How Does A Solar Pool Heater Work
Solar Pool Heating is a very straightforward process. Your pool water is pumped through a filter and delivered to the solar thermal collectors . The Pool Solar Panels collect the suns rays to heat the water and then return the water back to the pool.
There are checkpoints along this pathway. A check valve prevents pool water from flowing backward in the route, a three-way valve diverts the water either to the panels on the roof for heat or back to the pool if the goal temperature has been reached, and a sensor monitors the waters heat to ensure it is returned to the pool at the right temperature.
Pool solar installation works as a single, complete unit and can also be used in combination with additional gas or electric heating sources.
Pairing the Right Pool Size to Solar Installation Standards
About Our Solar Covers
With a solar cover you can keep the heat in your pool for FREE! We carry a variety of solar cover styles that can help to maintain the temperature in your pool. Whether your pool is too cold to enjoy consistently throughout the summer or you’re currently spending a fortune heating it, you’ll be able to extend your swimming season and save money with a solar cover. Solar covers are designed for inground, semi inground and above ground pools. The bubbles should face down into the water when you put your solar cover on.
How Fast Does A Solar Cover Heat A Pool
In an inground swimming pool, a solar cover can increase the water temperature by 5 to 8 degrees F for every 12 hours of coverage. With no cover at all, pool water absorbs a substantial amount of sunlight. A white plaster pool averaging 4.5 feet in depth absorbs approximately 60% of the suns energy. This energy will heat the pool by about 0.7°F per hour under direct midday sunlight. See our full deep dive into how fast a solar cover heats a swimming pool here.
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Siting A Solar Swimming Pool Heater’s Collector
Collectors can be mounted on roofs or anywhere near the swimming pool that provides the proper exposure, orientation, and tilt toward the sun. Both the orientation and tilt of the collector will affect your solar pool heating system’s performance. Your contractor should consider them while evaluating your site’s solar resource and sizing your system.
How Much Does A Solar Pool Heater Cost
Solar pool heaters and installation often costs between $3,000 to $4,000. While the upfront cost of a solar heater can be a bit higher than alternatives, they require very little upkeep and have no associated fuel costs. According to the Department of Energy, they typically last longer than gas and heat pump pool heaters. In fact, most properly installed, high quality solar heaters will last up to 20 years.
While the payback period for most solar heaters is between 1.5 to 7 years, the actual time will depend on a variety of factors including:
- The size of your pool
- How hot you like to keep your pool
- The local cost of electricity or gas
- The amount of sun in your climate
- How much your roof is shaded
- Orientation of the solar collectors
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Sunheater S120u Universal Solar Pool Heater
SunHeaters S120U universal solar pool heater is a cost-effective solution for heating your swimming pool. The heaters versatility and simple installation process make it one of the preferred solar pool heaters in the U.S.
Similar to Games curve solar pool heater, this also has its own unique patented design. But instead of a curve, it uses a web design. This allows the heater to gain maximum exposure to sunlight. With this, you can raise the temperature of your swimming pool from 6 to 10 degrees F.
The installation process is simple. You can install the heater by yourself even if you do not have any prior knowledge of this. But, you have to get the hardware equipment separately that is required for installation. You will find a detailed installation manual online on how to install the heater.
You can connect the heater to an existing pool pump. There is no need to get a new pump. As for the panels, you can mount them on the roof, ground, rack, or fence. Besides, you can use this heater for inground and above ground pools.
Pros
Next Day Delivery Details
Dohenys is pleased to offer free next day delivery at no additional charge for orders over $100 to most of the US for all Doheny’s brand chemicals and many of our most popular swimming pool supplies. Next Day Delivery Service does not mean Next Day Air, but simply that your qualifying products will be shipped from the warehouse closest to you resulting in delivery the next day. We do have a shipping charge of only $9.99 for orders under $100.00.
Some details regarding this service:Other than for Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, not all products are stocked at all locations and therefore not available for next day delivery. Only those items with a Next Day Delivery designation on the product page can be expected to arrive the next day and orders must be placed by 3 PM local time .
If you reside in the next day delivery area served by our Pleasant Prairie facility, order in-stock products and place your order by 3 PM Local Time you should receive your order the next day . This applies to products even if they do not have a Next Day Delivery designation.
Because next day delivery is not guaranteed for standard service and residential deliveries are made only Monday through Saturday though Saturday delivery is not guaranteed, there is a chance that our product will not arrive the next day. While we try our best, unexpected demand can cause products to occasionally be out of stock or create a warehouse backlog that also can prevent shipment the day of the order.
