Pool Solar Panels | Pool Solar Heaters

Solar heaters are also covered with a glass panel to act as a greenhouse, trapping heat within the enclosure. Since heat cannot escape through convection (due to glass), the only way of dissipation is through conduction. Fortunately the rate of conduction is much slower. Therefore most of the heat is retained.

How they work

Cold water runs into a heat exchanger and out comes warm water for your pool. This happens as the black-painted pipes absorb heat from the sunlight and transfer them to the water passing through. The surfaces of the heat collector box are also painted black and certainly helps warm up the air within. This, too, adds to the temperature of the water in the pipes.

The sunlight intensity, rate of water flow and diameter of pipes determine how hot the water will be. Generally, the thinner the pipes, the more efficient the heat transfer. This is because there is more surface area through which heat can be conducted from the pipe into the water.

Advantages

Solar heaters rarely need any maintenance at all. They can also last many decades without significant wear and tear, provided it’s built and installed properly. Most importantly, solar heaters are cleaner and cheaper than gas and electric heaters.

The typically payback period of a pool solar panel is about 1 to 2 years, depending on the sunlight intensity and fuel costs.

Because solar heaters are very simple in design, they make very popular DIY projects. Homemade heaters will obviously cost much lesser than commercially made pool solar heaters. A typical heater may cost within the $4,000 price tag while a do-it-yourself solar heater often cost only a tenth of this price. Therefore the payback period is much shorter.

Installation

Installing a pool solar panel will not be a very tedious task. Most importantly, you should tilt your panels toward the south (if you are staying in the northern hemisphere) so that they can receive more sunlight throughout the year.

Other installation considerations include local building and insurance requirements as well as safety issues. An option is to have a qualified solar thermal contractor to install your solar heating panels for you. This will ensure quality.

With its simplicity, ease of installation and durability, pool solar heaters are getting more popular with consumers. Many DIY enthusiasts are also beginning to put together copper pipes to make their own homemade solar heat collectors to warm up their pool. Such do-it-yourself projects will only get more popular as consumers realize the benefits of using pool solar panels.

Continue Reading:

1. What Are Solar Heaters, How They Work And What They Are Used For
2. 7 Different Ways of Using Solar Energy At Home and In Your Office
3. Heating Up Your Swimming Pool Using Solar Energy

A Heated Pool

There are 2 common methods to heat up your swimming pool using solar energy. You can use solar pool covers or you can use a solar water heater.

First let us look at what these are, then we’ll touch on the advantages and disadvantages of each system.

Solar pool covers are special pool covers that also absorb energy from the sun. They are dark colored and absorb heat better than other types of pool cover. Heat that is trapped in the material is passed to the water by conduction.

These products serve 2 purposes – to warm up your swimming pool and to prevent heat loss by evaporation.

Solar water heaters collect solar energy by using a solar collector. In order to warm your swimming pool water, you have to pump water through it.

The interior of a solar collector is black. This helps to absorb as much heat from the sun as possible. There is a layer of insulation lining the walls of the solar collector. There are also pipes that run through it, carrying cold water.

Inside a basic solar collector, heat is transferred directly to the water passing through it. Thus it also acts as a heat exchanger. Big solar water heaters use a separate heat exchanger in order to handle more capacity.

Pros and cons of using solar pool covers

Solar pool covers need neither installation nor maintenance. All you have to do is pull it out from its bag or roller and spread it across your swimming pool.

And as long as it covers most part of the pool, it’ll be able to do its job well. Some pools are kidney shaped, so you can simply float 1 or 2 rectangular (or square) shaped covers over its surface.

Solar pool covers, like ordinary covers, prevent water loss through evaporation. Thus it saves you the trouble of filling up your pool with water and chemical. And by keeping dirt and debris out, your cleaning time is also reduced.

Pool covers, however, can be dangerous. This is because if children (or even an adult) were to jump or fall into it, he can get wrapped in the cover. He may find it difficult to get out of the pool cover and might drown as a result.

Or if someone swims under the cover and tries to surface for air, he won’t be able to… until he reach the end of the pool.

As convenient as solar pool covers are, they eventually deteriorate and begin to fray. Fragments of plastic can get into the filter and choke it. It may even damage the filter medium.

Yet when you use caution and check the condition of your solar pool cover regularly, these events are unlikely to happen.

Pros and cons of using solar water heater

Solar water heaters for swimming pools take very little time to install. One hour is all it requires. It is also not a great hassle to fit solar water heaters to the pumps and controllers in the filtration system.

There are many different types of solar heaters, ranging from simple to complex. Therefore you can easily find one that fits your needs. They are also not expensive since they do not necessarily need to be glazed and workmanship does not affect its performance seriously.

Compared to solar pool covers, solar water heaters can heat up your pool better and there is more control. Thus you can enjoy warmer water (if that’s what you want) and you can always turn off its valve if it gets too warm for your liking.

Like solar pool covers, solar water heaters have their disadvantages.

With numerous constrictions within its design, your pool pump has to work harder to push water through solar water heaters. You’ll eventually end up with a higher energy bill.

Even with a solar heater, if you are not using your pool for some time, you still have to pull a cover over the water to prevent water and heat loss.

(A good addition to this is to plant bushes to divert or break up wind blowing over the pool.)

In order to help your pool pump run better, you have to choose a solar collector that does not have sharp bends in the piping. Also, ball valves are more efficient than gate valves. Therefore ask before buying.

If you haven’t bought your pool pump, you may also want to choose one that is smaller and has a higher efficiency. When using it, remember that you do not have to run it the whole day in order for it to clean effectively. Start with 8 hours, then increase or decrease the running time till you feel it’s filtering at its maximum efficiency.

Continue Reading:

1. Pool Solar Panels
2. What Are Solar Heaters, How They Work And What They Are Used For
3. 7 Different Ways of Using Solar Energy At Home and In Your Office