Pool heater product attributes

Pool heaters cover two families that are rated in different ways. Gas-fired heaters are described by input in Btu/h and thermal efficiency, while heat pump heaters are described by heating output and coefficient of performance at defined air, humidity and water temperatures. A record that puts both into one generic capacity column makes the models impossible to compare.

Gas heaters add variant traps. The same model series is often built separately for natural gas and propane, for standard and high elevation, and sometimes for low-NOx air-district requirements, each with its own part number. Supplier sheets frequently show the series name and a single input rating, which can hide the version actually being sold.

Installation details decide whether a replacement drops in. Water connection size and union type, vent category, electrical supply and heat exchanger material all matter. Regulatory data such as design certification, ASME stamping where a jurisdiction requires it, and federal efficiency metrics belong in evidence fields tied to documents.

The pool heaters attribute template

18 candidate fields in 5 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 10 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Manufacturer Part Number (MPN) manufacturer_part_number_mpn	Identifier	Core	PH-400-LP-HE
GTIN / UPC gtin_upc	Identifier	Core	012345400407

Technical specifications

Measured or rated values that must travel with their unit and test conditions.

Check before use: Store the number and unit separately. Convert only when the source unit and test conditions are known.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Rated Heat Input rated_heat_input	Number · Btu/h	Core	399,000
Thermal Efficiency thermal_efficiency	Number · %	Core	84
Electrical Supply electrical_supply	Controlled list	Core	120/240 VAC, 1 Ph, 60 Hz (field-selectable)
Heat Pump Heating Capacity at Rating Condition heat_pump_heating_capacity_at_rating_condition	Number · Btu/h	Buyer decision	120,000 at the AHRI 1160 high-temperature condition
Heat Pump COP at Rating Condition heat_pump_cop_at_rating_condition	Number	Buyer decision	5.5 at the AHRI 1160 high-temperature condition

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Heater Type heater_type	Controlled list	Core	Gas-fired
Fuel Type fuel_type	Controlled list	Core	Propane (LP)
Heat Exchanger Material heat_exchanger_material	Controlled list	Core	Cupronickel
Header Material header_material	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Bronze

Fit & compatibility

What the item mounts to, mates with, replaces or works alongside.

Check before use: Keep model and series qualifiers. A similar-looking part is not a verified fit until a source says so.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Water Connection Size & Type water_connection_size_type	Text · in	Core	2 in CPVC unions
Elevation Rating elevation_rating	Text · ft	Buyer decision	0-1,999 ft
Vent Category & Vent Material vent_category_vent_material	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Category I, metal draft hood (indoor)

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Core	United States
Gas Appliance Design Certification gas_appliance_design_certification	Text	Channel / evidence	ANSI Z21.56 / CSA 4.7
ASME Section IV Stamp asme_section_iv_stamp	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	Yes, where required by jurisdiction
Low-NOx Compliance low_nox_compliance	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	Low-NOx version (air-district rule stated on spec sheet)

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• Rated input for the specific fuel and elevation version
• Rating conditions behind heat pump capacity and COP
• Elevation rating
• Refrigerant type and GWP (heat pump models)
• Rated heat output

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing pool heaters ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• Is this the propane or the natural gas version, and can it be converted in the field?
• Our site is at 5,000 feet. Do I need the high-altitude model?
• Will the 2 inch unions line up with my existing plumbing?
• Is it the low-NOx version our air district requires?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

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