Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using A Solar Pool Heater
A solar pool heater comes with a lot of benefits. Gone are the days where you must wait for summer, and you allow the change in season to dictate your pool time fun. On average, pool owners just get to enjoy using the pool for a maximum of four months every year, and the remainder will only serve as a decoration or accessory. With a solar pool heater, you can get a few more months to enjoy your pool and make the most out of it.
Another advantage of using a solar pool heater is you get to help the environment while having fun. A solar heater is the greenest way to get your pools temperature convenient for swimming, and it cuts its carbon footing.
Solar is the purest form of energy because it doesnt utilize gas connection or electricity. It doesnt use oil, and it also doesnt have any harmful emissions. To make it even better and greener, using a solar blanket during the night can help retain the waters temperature during the night.
You also save a lot of money when using a solar pool heater. You are practically letting the suns energy do the work, so you dont have any electricity bills to worry. Solar pool heaters dont have monthly operating costs. You just invest in the system, and thats the last of the money that you will shell out. Aside from that, solar heaters require very minimal maintenance.
Top 10 Rated Solar Panels For Pool Heating In 2022 Comparison Table
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- Clear LED Display: Track the room temperature, speed, mode and timer settings on the floor fan’s large LED display. Easily access all settings via the control panel or remote control. Convenient and easy to use.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Solar Heat For Above Ground Pools
Solar pool heaters, such as floating solar pool heater, are becoming the preferred method of keeping the family pool warm and comfy all year round. Unfortunately, there are still some people who are not convinced that this is the way to go. If you are one of these home owners, then a look at the advantages and disadvantages of solar pool heaters should help you make the right decision.
Advantages of Solar Pool Heaters
Power Source is Free
The most important advantage of a solar pool heater, such as the DIY solar pool heater, is the energy savings you get. Conventional pool heating systems that require either electricity or natural gas entail expenditure. You will have to pay for the power every time you plug your heater into the outlet. You will also pay for the natural gas that you will need to pump hot water into your pool. The energy source of a solar heater for an above ground pool is the sun. Sunlight is free. You will never have to pay for it to heat the water in your pool.
Friendly to the Environment
The non-reliance on either electricity or natural gas can also reduce the impact of these energy sources in the environment. You may think that your contribution to a cleaner environment is almost negligible. That may be true. However, it is a lot better than contributing to the environments continued deterioration.
Does Not Require Extensive Maintenance
Easy to Install
Ideal Water Temperatures All the Time
Disadvantages of Solar Heaters for Above Ground Pools
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Intex Solar Heater Mat For Above Ground Pool
- Eco-friendly solar pool heater
- Can heat the pool between 5- and 9-degrees F
- Low heat output
- Not for inground pools
The large capacity solar heating device is another to consider among the choices on the market. It has a large surface area of 47 by 47 inches that makes it more effective in heating the pool water. The solar water heater for pool is compatible with many filter pumps, giving you more options. I would like to note that it uses natural sunlight so that it can warm the pool water from five to nine degrees F. So if youre living in quite a cooler place, you can extend the pool season and make children enjoy their time in the summer in your backyard or garden.
I would also like to recommend the pool heater because it is easy to store. Its size is compact and can be folded so that it can be stored without any hassles. So, in the off-season, you dont have to worry about how to keep this pool heater. Nevertheless, storage is a breeze if you would choose this pool heater.
In terms of the installation, you can have peace of mind because it comes with a bypass valve. Also, you dont need to take a lot of time to set it up.
This model is also by a reliable brand that is known for many years in manufacturing pool accessories and pool chemicals that consumers can depend on when it comes to getting more out of their spending. It is also dedicated to coming up with new products that can meet the high demand and expectations of customers.
Modern Designs For Solar Thermal Systems
There are a number of different solar thermal systems available for swimming pools. They range from basic unglazed matting systems to flat plate collectors and advanced systems that use vacuum tube technology.
The older designs of solar thermal panels were ugly and had a short life which made them very unpractical. The new panels are much more aesthetically pleasing and can have a life span of up to twenty years and will have better financial benefits. Solar thermal systems also have low maintenance and are much quieter than standard systems. It will usually only take a few days to have a system installed with minimal disruption but the amount of time will vary from supplier to supplier. The swimming pool will need to be heated to 28C, any higher than this and you will have to increase the chlorine level to prevent bacteria and algae growth.
