How Do I Clean My Pool Heater Heat Exchanger
You can clean your heat exchanger by lowering your calcium saturation index in your pool and manually scrubbing it or using a zero-alkalinity acid treatment. However, if you do this process incorrectly, you can damage your heat exchanger, dissolve copper pipes and plaster surfaces, and stain your water and anyone swimming in it. The best way to clean it is to hire a professional.
How To Convert Conventional Powered Motor/pump With A Solar Powered One
I want to convert my existing swimming pool pumps into Solar powered pumps. Do I just buy a suitable Solar Panel and do the wiring OR do I need to change the pumps as the power generated by the panels may not be constant throughout the day? Cost is a major factor here.
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Heating Your Pool With A Heat Exchanger
To quickly heat up your swimming pool, we advise you to use a titanium heat exchanger. This is ideal for people who are not often at home to enjoy their pool. It will heat up your pool in just one day, making it ideal for a pool at a country retreat or for those who swim only sporadically.
Heat exchangers contain a corrosion-resistant heating element made from titanium. The electricity heats the resistor, which in turn transfers the heat to the water flowing past the resistance.
This titanium heat exchanger is connected to the residential heating system. This makes it a relatively inexpensive heating system to install. High energy consumption is the biggest disadvantage here. If you were constantly to use a heat exchanger to heat up your pool, it could cause a huge run-up in your costs.
Furthermore, this pool heating method is less eco-friendly than solar collectors or a heat pump pool heating system. The advantage of a heat exchanger is that it can heat up the swimming pool water even at colder temperatures and without the sun having to shine. For this reason, a heat exchanger is often combined with a heat pump or solar boiler.
With the titanium heat exchanger the water is quickly heated to a pleasant temperature. You can then let the heat pump or solar boiler take over to maintain the desired temperature without the pump having to be powered up all the time.
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Pool Features Require Proper Flow Rates
You can pretty much forget running a pool/spa combination with a solar pool pump. You will not get invigorating flow from the jets when using the spa. Moreover, the spa spillover feature and any other features like waterfalls, fountains, and bubblers will have variable flow and usually it will not be satisfying.
What Else Should I Consider When Installing My Solar Pool Pump
Devices like pool pumps and pool filters largely work passivelyyou just set them up and let them go. You only need to check on the period or when you notice that they arent working as well as they should.
Here are some common things to look for in order to get the most out of your solar pool pump:
- Ensure that your Solar Pool Pump is placed in a shaded area of the water. This will help maximize its power efficiency and effectiveness!
- You should also ensure you have a backup solution for cloudy days, such as an automatic timer or battery backup if possible. These can be helpful during emergencies.
- If you are installing a solar pool cover with intermittent bubbles, then make sure that the timer is set to run for at least 12 hours per day!
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How Often Should I Clean My Solar Pool Pump
You should do basic preventative maintenance to your solar pool pump every two to four weeks. Thoroughly clean your pump once a year, or increase this to six months if you have a lot of debris in the pool.
Most pool owners can get away with a yearly cleaning of their pool pump, but give it a good look over about once a month so you can be on top of any issues that may pop up.
Pool Scenarios Where Converting To Solar Makes Especially Smart Financial Sense
Keeping pool water warm enough for swimming takes energy. The most common pool-heating methods are natural gas heaters and electric heat pumps.
However, comfortable water temperature does come with a price. Often, the amount is moderate with only minimal impact on monthly energy bills. But the cost varies from pool to pool, based on various factors.
One key determinant of energy costaccompanied by less-than-ideal monthly billsis your current pool heater. Many pool builders make sure their clients have modern technology with high-efficiency ratings to maximize performance. However, your pool may not be equipped with such an option, relying instead on an older or cheaper, less-efficient model that consumes more gas or electric to get the job done.
Or, your pool may include a high-performing heating unit, but external issues contribute to particularly high gas or electric consumption. Just what are these variables that alone or in combination make it tougher to boost water temperature and drive up energy requirements on your heater?
Now, even if your pool is untouched by any of the factors above, and its heat consumption is moderate, your gas or electric bill still may not be. High utility company rates invs. your actual usage levelsin some metropolitan areas may be the culprit driving up the numbers on your monthly bills.
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Take Your Pool Pump Off Grid
Pool owners are aware of how much energy pool pumps require. It takes more than 5,000 KWh per year to operate most standard pool pumps, financially affecting energy bills. Switching to solar-powered pool pump systems harnesses the suns power for free pool pump operation. It reduces long-term costs associated with keeping your pool clean and well-circulated.
