[LuckyS]

Hi everybody:

We are in the process of getting quotes for a pool install. Turns out we don't have enough roof for the required number of panels to heat the pool with solar. The other options are heat pump, gas, or nothing.

Does anybody have a pool or had one installed where you couldn't heat with solar? Im aware of the cost but would appreciate any feedback, pros/cons, etc.

Thanks!

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by LuckyS

Hi everybody:

We are in the process of getting quotes for a pool install. Turns out we don't have enough roof for the required number of panels to heat the pool with solar. The other options are heat pump, gas, or nothing.

Does anybody have a pool or had one installed where you couldn't heat with solar? Im aware of the cost but would appreciate any feedback, pros/cons, etc.

Thanks!

Not sure what you are seeking.
We have solar with gas heater back up.
As we enter the cooler/cloudy days (like today) the solar contributes nothing to heating the pool hence the gas heater does all the work. The gas heater will be the primary source of pool heating through February.

Another factor of significance is whether one uses a blanket to cover the pool when it is not in use. The blanket maintains the heat especially during the days when the nights are 60 and below. We do not use a blanket because we prefer the beauty of the pool view....hence we pay a little more to keep it heated.

We usually do not use the pool in January as it is usually the coldest. Just too costly to keep it heated....PLUS too cold when getting in or out of the pool.

The other factor is the temperature one keeps the pool.....and at what times of the day.

I can speak for gas heater only....it is capable of keeping the pool heated during the cooler/cold months.

[Goldwingnut]

Take all the solar heat you can get even if it isn't "enough" to heat the pool. In the sunny months you won't use it 100% of the time, mine only has flow about 2 hours in the morning during the summer months, the rest of the time the solar isn't required. You'll have to run the pump on high no matter what for the gas or solar heat, that cost will change little, but the solar will still be free heat. I open my solar valves manually at about 8 AM this morning and the temperature is up 3 degrees in just over 3 hours. Get what solar you can get even if it isn't "enough" as you will make it back in the long run with using less gas.

[starflyte1]

I have had a heated pool in TV for 9 years. It is a heat pump electric type, purchased from Pinch a Penny. It can heat the pool year around. I don't watch electric bills closely, but don't think it adds great expense when in use. The pool pump runs 6-8 hours a day anyway.

I personally would not go with any solar. Installation costs and lack of enough heat a good part of the year.

Also had a heat pump pool heater in South Florida for 15 years. Reliable.

[photo1902]

Originally Posted by starflyte1

I have had a heated pool in TV for 9 years. It is a heat pump electric type, purchased from Pinch a Penny. It can heat the pool year around. I don't watch electric bills closely, but don't think it adds great expense when in use. The pool pump runs 6-8 hours a day anyway.

I personally would not go with any solar. Installation costs and lack of enough heat a good part of the year.

Also had a heat pump pool heater in South Florida for 15 years. Reliable.

I agree about solar being ineffective in the winter months. We have solar only, and there are definitely months when (even while using the solar and a solar blanket) the pool water is simply too cold to enjoy.

[JSR22]

We only have solar and use the pool 10 months. Blanket is going on this week. The solar keeps the pool around 74-75 in January. When we 1st put in the pool I thought the temp was fine. Now have the pool 5 years and I go in if it is 80 or more.

[Kahuna32162]

We have solar with a gas backup. We keep the back up set to 80 and let the solar do the rest. Very comfortable until the colder months when we shut down the gas heater and wait for spring to get back in the pool.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by starflyte1

I have had a heated pool in TV for 9 years. It is a heat pump electric type, purchased from Pinch a Penny. It can heat the pool year around. I don't watch electric bills closely, but don't think it adds great expense when in use. The pool pump runs 6-8 hours a day anyway.

I personally would not go with any solar. Installation costs and lack of enough heat a good part of the year.

Also had a heat pump pool heater in South Florida for 15 years. Reliable.

Heating the water costs a lot more than just running the pump.

[billethkid]

As the need for air conditioning fades the need for the back up heater increases.
Hence our monthly utilities are about the same year round.

[tophcfa]

We have both solar and an electric heat pump. Gas is not an option where we live. Solar does the job for about 9 months a year, no other heat needed. No heat source is needed for about 6 months of the year, including solar, since Florida is so warm from the second half of spring through the first half of fall. From about the middle of November until about the end of March, solar won't do it, the sun is too low, the days are too short, and the air is too cool. That's when we use the heat pump. It works great except for the coldest days in the winter. There are about 3-5 weeks per year wher the heat pump just won't get the pool warm enough, but that's acceptable. Heat pumps work by sucking the heat out of the ambient air, the warmer the air, the more efficient the pump operates. So when it's really cold out, the pool will still be cold with an electric heat pump. Gas heat, which a good friend has in their pool, is awsome. No matter how cold out it is, it immediately cranks out hot water. However, it also cranks out $$. If money is not a constraint, get gas and you can use your pool 365 1/4 days per year with no worries. Our electric heat pump works good for us about 11 months per year and we have been very pleasantly surprise at how little it increases our electric bill, not bad at all. However, don't expect your pool to warm up quickly with an electric heat pump. A general rule of thumb is that you will get about one degree of temperature gain per hour. The pump will have to run a lot durning colder times. Lastly, whatever you choose, get a good pool cover to hold in the heat when not using the pool. We have a simple rectangular pool so putting on and taking off the cover is very quick and simple. Our cover is on a roller that is inside the pool deck. To put on or take off the cover, you open up a door in the deck and un-roll or roll-up the cover. Very easy and can be done in about one minute by one person. Hope this helps.

[MACH7SS]

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

Take all the solar heat you can get even if it isn't "enough" to heat the pool. In the sunny months you won't use it 100% of the time, mine only has flow about 2 hours in the morning during the summer months, the rest of the time the solar isn't required. You'll have to run the pump on high no matter what for the gas or solar heat, that cost will change little, but the solar will still be free heat. I open my solar valves manually at about 8 AM this morning and the temperature is up 3 degrees in just over 3 hours. Get what solar you can get even if it isn't "enough" as you will make it back in the long run with using less gas.

I agree 100%. Any heat you can get from a solar system is better than using your heat pump/gas heater for all your heat.

[spring_chicken]

OP asked about heating WITHOUT SOLAR.
Solar is not an option.

[trueorange]

We have gas, it works well, but in the winter only turn it on when the weather is warm enough to swim. The pool stays warm but on cool days it's cold getting out of the poold. Without a blanket the pool loses maybe 5 degrees at night.

[spk7951]

Originally Posted by LuckyS

Hi everybody:

We are in the process of getting quotes for a pool install. Turns out we don't have enough roof for the required number of panels to heat the pool with solar. The other options are heat pump, gas, or nothing.

Does anybody have a pool or had one installed where you couldn't heat with solar? Im aware of the cost but would appreciate any feedback, pros/cons, etc.

Thanks!

Can I ask who made the determination that you do not have enough roof space for solar panels?

[charmed59]

We have one house here with a small pool and an electric heater, and another house with a large pool and a solar/gas heater. If the pools is small, the electric works fine. For a larger pool it could get expensive in the winter. For our larger pool the gas heater didn’t turn on until a few weeks ago, the solar heating it until then. Now the gas just makes up for the non-sunny days. We swim year-round, and want the pool above 88