What Size Solar Pool Heater Do I Need To Heat My Above Ground Pool
Choosing the right solar pool heater size depends on the solar panels surface area and the size of your pool. Youll need enough solar paneling or tubing to equal 50% of your pools surface area. For example, if your pools surface area is 600 square feet, youll need 300 square feet of solar panels or tubing to heat it. Smaller above ground swimming pools of up to 8,000 gallons can get by with one unit. Larger pools require additional units with bypass kits. Youll also need to consider local landscape features and how much sunlight you get.
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Which Size Solar Collector Is Right For Your Home
Depending on how many months out of the year you plan to use your pool and how warm you prefer your water to be, the Department of Energy recommends the solar collector be between 50% and 100% of the square footage size of the pools surface.
For example, if a pool is 15-by-20 feet, it has 300 square feet of surface area. Therefore, the solar collector should be between 150 and 300 square feet in size.
Homeowners looking to keep their pool open throughout the year should consider a solar collector that is the full size of the pool or larger.
For example, a 15-by-30-foot outdoor swimming pool in Florida typically requires a collector that equals 100% of the pool’s square footage to accommodate year-round use. This equals 450 square feet of collectors.
In northern California, most people use outdoor pools 68 months per year, so they typically size their systems at 60%70% of the pool’s surface area.
Installing Solar Pool Heaters
If youve now decided to get PV or solar-powered heaters for your swimming pool, let us walk you through the process of installing them if you prefer to DIY. Here is the step-by-step procedure:
1) Know the perfect location for the solar collectors
This means checking your surroundings to ensure that when installed, the panels will get hit by direct sunlight without any obstructions such as tall buildings, large trees, or high walls. Another thing to consider is that if you live in an area where the weather is severe or unpredictable, choose an area where the solar heater for pool wont be damaged or even blown away.
2) Set a three-way pool valve in place
The pool valve helps maintain the flow of water from your pool, to the solar collectors for heating, and back. The valve also helps adjust and control the volume of water that circulates from the pool to the panels, and vice versa. With the help of the pool valve, it ensures that there will be no blockages on the return flow of water.
3) Install a T-pipe fitting where the pool valve is located
The T-pipe is installed on the poolside where the return flow is situated. This is where the heated water from the panels flows back to the pool with your desired temperature.
4) Ensure matching pipelines
5) Bolt the solar panels in
6) Connect the panels
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In The Swim Knowledge Pool: Solar Pool Heaters
Harness the Power of the Sun
In The Swim has solar pool heaters for inground pools and solar pool heaters for above ground pools. Capture the sun´s energy and put it to work heating your swimming pool! Solar pool heaters work well in all parts of the U.S., placed in any backyard area with daily unobstructed sun. Modular above ground pool solar heaters connect quickly to the pool return hose, and inground solar heaters are mounted to a nearby roof, rack or fence.
Pool Solar Heater Benefits
- Most affordable pool heater you can buy, and free to operate
- Environmentally friendly – no emissions, and no fuel used
- Simple DIY installation by any handy homeowner
The best feature of solar pool heaters is the free pool heat, after a low initial cost. In addition, solar pool heaters start great backyard conversations!
How Solar Heaters Work: Inground or above ground solar pool heaters circulate pool water through black tubes that absorb the suns heat. A solar panel bypass allows you to control the flow rate through the solar panels and turn the system off during rainy days or after dark. Facing the solar panels in a southern direction, tipped towards the sun will increase solar heating 6 hours of daily, unobstructed sun is best for optimum heating.
Solar Pool Heater Installation
In The Swim solar pool heater experts are happy to answer any questions that you may have regarding solar pool heating or any of In the Swims pool supplies. Give us a call anytime at 1-800-288-7946.
What About Solar Pool Heaters That Use Tanks
Solar pool heaters that use sunlight to directly heat pool water are a novel idea. On the Costa Blanca, we have 300+ days of sunshine as mentioned above. But, the power of the sun is usually not strong enough to heat pool water sufficiently for year round swimming. If it was, electric pool heaters wouldnât be on the market. The truth is, while a novel idea and possibly a great solution for seasonal swimming, these types of pool heaters rely only on the sun to heat your pool. Whatâs more, they tend NOT to add any additional value to a property and are most of the time very unattractive to install.On the other hand, a heat pump pool heater uses electricity which can be harvested from the sun any time of year. Our units at Tropical run on just pennies an hour and provide TRUE pool heating that is temperature controlled. Our units are all smartphone enabled meaning you have complete control over the water temp and energy consumption from any place in the world.If you would like to learn more about the benefits of having a pool heater, read our article about it here.