Solar Thermal Pods
Solar thermal flat plate collectors
Solar thermal flat plate collectors are another way to utilise solar thermal energy to heat your swimming pool. A flat plate collector consists of a flat plate absorber and a transparent cover that allows solar energy to pass through but decreases heat loss. The unglazed type of flat plate collector is used exclusively for outside uses like heating a swimming pool as they gather a high amount of energy. The swimming pool water is circulated directly through the collector where it absorbs the heat.
Evacuated tube collectors
Solar thermal matting
Heat pumps for swimming pools
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Why Install Solar Heating For Your Swimming Pool
Did you know that the ideal water temperature for swimming pools lies between 26 and 29°C? To achieve this, you will need to rely on a swimming pool heating solution.
With this in mind, we cannot recommend solar swimming pool heating highly enough. For one, it makes sense. For another, it is economical. Last but not least, it is environmentally-friendly!
What To Look For When Buying Solar Heater For Above Ground Pools
Choosing a solar water heater for pool can be tricky, especially if you are very new to the concept. So, to find out the right solar heater for above ground pool, heres what to look for.
Clear and Understandable Installation Instructions
Solar above-ground pool heaters can be very easy to install if the instructional materials are clear and understandable. Several components need to be properly set up for your solar heater to work, and not everyone knows the technical aspects. So I choose those that have the simplest instructions.
Solar Collector Size
Solar collectors can have different sizes and the bigger they are, the more solar energy you can gather for heating your above-ground pool. For solar panel type heaters, the rule of thumb is that your solar collecting unit has to at least be half the size of your pool
The pool size supported by your solar collector can also be seen on its packaging. You can use that as a reference on how many you need to install for your above-ground pool.
Maximum Temperature
An average unit of a solar heater can raise the temperature of your above-ground pool to about 5 to degrees Fahrenheit which is good enough to make you not shiver when you dip your toes. But if you go for higher-end units, they will be able to raise the temperature of your pool to 15 degrees Fahrenheit more.
Quality of the materials
Easy to use
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Start Enjoying Your Pool And Stop Worrying About Heating Costs
Florida Solar Design Group is Southwest Floridas exclusive iSwim Solar Pool Heating system dealer.
Solar pool heating panels use your existing pool pump , and result in no additional electricity costs. With no operating costs, solar pool heating remains the most popular way to heat a pool in Florida, and can save thousands in energy costs compared to electric heat pumps or gas heaters. Solar pool heating is weather dependent, but will result in temperatures well above that of an unheated pool every day.
Solar pool heaters provide a fantastic return on investment for home or commercial use when compared to traditional heat sources. They also provide an improved quality of life at an affordable price, allowing you to enjoy your pool more in some cases year-round!
When asked about their pool solar heating experience, pool owners say that they use their swimming pool more often, enjoy it more when swimming, and feel their pool is a better investment. The number one reason for buyers remorse with swimming pools is not using it often enough due to cold water. Why have a swimming pool if you never want to use it?!
We often call the swimming pool the most expensive room in your house, as it often is. For just a small fraction of the cost of a pool, you can enjoy luxuriously warm water with no ongoing heating costs. For an independent look at how solar pool heaters work, see the Energy.gov website.
What Are The Different Types Of Above Ground Pool Solar Heater
A solar heater for above ground pool will often have a few key components. There are a pump and filter to move cold water from the pool and through the system. There are also a series of tubes going to the solar energy collectors. In between these components is a control mechanism. Given that the setup is almost the same across different solar pool heaters, they will only differ in the type of solar energy collectors. Let us go through these different types before you shop around for above ground swimming pool solar heaters
- Solid Solar Panels
These are similar to the photovoltaic panels in traditional solar power systems. The solar energy that such systems harvest is at its peak when the angle of the board is perpendicular to the rays of the sun. Hence, this solar pool heater can provide you with optimum performance at noon. As soon as the angle of the sunlight changes from 90 degrees, the performance of the system also diminishes.
There is also the risk of getting the solar panel getting blown by the wind. That is why many municipalities require the installation of additional security straps to keep the panels from being blown away. The plus of using solid solar panels for heating your above ground pool is its practicality. These systems are less expensive than other solar pool heaters.
