuiet SQ140R product page, Warranty tab (National: Parts & Labor 3 Years; Limited Parts Warranty Years 4-5; ThermoLink Heat Exchanger Lifetime, titanium tubing only; links LTP0159 Rev. H). Client-rendered page, read in a browser
- AquaCal — National Heat Pump Warranty LTP19255 Rev A, April 2026 warranty card (same models and terms as Rev. H, but states trip and shop supply fees are waived during years 1-3)
- AquaCal — superseded 2025 National Heat Pump Warranty LTP17196 Rev A (SQ140, SQ160, SQ200: 2 years parts and labor plus 1 additional year if connected to the PoolSync app within 30 days of installation)
- AquaCal — superseded National Heat Pump Warranty LTP0159 Rev G, May 2024 (covers HeatWave SuperQuiet 120R, 125, 145, 166R and 225; Florida installations at 5 years parts and labor plus years 6-7 limited parts)
- AquaCal — HeatWave SuperQuiet product page (model data, ThermoLink, ICEBREAKER, PoolSync)
- AquaCal — archived U.S. warranty document index (April 2026 warranty cards and superseded warranty PDFs by product line)
Ratings on this site are the editorial opinion of Affordable Solar & Pool Heating, LLC, trading as Modern Pool Heating. How we rate heaters. Corrections: modernpoolheating@icloud.com.
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