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What Is A Solar Pool Heater
A solar pool heater is essentially a pool heater that uses solar power and solar installation as heating mechanisms. The main difference between solar pool heaters and other conventional pool heaters is that the former only works when the sun is out.
Most solar pool heating systems include the following:
- Solar collector: heats the pool water
- Filter: removes debris before the water enters the solar collector
- Pump: circulates water through the filter and solar collector then back to the pool
- Flow control valves: divert pool water through the solar collector
- Automated sensors: detect the temperature of the water coming from the solar collectors compared to the desired temperature and controls the valves
The solar collector can be placed on a rooftop or beside the swimming pool. The device consists of photovoltaic solar panels, much like a regular solar system, but thepv panels are designed to absorb the heat from the sun instead of converting sunlight into electricity. The panels are layered over tubes where swimming pool water is pumped through.
Other Types Of Heaters
Solar pool heaters arent for everybody. They rely on sunlight to heat the pool water. So, if you live in an overly cloudy and rainy area, a solar pool heater will simply not do the trick. To work properly, you want to make sure you have at least 6-8 hours of unobstructed sunlight onto your panels. If this wont be a possibility for you due to your climate or the placement of your house, it would be wise to look at purchasing a different type of heater.
Gas heaters and electric heaters are the two alternatives. If you are serious about conserving energy, however, you can pair one of these heaters up with a solar blanket.
Questions? Drop me a line, and Ill be happy to help in any way I can!
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Reduce Evaporation & Chemical Use
A solar cover blanket not only retains the heat, but it also protects against harmful UV rays, slowing the growth of algae in your pool water. The tiny air bubbles on the cover that trap heat in also work to block the sun from reaching your water, slowing down the rate that water evaporates, saving you money by needing to top up your pool water level less often.
Determining The Efficiency Of Solar Swimming Pool Heating System
You can determine the efficiency of a solar swimming pool heating system based on the collector’s thermal performance rating if available.
A solar collector’s thermal performance rating is measured by Btu per square foot per day: Btu/
Or, the rating can be measured by kilowatt hours per square meter per day: kWh/.
It can also be measured by Btu per day, which is simply the rating in Btu/ multiplied by the area in ft2. Also used is kWh per day, which is the rating in kWh/ multiplied by the area in m2.
The higher the number, the greater the solar energy collection efficiency. However, because weather conditions, instrumentation accuracies, and other test condition constraints can vary, the thermal performance of any two collectors should be considered approximately the same if their ratings are within 25 Btu/ of each other.
High efficiency solar collectors not only will reduce your annual operating costs, but may also require fewer square feet of collector area to heat the pool.
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Main Pros And Cons Of Heaters
Aside from the obvious fact that solar panels are 100% eco-friendly, utilizing the sun as a power source can help save money in the long run. If youre still not convinced to go green and use pool solar heater, let us help you by listing the pros as well as the cons of opting to go solar.
Pros:
Cons:
- Unaesthetic This is because these solar heaters are not easy to hide, in fact, theyre pretty visible and maybe even ugly. Because of that, some people dont like them for aesthetic reasons. They want their heaters to be well-hidden so as not to affect the overall appearance of their pools ambiance.
- Varying output During cloudy days, the performance of the solar cells will not be as good compared to when they are being hit with direct and maximum sunlight. Also, when theres heavy rain or snow, you cannot expect that your solar heater will provide as much warmth when its not getting enough heat from the sun. This is why its advisable to place the photovoltaic panels on the roof where theyll be exposed to the suns rays most of the time.
- Space-hungry pool solar panels require a certain amount of space. The solar panels occupy the most space, which is why most people prefer to install them on the roof.
Game 4714 Solarpro For Intex
- Contour dome design for effective heat transfer
- Easy to install and with foldable legs
- Can create a greenhouse effect
- Can heat the pool water to 5 degrees F for six days
- Extends pool season without electricity and gas
- Limited compatibility
The Game 4714 SolarPro Contour Solar Pool Heater is a contoured style pool heater, which is designed to maximize the accumulation of sunlight to heat the pool water effectively and fast. You might want to check it out if you like a high capacity pool heating unit that does not require electricity and gas. You dont just save money for this option, but you also ensure that you can get more out of it. This item is powerful that it works for pools with up to 10,000 gallons of water.