Likewise, homeowners can use solar-powered pool pumps for water features, such as ponds, waterfalls, bubblers, and fountains.
The great South African sun!
Using our great South African sun to help convert some of our energy drainers in our home to use solar, just make complete sense!
You can install a pool pump and dedicate 2-6 solar panels to power it. The solar panels are wired directly into the pool pump and when the sun is shining your pool pump will run. Your panels are not connected to the grid!
What To Look For In A Solar Pool Pump
So you have decided to buy a solar pool pump. The question is, what do you look for?
Capacity. This is self-explanatory. The pump must be commensurate to the size of your pool. In most cases 1 to 2HP is enough for home swimming pools, so it is easy to figure out. If you have a larger pool though, make sure the pump can handle the water volume.
Number of Solar Panels Required. Use the formula conversion given above to find out how many you will need. Its a good idea to work this out so you know what solar panel size works best. 250W is the most commonly used, but larger panels are available.
Cost. This is always a point to consider, but it should not be the main one. Far more important is how efficient the solar panel is and if it will work with the pool pump.
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How Can I Extend My Pool Season
Sometimes, the places we grow up in can shield us from the realities of the rest of the world. We forget that our experiences can be and usually are much different than the experiences of someone else. Growing up in Florida means we can enjoy our pools all- year round. Literally. I even have fond memories of jumping into the pool on early Christmas mornings without hesitation or worries about catching pneumonia. Unfortunately, this isnt true for most families. In fact, Id guess that an overwhelming majority of swimming pools close before Christmas. This leaves northern pool owners asking themselves, How can I extend MY pool season?
Most pool seasons in the US last shorter than most people would like, especially in areas with colder climates. As a result, I figured I would give a few suggestions on ways you can extend your pool season. At the end of the day, pool owners simply want to make the most out of their pool and equipment. With the right combination of the right equipment, you can easily amaze your family and friends by extending your pool season a few weeks or even months.
Why Should You Avoid A Solar Pool Pump
After all that good stuff, sadly we cannot recommend solar pool pumps to our clients in Florida. There are too many issues and considerations that make them a poor choice for most homeowners. As we mentioned above, the devil is in the details when it comes to free stuff, and free water pumping for your pool is no different. Below are some reasons you should avoid a solar pool pump.
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Why A Heat Pump Is Better Than Solar Pool Heating
There are a number of factors that come into play when tossing up your heater options and It depends on where you live and what your needs are.
The common questions to ask are:
- How often do you swim, daily/weekly?
- What is the volume of water in my pool?
- What is the ambient outdoor temperature?
- How often do you use your pool in autumn/spring/winter?
- Is the pool affected by shade, sun and wind?
Theres no right or wrong answers to these questions. It can depend on the size of the pool, your budget and your preferred energy source.
By far the cheapest way would be a pool cover, these are a small initial investment, $0 ongoing cost, just a bit of effort to roll back and forth over the pool when not in use, and of course it wont hit that warm 28 degrees in winter.
Solar Pool Pump Prices
Solar pool pumps are relatively affordable, costing between $250 and $750 typically. Installing the solar panel component is however more expensive, and can set you back $1,500 to $4,000, depending on the number of panels, the difficulty of the installation, and your location.
Solar pool pumps should recover their cost in the long-term through savings in electricity. Typically, it will take 3 to 7 years for a solar pool pump to recover its costs including the solar panels. Keep in mind, however that while solar panels are typically warranted to last 10 years, the solar pool pump component usually only has a warranty for 2 or 3 years. This means you should factor in the cost of a replacement pool pump when considering how long it will take to recoup your initial costs.
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Can You Power Your Swimming Pool With Solar
Posted by Brendon O’Neill04/10/2021
Owning a backyard pool is an Aussie dream, albeit an expensive one. Installation and purchase costs aside, a typical in-ground pool can account for 17% of a homes electricity usage, potentially adding $660 to $1,000 annually to a households power bill.
So, how can you reduce your pools electricity usage, and can solar power help save on running costs? This article discusses ways to save on swimming pool running costs with solar.
Pool Water Circulation Is Dependent On The Weather
Pools depend on adequate turnover for proper chemical dispersion, sanitation, and filtration. Short of grossly over-sizing the solar array, there is really no way to guarantee that you will get adequate turnover for your pool in times of extended adverse weather. We have seen pools go green from pool circulation, and recommend that if you do install a solar pool pump, to keep your existing AC powered pump plumbed in parallel and properly valved in case you need it.
