Hayward HeatPro MCHX HP21405T Heat-Only Pool Heat Pump
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.
Electric heat pump
SKU HP21405T
- Heating capacity
- 138,000 BTU/hr
- Fuel / power
- Electric
- Efficiency (COP)
- COP 5.7 at 80°F air / 80% RH / 80°F water; COP 4.0 at 50°F air / 63% RH / 80°F water
- Heat exchanger
- Titanium
- Warranty
- Parts: 5 years · Labor: 2 years field labor (3 years when sold by a Hayward Rewards dealer) · Heat exchanger: 10 years on the titanium tube (in-ground)
- Controls & automation
- Onboard digital control with a published display code index; remote on/off through a two-wire relay on terminal J7, which is also how it joins a Hayward Omni automation system. No Wi-Fi or app control on the unit itself.
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.
| Manufacturer product name | HeatPro MCHX Series Heat Pump, 140,000 BTU, Heat Only |
|---|---|
| Heating capacity | 138,000 BTU/hr at 80°F air / 80% RH / 80°F water; 128,000 BTU/hr at 80°F air / 63% RH; 82,000 BTU/hr at 50°F air / 63% RH |
| COP | 5.7 at 80/80/80; 5.5 at 80/63/80; 4.0 at 50/63/80 |
| Heat or heat and cool | Heat only (HP31405T is the Heat+Chill version) |
| Heat exchanger | Titanium condenser (water side) |
| Air-side coil | Microchannel evaporator with Trivalent Chromium Process (TCP) coating |
| Electrical | 230V, 1 phase, 60 Hz |
| Minimum circuit ampacity | 42.5 A |
| Breaker | 50 A recommended; 70 A maximum overcurrent protection |
| Rated power input | 8,300 W |
| Refrigerant | R-410A, 4 lb 14 oz charge |
| Water connections | 2"; 10.25" inlet-to-outlet spacing |
| Water flow | 30 GPM minimum, 75 GPM maximum, 60 GPM recommended |
| Operating range | Water 40-104°F (104°F maximum inlet); air 40-115°F; automatic defrost cycle |
| Clearances | 12" perimeter, 24-36" front for service, top unobstructed (72" under an overhang), 60" from the pool or spa wall; outdoor installation only |
| Weight | 233 lb |
| Controls and automation | Onboard digital control with a published display code index (FLo, LP, HP, SO, SS, FS, dSO, dSS); two-wire remote on terminal J7 with a bypass mode, which is how it joins a Hayward Omni control system. |
Why homeowners consider it
- Hayward publishes real capacity figures rather than only a nominal size: 138,000 BTU/hr at 80°F air, 80% relative humidity and 80°F water, and 82,000 BTU/hr at the 50°F air low test point. That second number is the one that matters on a January morning in Sarasota.
- A COP of 5.7 at the 80/80/80 rating point means it delivers several units of heat for each unit of electricity, and it still holds a COP of 4.0 when the air drops to 50°F.
- The water-side condenser is titanium — the right material for salt pools and coastal air — and Hayward's 2026 warranty covers the titanium tube for 10 years on in-ground units.
- The air-side coil is a microchannel exchanger with a Trivalent Chromium Process coating, which Hayward positions as corrosion protection. Hayward also cites an 85% reduction in braze joints against a conventional coil, and braze joints are where refrigerant leaks start.
- Warranty is the strongest part of the story: 5 years parts and 2 years field labor as standard under Hayward's 2026 Expert Line terms, extended to 3 years field labor through a Hayward Rewards dealer.
What to know before buying
- It needs a real circuit. Hayward specifies 230V single phase with a minimum circuit ampacity of 42.5 A, a recommended 50 A breaker and a maximum overcurrent protection of 70 A. Older Florida panels often need work before a heat pump this size goes in.
- It needs air. Hayward specifies 12 inches of clearance around the perimeter, 24 to 36 inches at the front for service access, an unobstructed top with 72 inches of clearance under any overhang, and 60 inches from the inside wall of the pool, spa or a solid barrier. The manual explicitly says not to install it in a fully enclosed space such as a garage or shed.
- Water flow has to land in the window: 30 GPM minimum, 75 GPM maximum, with 60 GPM recommended for this size. Hayward's manual states damage from flow outside that range is not covered, and the installation calls for an external bypass assembly.
- It is an outdoor-only unit that produces condensate — Hayward's manual says three to five gallons an hour in humid conditions — so it needs a level pad that drains, ideally at or slightly above the level of the rest of the equipment pad.
- Warranty coverage depends on the channel. The 5 year parts and 2 year labor terms are Expert Line; the W3HP21405T sold online is an Open Line SKU carrying 1 year parts only with no labor coverage.