- Individual Solar Tube Panels
- Glazed Panels and Non-Glazed Panels
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In 1 Hybrid Solar Panels
Here is the most profitable solution.
This is a system that ensures your swimming pools energy autonomy.
Hybrid solar panels such as the ones by DualSun offer two solutions in one. This makes them more versatile and profitable.
The first is a thermal heat-creating technology. In a swimming pool setup, it is used to directly heat the pool water. The filtered pool water flows through the hybrid panels and the panels heat it up. This technology extends the swimming season by up to 3 months a year.
The second is an energy-generating photovoltaic technology. If properly sized, the installation can cover the energy consumption of the filter pump. Conveniently enough, the pump runs mainly during the day when the panels also generate energy.
How does solar hybrid technology work?
It should be noted that the electrical efficiency of the photovoltaic cells in the panel decreases as its temperature rises. As a result, a cooled solar panel generates more energy on the right: Spring hybrid panel , on the left: conventional photovoltaic panel
Based on this principle, the water circulates through the DualSun hybrid panels and cools them down. The panels can be cooled down in a very efficient manner by the swimming pool, which is essentially a large reservoir of cold water that ensures the panels are kept at a low temperature.
Selecting A Solar Pool Heater
A solar pool heating system usually costs between $2,500 and $4,000 to buy and install. This provides a payback of between 1 and 7 years, depending on your local fuel costs and available solar resource. They also typically last longer than gas and heat pump pool heaters. Your actual cost and payback depend on many factors. Therefore, before you purchase and install a solar pool heating system, you should do the following:
- Evaluate your site’s solar resource
- Determine the correct system size
- Determine the correct orientation and tilt for the collector
- Determine the system’s efficiency
- Investigate local codes, covenants, and regulations.
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How To Choose The Right Solar Panels
The type of solar panel heating system purchased should reflect a few different factors.
The size of pool the homeowner has, the space they have available for solar panels, the amount of sunlight available in their region, and the level of efficiency they need all need to be taken into account.
Properly researching the various systems available on the market will ensure the right solar pool heating system is purchased.
Solar panels are mostly effective if they have unobstructed sunlight during the sunniest time of the day. This is between 10am and 5pm.
Even on cloudy days the solar panel collects the heat from the sun. This allows the system to effectively warm pool water when the pump is turned on during the peak hours of sunlight.
Most quality solar heating systems will also diffuse solar energy as well, so a homeowner does not need to live in a constantly sunny region to effectively heat their pool with solar thermal.
The general rule of thumb is to choose solar panels that are 50% less than the surface area of the pool. If the homeowners climate is typically cooler and overcast, the solar panels will likely need to cover more surface area in order to effectively warm the pool.
Installing solar panels also have to abide by the homeowners local codes and regulations. Always check with local municipality about installing solar panels to ensure no violations take place. Remembering the few factors to look into will lead to a warmer pool in no time.
The Proof Is In The Pudding
This article cites the following examples of solar collector heating efficiency:
Example 1:
In India, a heating system with solar collectors was designed by Dang , to supply heat for an outdoor swimming pool . The author discovered that the calculated energy efficiency of the solar collectors could reach up to 53.3%.
Example 2:
Based on data from 5 OSPs heated by solar collectors in Switzerland, Molineaux et al. reported that the mean daily efficiency of the solar collectors in this system could reach up to 60% if the system operated in optimal conditions.
While neither of those examples quite hit the 70%, they arent too far off.
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Solar Swimming Pool Heaters
You can significantly reduce swimming pool heating costs by installing a solar pool heater. They’re cost competitive with both gas and heat pump pool heaters, and they have very low annual operating costs. Actually, solar pool heating is one of the most cost-effective use of solar energy in some climates.
Is It Possible To Determine The Efficiency Of A Solar Pool Heating System
Yes, it is in fact entirely possible to do this based on the collectors thermal performance rating if available.
This rating can be measured in 4 ways:
- Btu per square foot per day, or Btu/.
- Kilowatt hours per square meter, or kWh/.
- Btu per day, which is the rating in Btu/ multiplied by the area in ft2.
- kWh per day, which is the rating in kWh/ multiplied by the area in m2.
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