Coates Electric Pool Heater, 45kw 240V Single Phase, Salt Water Application

The Coates 45kW 240V Single-Phase Electric Pool & Spa Heater for Salt Water Applications (Model 12445CES / 12445CPHS — featuring the "S" saltwater/corrosion-resistant package) is a heavy-duty, high-capacity inline immersion heater engineered for high-demand municipal therapy pools, resort plunge pools, commercial swim schools, and wellness centers operating with electrolytic salt chlorine generation systems (typically 2,500 to 4,500+ ppm TDS/NaCl).

At 45kW on a single-phase 240V service, total continuous current reaches 187.5 Amps. Under NEC continuous-duty loading mandates ($187.5\text{ A} \times 1.25 = 234.38\text{ A}$ minimum branch rating), a single feed would require an impractically large 250A breaker and heavy 250 kcmil conductors. Consequently, commercial installations split this demand internally across two or three staged branch circuits to keep wire sizes and breaker ratings within standard subpanel allocations.

Electrical & Heating Performance

• Model Designation: Coates 12445CES / 12445CPHS series (124 designates 1-Phase 240V; suffix designates Saltwater/Titanium package).

• Heating Capacity: 45 kW (45,000 Watts).

• Thermal Output: 153,546 BTU/hr ($45\text{ kW} \times 3,412.142\text{ BTU/kWh}$).

• Operating Voltage: 240V AC, Single-Phase (1Ø), 2-wire plus ground, 60 Hz.

• Total Full Load Amperage (FLA): 187.5 Amps

  $$\text{FLA} = \frac{45,000\text{ W}}{240\text{ V}} = 187.5\text{ A}$$

• Circuit & Overcurrent Protection Configurations:

  • Dual-Circuit Split Configuration (Standard Field Specification):

    • Circuit 1 (22.5 kW / 93.75 A FLA): Requires a dedicated 2-pole 125-Amp breaker ($93.75\text{ A} \times 1.25 = 117.19\text{ A}$ min), minimum #1 AWG or #1/0 AWG copper.

    • Circuit 2 (22.5 kW / 93.75 A FLA): Requires a dedicated 2-pole 125-Amp breaker ($93.75\text{ A} \times 1.25 = 117.19\text{ A}$ min), minimum #1 AWG or #1/0 AWG copper.

  • Three-Circuit Split Configuration (Alternate Subpanel Configuration): Three balanced 15kW heating stages:

    • Circuits 1, 2, & 3 (Each 15 kW / 62.5 A FLA): Each requires a dedicated 2-pole 80-Amp breaker ($62.5\text{ A} \times 1.25 = 78.13\text{ A}$ min), minimum #4 AWG copper per branch.

  • Single Feeder (Where Panel & Lugs Permit): Requires a 2-pole 250-Amp circuit breaker with minimum 250 kcmil THHN copper.

Salt Water Construction & Metallurgy Upgrades

• Titanium / Incoloy 825 Sheathed Elements: Immersion elements are upgraded from standard alloys to Titanium or high-nickel/high-molybdenum Incoloy 825 sheathing to resist chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking (SCC), scale accumulation, and localized pitting from dissolved sodium chloride and electrolytic chlorination.

• Passivated / Barrier-Coated Pressure Vessel: Extended cylindrical pressure chamber fabricated from heavy-gauge 316L stainless steel or carbon steel lined with a specialized baked phenolic epoxy/fluoropolymer protective barrier, isolating the tank substrate from saline electrolytic degradation.

• Sacrificial Cathodic Protection: Equipped with an accessible sacrificial zinc or magnesium anode plug port to absorb galvanic action and mitigate stray current erosion in the salt plumbing loop.

• Corrosion-Inhibited Cabinet: Heavy-gauge NEMA 1 industrial painted enclosure finished with an anti-corrosion powder coating to prevent cabinet degradation in high-humidity, salt-vapor mechanical rooms.

Construction & Safety Architecture

• Cabinet & Enclosure: NEMA 1 industrial painted steel cabinet with a removable front panel for terminal inspections, multiple staged heavy-duty 2-pole magnetic contactor servicing, and field wire terminations.

• Integrated Safety Controls:

  • Dual-dial adjustable thermostatic controller calibrated up to 104°F (40°C) for commercial spa compliance.

  • Manual-reset High-Limit safety cutout set to de-energize the magnetic contactor control circuit at 122°F (50°C).

  • Pressure/flow-interlock switch preventing heating element contactors from pulling in during low-flow, pump loss, or deadhead conditions.

Hydraulic & Plumbing Specifications

• Plumbing Connections: Standard 1-1/2" NPT female inlet and outlet ports (adapted via Schedule 80 CPVC unions into 2" or 2-1/2" headers).

• Equipment Sequencing in Salt Systems: Must always be installed upstream of the electrolytic chlorine generator cell (separated by an inline corrosion-resistant check valve) to prevent hyper-concentrated chlorine gas or acidic pockets from pooling inside the heater vessel during pump shutdowns.

• Flow Rate Parameters:

  • Minimum Flow Rate: 25 to 30 GPM (approx. 95 to 114 LPM) required to trip the safety flow switch and prevent localized thermal cavitation across multi-element arrays.

  • Maximum Flow Rate: 60 to 70 GPM (approx. 227 to 265 LPM); filtration loops operating at higher GPM mandate an external plumbed bypass manifold.

• Maximum Working Pressure: 60 PSI (approx. 4.14 bar).

Dimensions, Net Weight & Shipping Weight

• Unit Dimensions: Approximately 24.0" L × 12.0" W × 16.5" H (approx. 61.0 cm × 30.5 cm × 41.9 cm).

• Net Unit Weight: Approximately 82 to 90 lbs (approx. 37.2 to 40.8 kg).

• Packaged Shipping Dimensions: Approximately 26" L × 15" W × 19" H.

• Packaged Shipping Weight: Approximately 96 to 108 lbs (approx. 43.5 to 49.0 kg) in heavy-duty reinforced corrugated packaging with dense molded foam protection.

Estimated Temperature Rise Rates

(Calculation: $\text{Rise (°F/hr)} = \frac{153,546\text{ BTU/hr}}{\text{Gallons} \times 8.34\text{ lbs/gal}}$, baseline heat-up rate assuming covered vessel without ambient radiation losses.)