Solar Heated Swimming Pool – Part 2
Solar Pool Part 2: Heating your pool with solar energy.
Lets say you’ve made your swimming pool operate more efficiently. Now you can size and install a solar water heating system. Such heating systems are one of the most cost effective applications of solar energy. It’s relatively easy to integrate a solar water heater into an existing system. The pool’s water is pumped through the filter, then through the solar energy collectors before going back into the pool. The sun heats the water.
Solar domestic water heating systems raise a small amount of water to a temperature to a temperature of about 140 degrees. Solar pool heaters are different in that they raise the temperature of lots of water to about 80 degrees. So a solar heated pool may require a slightly larger pump than a conventionally heated pool.
A basic solar heating system for an in-ground swimming pool will cost about $600 for a 10 by 16-foot pool (160square feet). Add an extra solar panel for each additional 80 square feet. The guideline is that the solar collectors should be half the size of the pool’s surface.
Pool water too hot? Solar collectors can also be used to cool a pool in hot climates or during peak summer months by circulating the water through collectors at night.
Speaking of collectors, solar pool collectors normally don’t need glazing or insulation because they operate during warmer months when solar radiation and ambient temperatures are higher, and we don’t need very hot output. The means that the collectors are simpler and less expensive that those for the home’s hot water system.
Most pool collectors are of plastic or rubber treated with a UV light inhibitor to extend the panel’s life. They also weigh less than standard collectors and thus can be mounted more easily.
How big should the pools solar heat collectors be? Much depends on the local climate, the other equipment and heat sources used, and how much of the heat you want to come from solar energy. A good rule of thumb is that the collector should be about half the size of the pool it serves. If local solar conditions aren’t ideal, bump that size up to 75percent of the pools surface.
Solar collectors should be installed as close to the pool as possible so heat isn’t lost in long pipes. If the pool is primarily used in the summer months, tilt the collectors at the latitude of the area minus about 15 degrees. That’s 25 degrees of angle for Boulder, CO, located at 40 degrees latitude. If it’s a year round pool, build frames that you can manually adjust seasonally. Alternatively, invest in motorized frames.
Build a Solar Pool Heater for Less Than $100
