Solar Pool Heater Installation And Operating Costs
According to the Department of Energy, solar pool heaters typically cost between $3,000 to $4,000 install on your roof. Your payback period for this investment depends on how much you would otherwise spend on fuel to heat your pool and how expensive this energy resource is in your area. Most homeowners investing in solar pool heaters will break even on their investment in less than seven years.
The upfront investment of the system is the largest cost associated with this technology operating and maintenance costs are relatively low. Properly installed, high-quality solar pool heaters should operate efficiently for 10 to 20 years.
Things To Consider When Buying Solar Pool Heaters
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Pool Form Factor What kind of pool do you have? Above ground pools are easily enough heated with sheets or a very small exchange heater.
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Distance from the House How far away is the pool from your house? If its significantly far, then exchange heaters, best served on the roof, maybe less practical.
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Installation How much of an undertaking do you want the installation to be? Surface heaters are pretty unremarkable to install, but exchange heaters often require a pump as well as some construction.
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Temperature Do you just need a little bit of heat, or do you need to actively put a lot of thermal energy into it? If you live in a warmer, sunnier place like California, heaters like these dont have to work very hard, but other parts of the world with unpredictable sunlight, they have to work harder and provide more heat too.
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Warranty Obviously, you want a good warranty on these, because there are a lot of things that can go wrong dont worry, Ill tell you all about that in a minute.
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Pool Function Is this a leisure pool? Then youll want it between 88-90 degrees or so. This sounds hot, but for water, its really not. If this is an exercise pool, youll actually want it a bit cooler, as this encourages circulation and locomotion Between 78-85 degrees.
How to winterize solar pool heater?
How to install a solar pool heater on the roof?
Determining Efficiency Of Solar Swimming Pool Heating System:
You can determine the efficiencies of solar swimming pools heating systems based on the thermal performance rating of the collector, if available. The thermal performance rating of a solar collector is measured by BTU per squares feet per day: Btu/ Or, the rating can be measured in megajoules per squares meters per day: MJ/
It can also be measured by BTU pers day, which is the rating of BTU/ multiplied by the area of ft2. MJ per day is also used, which is the rating in MJ/ multiplied by the area in M2. The higher the number, the higher the solar energy collection efficiency.
However, because weather conditions, equipment accuracy, and other test condition constraints may vary, the thermal performance of any two collectors should be considered approximately the same if their rating is within 25 Btu/ of each other.
High-efficiency solar collectors will not only reduce your annual operating costs but may also require fewer squares feet of collector area to heat the pool.
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Does A Solar Pool Heater Work
Solar heatingsolar heaters worksolarpool
Correspondingly, is solar pool heating worth it?
Solar pool heaters are extremely reliable.Solar energy has been used for the past 30+ years not only for heating pools, but also for providing electricity and warm running water for residential and commercial places. There are no motors or fans that you have to worry about breaking, and no heat exchangers to corrode.
Furthermore, when should I turn on my solar pool heater?
Beside above, how warm does a solar heated pool get?
The short answer you have been waiting for is that solar heated pools with ideal systems usually reach 8-12 degrees above an unheated pool. It can be less or more depending on weather.
Do solar heaters work for above ground pools?
When it comes to swimming pool heater, the solar heaters are one of the most economical choices, especially for you who has above ground pool. That because they draw energy from the sun, so they don’t increase your electric bill, and more of that they are relatively easy to settings.
Solar Pool Heater Technology
Solar Pool Heating is one of the simplest yet the most cost-effective use of solar energy in many climates. Water is pumped from the pool to the solar collectors where the water is warmed by the sun. The warm water is then pumped back into the swimming pool allowing you to enjoy your pool for many months, and in some areas all year long. Most solar pool heating systems include the following:
- A solar collector the device through which pool water is circulated to be heated by the sun
- A filter removes debris before water is pumped through the collector
- A pump circulates water through the filter and collector and back to the pool
- A flow control valve automatic or manual device that diverts pool water through the solar collector.
Some systems include sensors and an automatic or manual valve to divert water through the collector when the collector temperature is sufficiently greater than the pool temperature. When the collector temperature is similar to the pool temperature, filtered water simply bypasses the collector and is returned to the pool.