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Make The Most Out Of Your Pool Season
Our intention with this blog post is to help pool owners make the most out of their pool season. As recent years proved, we are all at the mercy of Mother Nature. Sometimes she lets us have a long and sunny pool season. Other years, not so much. Instead of taking your chances with Mother Nature, take back some control. You can extend your pool season a few months simply by investing in a gas heater or heat pump. By coupling a heater with a solar blanket, you are sure to contain the heat within your pool for much longer periods. Thus, making both your pocket and family happy.
How Does Solar Pool Heating Work
Surprisingly, heating your pool with solar panels is easier and more affordable than you think. The installation can be done in as little as a week or two, so you can have your panels up and running in no time. Once the system is set up, its also completely automated, so you dont have to think about it much in the future.
Most solar pool heating systems have a few different components. The components usually include a solar collector, filter, flow control valve, and pump. These components work together as one large integrated system that heats your pool water to the desired temperature.
Heres how it works: First, the water pumps through the filter. Then the water enters the solar collector, where it is heated and pumped back into the pool. While there are many kinds of collectors, in-ground and above-ground pools in California use unglazed collectors. Theyre called unglazed because they dont have a glass covering to catch heat. Instead, they are made from industrial-grade rubber or plastic. Glazed panels are only used in colder climates, since they work to heat water in temperatures that fall below freezing. Alternatives to unglazed solar collectors include evacuated tube solar thermal systems, flat plate solar thermal systems, and thermodynamic panels. Each of these options is used throughout the U.S. and the U.K., and a qualified solar installer can help you decide which is right for you. .
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Is Adding Or Converting Your Pool Heating System To Solar Power Worth It
It very well may be. Evaluate your particular situation in the context of the variables outlined here, and of course, get price estimates for solar systems in your local area.
Remember, heat from the sun is free, clean, and renewable! The initial cost and installation of a solar pool heating system can be upwards of several thousand dollars. However, depending on what you currently pay to heat your pool , this outlay may be recouped within just a few years.
Consider also: If heating your pool becomes free with your new solar system, you and your family may be likely to dive in more often. Extending swim seasonand enjoyment of your backyard resortmay be reason enough to invest in solar!
To learn more about solar pool heating, or to find an installation company in your area, visit .
Have you converted your pools old heater to a solar system? What do you like most about it? Tell us on or !
How Solar Heating Warms Swimming Pools
In a nutshell, solar systems use heat from the sun to warm pool water as it passes through the system. Its a fairly simple process. First, you set the solar system to the desired pool temperaturejust like you would with a traditional heater.
The heart of the system lies in a series of tubes that serve as solar collectors. These collectors absorb heat from the sun, and the tubes become warm.
Next, as the pool pump routinely circulates cold pool water into the filter for cleaning, some of the filtered water gets diverted from returning to the pool. This portion funnels through pipes into the solar systems heated collection tubes.
As the cold water passes through them, it absorbs some of the heat and becomes warmer. A sensor determines when its warm enough, and once it reaches the set temperature, it exits through another set of pipes and circulates back into the pool.
Depending on the weather outside, each time pool water passes through the collection tubes, its temperature can increase six to eight degrees. On a series of warm and sunny days, it can go up even more.
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Is It Important To Have A Pool Cover
All pools will vary in temperatures throughout the year, mainly at night as the ambient temperature also falls. Ideally, all pools should be covered, not only to hold heat within the water, but also to stop evaporation and waste of water and they help keep debris out of the pool when you’re not using it.
Another pro to a pool cover is that by utilising a cover when the pool is not in use it will drastically reduce the size of the heat pump required, and further reduce operating costs due to the heat retained in the water from the use of a blanket.
Operation Of A Pool Heat Pump
A heat pump uses electricity to extract heat from the outside air and distribute it into the water. The heat pumps do not generate any heat themselves.
Heat pumps are therefore dependent on the outside temperature. Heat pumps are efficient so long as the temperature is higher than 10 °C. They generate up to 5 kW of heat for 1 kW of energy.
If the outside temperature falls below 10 °C, it is best to shut off the heat pump. That is why heat pumps are ideal for those who want to swim from April until the end of October. There are, however, specific heat pumps that can be used at lower temperatures. If you want to swim the whole year round, you can use a heat exchanger in the winter months.
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