I would also like to recommend this model if youre looking for a dome-style pool heater that does not take up much space. The dome heater will create that greenhouse effect. When this happens, the heat transfer will increase to heat the pool water fast. And as we dont have to use gas or electricity, we also save money in the process. It is the more practical route than having to add to our utility cost to heat the water, especially in the off-summer season, when the temperature is not as hot.
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The 4 Best Solar Pool Heaters 2022
A solar pool heater is an affordable and efficient solution to heat your swimming pool. But you have to check if the heater can generate enough heat to raise your pool temperature even during the winter season.
We all know that solar heaters work using solar panels. As solar panels receive less sunlight exposure during winter, they generate less heat. So, you need to get a heater that has more solar panels or bigger sized panels. This increases the heaters efficiency and helps it to generate enough heat to raise the water temperature.
Furthermore, an above ground pool requires a more efficient heater than an inground pool. This is because the heat escapes through the sides and top of an above ground pool. But, in an inground pool, the soil acts as insulation and does not let heat escape through the sides.
Below are the primary features you need to check while hunting for the perfect solar pool heater to heat your pool.
Apart from these primary factors, there are other several factors you need to consider that are mentioned in the Buying Guide.
But before that, you can go through our list of some of the Best Solar Pool Heaters to buy in 2022. We have considered different parameters and prepared the list to help you simplify the choice.
What Is A Comfortable Temperature For A Swimming Pool
According to the world health organization, water temperatures ranging from 78 to 86 degrees fahrenheit are generally comfortable and safe for those engaging in moderate physical activity, such as walking, jogging, swimming, and bicycling. However, if youre in a hot environment, you may want to consider wearing a hat and sunglasses to protect your eyes from the suns harmful rays.
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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.
Why Choose Solar Pool Heating
How does solar pool heating work?
Solar pool heating systems enhance the natural effect of the sun heating the water in your pool with three basic components: a panel, a pump and a filter. A pump, usually your existing pool pump, pushes water through a filter to strain leaves and debris. Water is then pumped into a solar panel mounted on your roof, porch, fence, or any other location with good sun exposure .
The water is substantially heated as it moves through the panel and it flows back into your pool, warming the water. Unlike solar water heaters for indoor use, solar pool heaters do not require a storage tank. Your pool provides all the storage required.
To learn more about solar pool heating, explore our blog.
What components make up a solar pool heating system?
Every component of our solar pool heating systems is manufactured with surgical-grade plastic. Using a unique injection over-molding process, our patented and specially-engineered components are designed to be part of a safe, maintenance-free solar pool heating system.
To learn more about the technical specifications and components of our solar pool heating systems, browse our products.
Whats the most efficient solar panel system for our commercial pool?
Where can I find more information about solar pool heating products?
To find more information about solar panels, browse our supported solar pool heating brands. If youre ready to make an order, contact us to be connected with a dealer.
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What Is A Solar Pool Heater & How Does It Work
Solar pool heaters use the suns energy to pump water through your pool filter and a series of solar collectors devices where the water is warmed in tubular panels by the sun. Once warmed, the water is circulated back into the pool. Solar collectors are often installed on roofs, though they can be placed anywhere with sufficient sunlight. In hotter climates or warm summer months, they can also serve a double purpose by cooling down the pool by routing water through the collectors during the night.
The collectors within a solar swimming pool heater come in two forms: unglazed and glazed.
- Unglazed solar collectors are often cheaper because they use less expensive material and labor to produce. They are made coated with plastic or durable rubber. The technology is similar to how a garden hose in the sun will eventually heat up and pass that thermal energy onto the water inside.
- Glazed solar collectors typically use copper tubing with a glass covering. These upgrades make the process more efficient, but it comes at a higher cost. In addition to heating your pool, glazed solar collectors can also be used to heat the water you use indoors all year.
In addition to the solar collectors, many solar pool heating systems also include manual or automated sensors and flow control valves. If the pool is sufficiently heated, water from the solar collectors can be diverted and water from the pool will still be filtered but wont enter the collectors.
Evacuated Solar Pool Heater Tube Collector
Evacuated tube collectors rely on vacuum tubes to generate and store heat, and they are the most efficient option available. They are also the most expensive, which is why some homeowners dont want to make such a big investment simply to heat their swimming pool. Evacuated solar collectors for swimming pools can cost an upwards of $2,500+.
However, these collectors are the best option for those trying to heat water on cloudy days, and they stand up to wind effectively, as well.
No matter which type of solar collector you choose for your pool heater, its important that the array is sized appropriately to offer enough heat to make a difference for your particular swimming pool. Homeowners should work with a solar heating professional to help them determine what size system to use, as well as install the system.
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