- There is no app. Remote control is a dry two-wire relay on terminal J7, which is how it connects to a Hayward Omni system. If you want phone control, you are buying an automation system, not just the heater.
Warranty, term by term
The warranty only matters on the parts that actually fail. Here is how this one splits up.
- Parts
- 5 years
- Labor
- 2 years field labor (3 years when sold by a Hayward Rewards dealer)
- Heat exchanger
- 10 years on the titanium tube (in-ground)
Hayward's 2026 Expert Line residential terms list in-ground heat pumps separately from the rest of the line: 5 years parts and 2 years field labor as standard, extended to 3 years field labor when the unit is sold by a Hayward Rewards dealer, with the titanium tube covered for 10 years. Hayward states its limited warranties apply only to product bought from Hayward or a Hayward authorized seller, and the W3-prefixed version of this unit is an Open Line SKU carrying 1 year parts only with no labor coverage. Heat-exchanger damage caused by inadequate flow, unbalanced water chemistry or sanitizer dosed upstream of the heater is excluded. Professional installation and 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 5 years parts, 2 years field labor and 10 years on the titanium tube. It loses half a point because the labor term and the Open Line trap both depend on where you buy it.
- Durability is a full 5: titanium on the water side, a TCP-coated microchannel coil on the air side, and Hayward's own manual gives specific guidance for oceanfront installs — all of which matters on a barrier-island pad.
- A COP of 5.7 at 80/80/80 is strong for a fixed-speed heat pump, and holding 4.0 at the 50°F test point is what makes it work through a Florida winter. It is not an inverter, which is why it is a 4.5 and not a 5.
- Serviceability is good rather than perfect: Hayward parts are stocked everywhere in Florida and the display code index is published, but a microchannel coil is a newer platform with fewer independent repair paths than a conventional finned coil.
- Controls are the weak spot. The unit takes a dry two-wire relay and joins an Omni system that way, but there is no app or Wi-Fi on the heat pump itself.
- Value scores well: you get titanium, the long parts term and a service network in every Florida town for an upper-mid price, though it sits above the cheapest Florida-built heat pumps.
Real Modern Pool Heating installations
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-RA Heat-Only Pool Heat Pump
Model HE150-RA
- Heating capacity
- 138,000 BTU/hr
- Efficiency (COP)
- COP 6.0
- Heat exchanger
- Titanium
- Warranty
- 7-Year Parts / 2-Year Labor
- Wi-Fi / automation
- Automation Compatible (Relay)
A large or exposed Gulf Coast pool that needs the most heating capacity in the GulfStream line and has no use for chilling.
Hayward · HeatPro MCHX Series
Hayward HeatPro MCHX HP31405T Heat+Chill Pool Heat Pump
Model HP31405T
- Heating capacity
- 135,000 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 Florida pool that is too cold in February and too warm in August, where one unit doing both jobs is worth more than the cheapest way to heat.
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.
HP21405T questions
Is it a 140,000 BTU heat pump or a 138,000 BTU heat pump?
Both, depending on which Hayward document you read. 140,000 BTU is the nominal size in the product name; 138,000 BTU/hr is the rated capacity in Hayward's own specification table at 80°F air, 80% relative humidity and 80°F water. We use the rated figure on this site because it is the one measured at a stated test condition.
How big a pool will it heat?
138,000 BTU/hr covers most residential Gulf Coast pools comfortably. 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 on site rather than from a chart.
Will it work on a salt water pool?
Yes, and the titanium condenser is the reason. The plumbing order is what matters: the salt cell or chlorinator has to sit downstream of the heat pump, never upstream. Hayward's manual is explicit that heat-exchanger damage from improper sanitizer addition or unbalanced water is not covered by the warranty.
Can I control it from my phone?
Not on its own. The unit takes a two-wire remote signal on terminal J7 and joins a Hayward Omni control system that way, so app control means having an Omni system. There is no Wi-Fi module built into the heat pump.
How cold can it get before it stops working?
Hayward's specification table gives an air operating range of 40 to 115°F, and the unit runs an automatic defrost cycle — shown on the display as FS — when frost builds on the coil. Its display code index also notes a low ambient cutoff that clears when the outside temperature reaches 60°F. On the Gulf Coast that is a handful of mornings a year.
Do you install Hayward heat pumps in Sarasota?
Yes. We install and service Hayward HeatPro 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 HP21405T 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
- Hayward — HP21405T product page
- Hayward — HeatPro heat pump Installation and Operation Manual 51300122601 Rev C (capacity, COP, titanium condenser, flow, clearances, display codes)
- Hayward — 2026 Expert Line residential warranty terms
- Hayward — warranty resource page (Expert Line vs Open Line, Hayward Rewards)
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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