GulfStream HE110-RA Heat-Only Pool Heat Pump
A small to mid-size Gulf Coast pool where the electrical service is tight and the owner wants the most heat per kilowatt-hour rather than the most BTU.
Electric heat pump
SKU HE110-RA
- Heating capacity
- 110,000 BTU/hr
- Fuel / power
- Electric
- Efficiency (COP)
- COP 6.1 at 80°F air / 80°F water / 80% relative humidity (AHRI)
- Heat exchanger
- Titanium
- Warranty
- Parts: 7 years · Labor: 2 years
- Controls & automation
- Digital LCD controller with plain-language status and fault messages, separate pool and spa setpoints and keypad lockout; automation through dry-contact remote thermostat terminals only.
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.
| Heating capacity | 110,000 BTU/hr at 80°F air / 80°F water / 80% RH |
|---|---|
| COP | 6.1 at 80/80/80; manufacturer states all models meet or exceed COP 4.0 at the AHRI low (50/63/80) test point |
| Heat or heat and cool | Heat only (RA); the TA models are the reverse-cycle versions |
| Heat exchanger | Titanium, 2-inch full-flow |
| Cabinet | UV-stabilized ABS, no rust |
| Electrical | 208-230V, 1 phase, 60 Hz |
| Minimum circuit amps / maximum breaker | 37 A minimum circuit amps, 40 A maximum breaker |
| Water connections | 2" unions |
| Water flow | 20 GPM minimum per the model-by-model spec sheet (the general manual quotes 30 GPM minimum across the line), 70 GPM maximum, 45-50 GPM optimal |
| Clearances | 12" each side, 4 ft above; outdoor installation only |
| Operating temperature | Defrost cycle below 48°F ambient; will not operate below 35°F |
| Condensate | Up to 3 gallons per hour per the owner's manual |
| Dimensions and weight | 31 x 31 x 38 in, 215 lb |
| AHRI rating | Rated at the AHRI 80/80/80 point; the spec sheet states all models meet or exceed COP 4.0 at the AHRI low (50/63/80) test point |
| Manufactured in | North Fort Myers, Florida (G&F Manufacturing) |
| Controls and automation | Digital LCD display with plain-language status and fault messages, dual pool/spa thermostats, keypad lockout, spa timer and multi-language menus; automation through dry-contact remote thermostat terminals (AquaLink, AquaLogic, Compool and similar). No RS-485 connection, no published app or Wi-Fi control. |
Why homeowners consider it
- It is the most efficient unit in the line on paper. Pentair publishes a COP of 6.1 at the 80/80/80 test point for the HE110-RA against 6.0 for every other HE model, so it returns slightly more heat per kilowatt-hour than its bigger siblings.
- It is the easiest one to get onto an existing panel: 37 minimum circuit amps and a 40 amp maximum breaker, the smallest breaker in the line. On older Sarasota and Bradenton services that difference can decide whether the job needs a panel upgrade.
- The flow window is the widest in the line. The spec sheet lists a 20 GPM minimum for this model against 30 GPM on every other HE unit, which gives a variable-speed pump more room to run slowly and quietly while the heat pump is on — though the general manual still quotes 30 GPM as the line-wide minimum, so confirm it with your installer.
- A titanium heat exchanger and a UV-stabilized ABS cabinet are standard, not an upgrade. That combination is what you want on a salt pool or a coastal lot, because there is no steel shell to rust and no copper in the water path.
- The published warranty is 7 years parts and 2 years labor, and the sell sheet states there are no trip charges during the labor period. The units are built by G&F Manufacturing in North Fort Myers, about two hours down I-75 from us.
What to know before buying
- It is heat only. The RA suffix means no chiller, and the manual is explicit that units have to be ordered and built with the chiller components — it is not something a technician can enable later. Be aware that Pentair's SKU pages carry the same line-level marketing copy on every GulfStream model, including a mention of "heating and cooling functionality" on the heat-only SKUs; the spec sheet and the product-page model table are the authority, and they list HE110-RA as heat only.
- 110,000 BTU/hr is the smallest unit in the line. On a large, exposed or unscreened pool it will hold a temperature but take a long time to reach one — the manual's own benchmark is an average rise of about 1°F per hour under ideal conditions, and undersizing shows up in January rather than in June.
- It needs real airflow. The manufacturer calls for 12 inches of clearance on each side and a minimum of four feet above the unit, outdoor installation only, and the installation manual warns that enclosed spaces such as sheds or garages without proper ventilation may void the warranty on the refrigerant components.
- Plumbing order is a warranty condition, not a preference: pool pump, filter, heat pump, solar, then the chlorinator or salt cell, then the pool. A salt cell or in-line chlorinator upstream of the heat pump pushes concentrated chlorine straight into the exchanger.
- There is a floor on the weather. The unit enters a defrost cycle below 48°F ambient and the manual states it will not operate below 35°F. The "Reverse Cycle Defrost" that lets a unit keep working in the mid-30s is listed as a heat/cool-model feature, so a heat-only HE110-RA does not have it.
- Automation is dry-contact only. The manual states the heat pump cannot be connected to automation systems over RS-485, and we found no app or Wi-Fi control in any manufacturer document. An AquaLink, AquaLogic or similar system can switch it on and off and hand it a setpoint through the remote thermostat terminals — that is the whole integration.
Warranty, term by term
The warranty only matters on the parts that actually fail. Here is how this one splits up.