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Install The Plumbing From The Pump To The Collector And The Valve
After the solar collectors and the flow valve are in place, it is time to install the plumbing. This should be an easy process and the last step in the guide to install your solar heater.
a. Set the desired route for the pipes and measure the distance
You should define the shortest route going from the pool to the pump, to the flow valve, into the collectors, and back to the pool, whithout endangering any local landscape features. After choosing the route, measure the distance to know what pipe length and type of pipe connectors you will need.
b. Choose the right pipes and set them in place
Choosing the right pipe depends on your existing pool pump and the pool size. When everything else is ready, you just need to install the pipes and secure them in place. Ensure you make the right connections and everything is airtight. After the pipes, you should be ready to enjoy your pool solar heater.
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- Brand SolarPoolSupply
- SUPERIOR MANUFACTURING: Made from precompounded polypropylene, a process which increases the materials resistance to UV light . This manufacturing process eliminates the inherent quality issues that plague cheaply manufactured products which typically see a lifespan of only 1-2 years.
- QUALITY ASSURANCE: Manufactured from high-grade materials proven to last in all types of weather and withstand the harsh conditions of a rooftop for up to 15-20 years. Each panel is put up against more than 40 quality control inspections throughout the entire manufacturing process to ensure the final product.more
- 9.0BOT Score
Scores from 0 to 10 are automatically scored by our BOT Reporting tool based on the collected data. This score is born to evaluate product quality, and is automatically obtained and is not influenced by anyone, any company, any brand.
- Brand SolarPoolSupply
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What Size System Do I Need
The most relevant aspect of sizing a system is based on the square footage of your pool. We typically recommend matching anywhere from 50%-100% of your pools total surface area to solar collector coverage .
*For example, if your pool is 500 square feet, then 50% solar coverage equals 250 square feet of solar panels, 75% solar coverage equals 375 square feet of solar panels, etc. From this point, you’ll want to look at selecting a panel size that fits your installation area.
- For a complete breakdown on how to select & size the right solar pool heating system, see our sizing help page:
Warranty Claims
All solar heating panels Collectors are sold with a manufacturers warranty, a copy of which may be found on the brands page. Solar Pool Supply is not responsible for any damage incurred as the result of customer negligence or installation error and such incidents are not covered by warranty. All solar heating panels Collectors must be installed with new hardware for warranty coverage to apply. For all warranty claims and replacements, the customer is responsible for covering all shipping costs.
Tips to Protect your Purchase
Use caution when walking near solar collectors.These products are not designed to be walked or stepped on such actions may damage the collector and/or riser tubes. Accidental damage during installation is not covered by warranty.
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Sunheater Solar Heating Systems
- Brand: SunHeater
- Its an efficient and cost-effective method to heat your aboveground pool.
- This system can raise the water temperature up to 15°F and extend your pool season by weeks!
- Easy to install
Heres another SunHeater heating system on our list. It is yet another great solar pool heater for your above-ground pool. It comes with a special tube-on-web design that allows the solar panels to produce maximum solar energy. These solar panels cover a large surface area on top of your above-ground pool. Not many solar heating systems allow solar panels to be used as cover panels for your swimming pool.
Pros & Cons
- Works for the above-ground pool only
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Sun2solar Clear Rectangle Solar Pool Cover
Now onto the cream of the crop. Many see the Sun2Solar Solar Cover as the best solar cover for an inground pool, including the vast majority of our team that was involved in testing the solar covers. Its affordable, durable, heats pools extremely well and it still offers good value for its price. The 16 x 32 ft. cover that we tested comes in either blue or clear color, and they are made from thousands of round bubbles.
This pool cover also comes in over a dozen different sizes for both rectangle and square pools, meaning less cutting and more convenience in setting it up. When considering what color to go with, blue can provide an appealing look, while clear does a better job at acquiring more heat.
This solar cover is 12-mil thick, and it can have a reasonable amount of durability. You can trim it to suit your specific needs, and you wont have to worry about voiding the warranty. This was hands down our teams favorite of the 20 solar pool covers we tested and is an online best seller.
So, how exactly does a solar pool cover work?
Our Teams Answer: A solar cover for swimming pools essentially works like a heating lid. It captures the heat from the sun and prevents your pool from debris and dirt. It also prevents heat loss as well as helps prevent the water from evaporating.
How Many Btus Do I Need To Heat My Inground Pool
If you have a smaller pool , a 50,000 BTU pool heater is enough to heat your water. However, if you want to have a longer swim season in the colder months, you may need a BTU output of up to 65,000.
But if you have a larger pool, up to 21,000 gallons, youll need a larger heater around 85,000 BTUs. Most heaters provide calculations on their websites.