Solar Pool Heater System Types
Solar pool collectors are made out of different materials. The type you’ll need depends on your climate and how you intend to use the collector. If you’ll only be using your pool when temperatures are above freezing, then you’ll probably only need an unglazed collector system.
Unglazed Solar Pool Heating Collectors
Glazed Solar Pool and Water Heating Collectors
Selecting a Solar Pool Heater
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Benefits Of A Solar Pool Heater
You may have heard of the various benefits of using solar power for all sorts of domestic purposes. But when it comes to heating your pool, the benefits of solar energy are especially beneficial. If you have been considering heating your pool, you may be surprised what a huge difference a solar pool heater can make. Consider the following benefits of a solar water heater.
Solar Power is Free
The most obvious benefit of a solar-powered water heater is that solar power is completely free. The investment required to have your water heated will go completely into the installation and basic maintenance of the solar heater with no additional expenses in the future.
If you like the idea of warm pool water in the colder months but hate the idea of prohibitive costs of energy involved, a solar-powered pool heater is the best option for you.
Solar Pool Heaters are a Reliable Investment
You will find that your solar pool heater is a dependable addition to your pool system. This is especially true for those regions where the weather is too cool in the spring and fall for regular pool use.
No matter what the temperatures are, so long as there is plenty of sunlight, your pool will be warm enough for you and your family to take a dip without joining the polar bear club.
If you would like to make the most of your pool all year round, a solar water heater is an ideal option for your needs.
Solar Energy Saves You Money
Solar Pool Water Heaters Can Be Set Up Anywhere
Why Does My Pool Heater Keep Shutting Off
There are a few possible reasons for this, but the most common is a dirty filter. A dirty pool filter can cause low pressure and as a result, cause the pool heaters pressure switch to turn off automatially. A dirty swimming pool filter can also prevent a pool heater from starting correctly and it can also cause your heater to shut off before warming the water fully. Some other possibilities are your heater motor not receiving the proper voltage, pool heater impeller malfuntions, and faulty switches.
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Installing The Solar Collector
The first step when installing a solar pool heater is to properly install the solar collectors. They should be set in the right direction to ensure they absorb as much solar energy as possible and properly fixed to secure them.
a. Choose the right direction and angle for your solar collectors
The solar thermal collectors should be geographically oriented south since this ensures they receive higher solar energy and maximizes heat collection. If you do not have enough roof space on the south, the second best option is for the collectors to face west and east with a 40º tilt or as close to it as possible , this will still produce a good amount of heat. We recommend you ensure that no trees are shading the collectors to get the best possible efficiency.
b. Determine the proper size for your solar collector
Most swimming pools require a solar collectors array with an area equal to 60% 75% of the surface area of the pool, especially when the solar pool heating panels face west. If you use the pool year-round or install the collectors in another direction, you should get an array with the same area as your pool.
c. Set the right mounting for the solar system and install your collectors
d. Connect the collectors in between
With Thermal Solar Panels
To set up your installation, you can look into the option of a solar swimming pool heating kit. You must choose the right kit for the size of your swimming pool. It costs between 600 and 3,500.
In any event, this type of installation is simple if you are a DIY enthusiast. We recommend for anything relating to warranties or proper operation.
Some have even chosen to build their own solar installation. With that being said, this kind of project is not for everyone. It requires mounting a structure, creating a hydraulic network or even putting together the front side of the panel itself.
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The Light At The End Of The Funnel
Every location on Earth thats lit by the sun has a set amount of energy available to it from that light. This is known as the sites solar resource.
How much sun your backyard gets in a day, a week, a season, or a year limits the amount of power available to solar pool heaters. They use both direct solar radiation, which is sunlight that strikes the collector directly and diffuse solar radiation, which is ambient sunlight reflected from other objects or filtered through obstructions.
So even if youre not perched on a mesa in Death Valley, your site still might have more than enough solar resource available to heat your pool. If youre building on an unshaded, south-facing area, youre good to go. The more sun youve got, the better off you are.
You can always compensate for less sunlight by choosing a system with higher efficiency.
If youre not sure about how suitable your site is for using solar, or youre not quite sure how to identify the best part of your property for the installation, get in touch with your local solar system supplier or installer. Theyll do an on-site solar resource analysis and guide you in the right direction.