- Parts
- 7 years
- Labor
- 2 years
Pentair publishes 7 years parts and 2 years labor for GulfStream on the sell sheet, the GulfStream product page and this SKU's own page, and the sell sheet adds that there are no trip charges during the labor period. Pentair's cross-brand warranty table contradicts that: it lists "GulfStream Heat Pump" at 2 years and "GulfStream Heat Pump (Parts)" at 3 years. We could not reconcile the two, so get the current terms in writing before you buy. No separate heat-exchanger term is published — the titanium exchanger is covered under the parts warranty — and the manual states that warranty service must be handled by an authorized service center. Pentair lists GulfStream in the in-ground equipment section of its warranty page, and the channel rule stated there governs everything on it: the published term runs only when the equipment is bought from a brick-and-mortar retailer, pool builder or pool service company and installed by a qualified professional who charges a fee for their services, while a unit bought from an internet retailer receives a one-year parts-only warranty with no labor coverage at all. 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
- Warranty is 7 years parts and 2 years labor with no trip charges during the labor period. It loses half a point because Pentair's own cross-brand warranty table lists much shorter GulfStream terms and the two documents disagree.
- Titanium exchanger plus a non-metallic cabinet is the best combination available for Gulf Coast salt exposure, which is why durability scores a full 5.
- COP 6.1 at 80/80/80 is the highest published figure in the HE line and strong for the category; the capacity is the smallest, which is what keeps this from a 5.
- Serviceability benefits from the units being built two hours away in North Fort Myers, offset by the requirement that warranty work go through an authorized service center and by the brand's recent move under Pentair.
- Controls are the weak spot. The LCD diagnostics are genuinely useful, but dry-contact-only automation and no app control put it behind heat pumps that join a system digitally.
- Value scores a 5: it is the cheapest unit in the line, has the highest published COP, the smallest breaker and the widest flow window, so it asks the least of the rest of the equipment pad. Our weighted score lands below the 4.8 starter score in the owner's comparison guide, and the gap is entirely controls and the unresolved warranty conflict.
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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 HE125-RA Heat-Only Pool Heat Pump
Model HE125-RA
- Heating capacity
- 118,000 BTU/hr
- Efficiency (COP)
- COP 6.0
- Heat exchanger
- Titanium
- Warranty
- 7-Year Parts / 2-Year Labor
- Wi-Fi / automation
- Automation Compatible (Relay)
The middle of the GulfStream line: a typical Gulf Coast residential pool that gets swum in most of the year and does not need the water chilled.
Hayward · HeatPro MCHX Series
Hayward HeatPro MCHX HP21405T Heat-Only Pool Heat Pump
Model HP21405T
- Heating capacity
- 138,000 BTU/hr
- Efficiency (COP)
- COP 5.7
- Heat exchanger
- Titanium
- Warranty
- 5-Year Parts / 2-Year Labor10-Year Heat Exchanger
- Wi-Fi / automation
- Automation Compatible (Relay)
A Gulf Coast pool that gets swum in most of the year and an owner who wants the lowest running cost from a mainstream brand their service company already stocks parts for.
Raypak · Crosswind V
Raypak Crosswind V 8550 Heat/Chill Pool Heat Pump
Model TWPH-8550EHC08
- Heating capacity
- 137,000 BTU/hr
- Efficiency (COP)
- COP 5.8
- Heat exchanger
- Titanium
- Warranty
- 7-Year Parts / 2-Year Labor10-Year Heat Exchanger
- Wi-Fi / automation
- Wi-Fi Built In
A Gulf Coast pool that gets used most of the year, where the owner wants heat in winter, the option to chill in August, and a warranty of seven years parts, two years labor and ten years on the titanium tube.
HE110-RA questions
What size pool does a 110,000 BTU heat pump suit?
It is the entry point of the GulfStream line and suits small to mid-size residential pools. 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 it against the pool rather than from a chart. If the pool is large or unscreened, look at the HE125 or HE150 instead.
What electrical service does it need?
208-230V single phase, 37 minimum circuit amps and a 40 amp maximum breaker. That is the smallest electrical requirement in the HE line, which matters on older Florida panels that are already close to full. A qualified electrician has to run the circuit and a disconnect must be within line of sight of the unit.
Will it work on a salt water pool?
Yes, and the titanium heat exchanger is the reason — there is no copper in the water path. The important detail is plumbing order: the salt cell or chlorinator has to sit downstream of the heat pump, never upstream, and the manual recommends a check valve between the chlorinator and the heat pump.
Can I control it from my phone or my pool automation?
Not from a phone. Pentair publishes no app or Wi-Fi control for GulfStream and the manual states the unit cannot be connected to automation over RS-485. It does take a dry-contact remote thermostat signal, so an AquaLink, AquaLogic or Compool system can turn it on and off and pass it a setpoint.
Can the HE110-RA cool the pool?
No. RA models are heat only. Cooling requires a TA model, and the chiller components have to be ordered with the unit — it is not a setting a technician can turn on afterwards.
Do you install GulfStream heat pumps in Sarasota?
Yes. We install and service GulfStream heat pumps throughout Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte & Pinellas County, Florida. The comparison content here is written for pool owners anywhere; the installation offer is local.
Is the HE110-RA 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 17, 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
- Pentair / GulfStream — HE110-RA SKU page
- Pentair — GulfStream Heat Pumps product page (model table: BTU, COP, heat-only vs heat/cool)
- GulfStream Heat Pumps — HE Series spec sheet (capacity, COP, amps, breaker, flow, dimensions)
- GulfStream Heat Pumps — sell sheet (7 year parts / 2 year labor, no trip charges)
- GulfStream Heat Pumps — Installation and User Guide (clearances, flow, plumbing order, defrost, automation, water chemistry)
- GulfStream Heat Pumps — Installation Manual (G&F Manufacturing, North Fort Myers FL; dry-contact wiring; enclosed-space warning)
- Pentair — pool product warranty information (cross-brand warranty table listing GulfStream)
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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Mon-Sat, 8am-6pm · Licensed & insured · Florida Certified Pool/Spa Contractor CPC1460367