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Solar pool heating
The concept behind solar pool heating is quite simple. In a nutshell, water that is not quite warm enough for the pool owner to enjoy can be warmed thanks to the energy from the sun. If only it were all really that simple.
It’s not that installing one of these is that complicated, but it must be done with exactness and preciseness. If not, it will not work.
Basically, the solar panels receive the pool water after it is pumped through by the pool’s filtration system. When the panels receive this water, it is heated up and then returned to the pool.
Sometimes, the pool pumps are not quite strong enough to move the water along. In these cases, a more powerful pump must be purchased. The basic flow of the water is simple.
The water starts out in the pool and then is sucked in by the pool pump. From the pump the water moves along to the filter. From the filter it travels to the solar collectors, which is where it gets heated up. From the solar collectors, the water moves through the chlorinator and back into the pool.
There are different types of collectors that are used, but thus far the most popular and effective type are black polypropylene plastic collectors. Individual panels of this type are usually about 4’X10’.
While these are the most popular, there are other types that are also being used. These include collectors that have rubber mats that are flexible. There is also the option to use glass covered collectors.
While these collectors are often used in heating water for the home, they are not nearly as effective in heating water for the pools.
While a homeowner can install one of these systems himself, he should be very confident in his plumbing and electrical skills before he attempts to do so. One of the positives with a person doing it himself is the fact that it will take much less money to complete.
On the other hand, a person needs to decide how much money his own time is worth. What could take a matter of hours for an experienced crew to complete would take a homeowner with less experience a matter of days.
Heating a pool takes a large amount of energy. Therefore, having a large collector area is also a must. For the typical in-ground residential pool, it would take about 10 black plastic panels to heat it properly. The whole collector area will probably need to be somewhere around 400 square feet.
Another of the positive aspects associated with these kinds of pools is the fact that there is really no maintenance required. Of course, any pool owner needs to ensure that his pool’s filtration system is working correctly, but there is essentially no work that needs to be done on the heating system after it is initially finished.
In order to avoid using extra energy that could be avoided, a solar pool cover can trap heat into the pool area. The best kinds of covers are usually at least partially transparent. This helps because when the pool is covered, the sun’s heat is still able to seep through and heat the water up.
Solar pool heating, if done correctly, can last for between 10-15 years until new collectors may be needed. In all, to purchase one of these systems and have it installed it usually costs between $2,000 and $5,000.
However, this soon pays for itself because it is much cheaper to run than using a fuel heater to heat the pool. Depending on how much a pool needs to be heated, the owner of a system that employs solar pool heating could see a return on his investment in as little as a couple of years.
For more solar pool heating information and projects, check out:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/PoolHeating/pool_heating.htm
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