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How To Choose The Correct System
First and foremost, your solar pool heating system will need to play well with your existing pool equipment. Then, the collector has a job to do: meet your water-temperature needs for your desired pool season. Your climate, pool size and particular home environment all factor into the choice of collector and how many you need. Additional personal considerations may include ease of self-installation, portability for an above-ground system and, of course, cost.
We asked Matt Yoder, Director of Growth at the popular online retailer Solar Pool Supply, for insight into some of these crucial aspects of getting the right system. The company sells many of the major brands, and its business model is based on the notion that with adequate instruction and a professional product, consumers can be empowered to do their own solar pool heating installations.
Pairing The Right Pool Size To Solar Installation Standards
The popularity of pool solar solutions is on the rise, and for a good reason. Solar Pool Heating for pools is great for the environment, and its also a customized strategy for those who always want to have sustainable control over water temperature.
Ultimately, a Solar Pool Heater can be fitted to a pool of any size. The general rule of thumb is that the square footage of the installed solar panel collector should be as close as possible to the total square footage of the pool.
That said, solar for pools is very dependent on the average climate and the desired heat levels to be maintained. Pools with larger dimensions will inevitably require more and likely larger solar panels than those needed for a smaller pool.
If youre interested in pool solar options, its essential to consider how many months out of the year that you use your pool. Pools that remain open for the entire year will require larger solar collectors. If your pools open seasonally, you can likely outfit it with smaller panels.
The general recommendation by the Department of Energy is that the solar collector is between 50% and 100% of the pools total surface square footage. That means if a pool has dimensions of 15 feet x 20 feet, the solar collector used to generate energy needs to be between 150 and 300 square feet in size.
The Logistics of Mounting Pool Solar Panels
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What Type Of Pool Do You Have
Above ground swimming pools and in ground pools tend to use different solar collectors. The above ground pool solar panel heater can be easily installed next to your pool or even next to the pump, while this is not the case for in ground swimming pool solar collectors.
The above ground swimming pools tend to have some unused space around the pool that is perfect for installing several above ground pool solar collectors right next to the walls of the pool. In some cases, you can even install these above ground pool solar heater systems between pool ladders, especially since you can move the collector with the adjustable and foldable legs. This is not the case for in ground swimming pools.
Owners of in ground swimming pools usually want to be able to walk all the way around their pools without any interference. This is why inground pools tend to have solar collectors installed at the roof that get heat from solar radiation in order to make in ground pools warm.
Maintain Water Temperature For Free
Unlike other types of pool heaters, a solar cover helps to maintain heat in your pool for free. Other than the cost of the solar blanket, there are no associated costs to operate your blanket . Proper use of a solar blanket can retain up to 10 degrees of additional heat in your pool, depending on the amount of sun your pool gets throughout the day, and the duration it is exposed to the sunlight.
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Doheny’s Lowest Price Guarantee
Shop with confidence at Doheny’s.
Our volume discounts guarantee the absolute lowest prices on all of our products: swimming pool supplies, chemicals, equipment and more. To prove it, if you find a lower total delivered price by a licensed and authorized pool supply catalog or website , we will refund you the difference. We will even guarantee our Low Price for 30 days after your purchase. Simply contact our Customer Care Team at: or call us at 1-800-574-7665 to report the lower price. After verification, the difference will be promptly refunded. Doheny’s is not responsible for inadvertent price or text misprints or errors. Some restrictions apply – call for details.
How Do You Choose The Best Inground Pool Heater
If you live in a colder climate or need to heat a larger pool quickly, we recommend the Hayward Universal H-Series Gas Heater . Gas heaters are extremely powerful and can heat your water up by 20 or 30 degrees. However, it will cost you over time, since gas is the most expensive utility to use to heat your pool.
For a more energy-efficient option thats still powerful, consider the Hayward HeatPro Heat Pump. It utilizes ambient heat from the outside air, helping you save money on your utility bill. But even though this heat pump is more energy-efficient, it may not work as well in extremely cold temperatures as a gas heater.
Finally, if you live somewhere sunny and you dont mind waiting a few days for your pool water to heat up, the SmartPool S601 Pool Solar Heaters is both very affordable and extremely energy-efficient. But unlike a heat pump or gas heater, it can take several days for your water temperature to rise.
Finally, if you have a smaller pool and you want a more affordable option, we recommend the Pentair MasterTemp 125. Its a few thousand dollars less than the Hayward Heat Pump and Natural Gas Heater but it runs on propane and only works in pools up to 15,000 gallons.
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