Solar Heating Makes Sense
A solar heating system provides inexhaustible energy for free! How can anyone say no to that?Let us add that solar energy is an efficient source of energy no matter where you live. After all, it is no secret that Germany is well ahead of the curve as far as renewable energy is concerned. And this is true despite the fact that Bavaria is no French Riviera!
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Quality Products Equal Top Performance
The construction of the component parts will determine how well your solar pool heater performs and how long the system will last. In Florida, the solar collector panels are almost always made of polypropylene plastic collectors. Solar Source uses Heliocol solar pool heating exclusively. They have been in business since 1977, make the best products, and back them up with the best warranty in the business.
Most solar pool heating systems will last at least 10-20. Some systems last much longer than others and some have much higher outputs than others.
Kokido Keops Solar Dome Above Ground Swimming Pool Water Heater
Overall, this isnt the best performing solar pool heating system, but when it comes to the extremely low price and the output and the size, this is a great system for your above the ground pool.
Although it doesnt require large solar panels to heat the water, the Kokido Keops Solar Dome channels heat from the sun into your pool. The system is very easy to connect with the pump, it doesnt require any additional adapters like some other solar heating systems, and it raises the temperature of the water between five and seven degrees Fahrenheit in just 2 days of sun. If that doesnt sound like much, keep in mind that many solar heaters twice the cost and five times the size only add about 10 degrees. That makes the Kokido Keops one of the more cost-effective units above the ground pools currently on the market.
Suitable for pools up to 8000 Gallons of water, upgrade it easily to heat even larger pools with multiple units, or larger units.
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How Long Does It Take To Heat A Pool Without A Heater
It normally takes somewhere between 8 and 12 hours to fully cycle all of the water in your swimming pool, so factoring that in you can expect an overall temperature rise of 5 to 15 degree F after several days of sunny weather. Since we cannot control the weather of course, we usually do not recommend waiting for the sun to heat your pool. If you dont have a pool heater, we recommend looking into getting one that fits in your budget.
Working Of A Solar Pool Heater
Pool water is pumped to the collector. Before water gets to the collector, it goes through a filter to remove any leaves, debris, and dirt. In the solar collector, the water is heated by the sun before its returned to the pool. If you live in a hot climate area, the collector can be used to cool the pool during summer months. This is possible if you circulate water through the collector at night.
With a flow control valve, water is diverted to the collector the moment the collector temperature is higher than that of the pool. However, when the collector temperature is equal to the pools temperature, the filtered water only bypasses the collector before its returned to the pool.
Solar pool collectors vary in type and material used depending on your climate and also how you purpose to use the collector. Unglazed collector systems are best when you mainly use your pool when the temperature is above the freezing point. These types of collectors do not have a glass covering . Such collectors are made of heavy plastic treated with UV light inhibitors or heavy-duty rubbers.
Due to their inexpensive designs and parts, unglazed collectors are less expensive when compared to their glazed counterparts. If you have an indoor pool, unglazed collectors are also effective, especially when designed to drain back to the pool when they not in use.
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Disadvantages Of A Solar Heater
While there are several advantages to choosing a solar heater, there are a few disadvantages as well. Solar heaters do cost less in the long run when it comes to their operational costs, but the initial installment can be expensive. Depending on the size of your pool, they can also take up a considerable amount of room, so it is important to consider whether you are okay with solar panels taking up room on your roof, lawn, or anywhere else you may need to set them up.
The other thing to consider when it comes to choosing a solar heater is the wait time a common complaint is that solar heaters do not heat as well as gas or electric heaters. Solar heaters can take longer to heat the pool water, since they use energy and heat pulled from the sun rather than a separate heating element. Also, since a solar pool heater does pull its power from the sun, it is subject to weather conditions. On windy or cloudy days, you will not get the same results as you would on a bright and sunny day. A pool cover will allow the heating system to retain heat during those cooler, overcast days.
Using The Existing Pump
As long as you have a pump thats large enough to adequately filter your pool, it should be more than powerful enough to drive water through a solar water heater as well. Thats why no additional motor is needed when you have a solar water heater installed for your pool. Its important to consider runtime limitations and the overall output of your pump when choosing a system. A good professional can help you decide if you need to upgrade your pump, and how you can work with your existing pump to make your unit work out properly.
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