[keithwand]

You are right.
We had room for 5 on the South and the installer did not want to use extra pipe to connect to the others on the west side so installed 10 panels on the West.
Said it would also not look good.
Since the pool would not warm up in the fall 2 panels were added.
You guessed it.
2 on the South and a whole bunch of pipe almost what I had asked for in the first place.
IDIOTS.
My neighbor is up to 25 panels on the North and no heat; go figure.

[jimbo2012]

Originally Posted by keithwand

My neighbor is up to 25 panels on the North and no heat; go figure.

If that was done by a contractor, he should have his butt sued.

Talk about doing stuff wrong maybe he was looking to heat the panels on moon light

[skyguy79]

Originally Posted by jimbo2012

Talk about doing stuff wrong maybe he was looking to heat the panels on moon light

I was considering doing just that myself, but my neighbors wouldn't rent me roof space for the extra panels needed!

[Golfingnut]

We have 4 Twelve foot panels on the south side and 2 ten foot panels on the east. Even with that, we do not expect to swim year round, but enjoy having the pool at around 88 to 90 degrees for 9 plus months a year. When the day time temp is 60 degrees or less, we only use the hot tub. I would not use the pool when the air temps are at or below 60 degrees even if I could have 90 degree water temp in the pool. The variation is too great for me. Jack's was our choice after a detailed complex research for solar. They were not the cheapest, but they were top of the line quality with the material they use and their workers were polite and professional.

[skyguy79]

Originally Posted by Golfingnut

We have 4 Twelve foot panels on the south side and 2 ten foot panels on the east. Even with that, we do not expect to swim year round, but enjoy having the pool at around 88 to 90 degrees for 9 plus months a year. When the day time temp is 60 degrees or less, we only use the hot tub. I would not use the pool when the air temps are at or below 60 degrees even if I could have 90 degree water temp in the pool. The variation is too great for me. Jack's was our choice after a detailed complex research for solar. They were not the cheapest, but they were top of the line quality with the material they use and their workers were polite and professional.

We pretty much get the same upper temperatures of 88-91º for about the same 9-10 month period. The only difference is that we had (8) 12.5 panels SW facing installed by Jack's.


This Post Solar Powered

[Villages Kahuna]

Jack's Solar is the best, by far. I've been a happy owner for six years.

The key to maintaining swimmable temperatures in the winter months is the use of the floatable solar cover on your pool. If you use that, I agree that you can achieve 75-degree temps in the winter months on solar alone.

[Villages Kahuna]

Originally Posted by shcisamax

Are you saying if you don't use the pool cover, you cannot expect to have the water temp close to 80 during this time of year? I wasn't really paying attention because we just haven't been wanting to go in the water but the water never gets up to anything near that. Until this thread, I forgot what our conversation was about maintaining close to 80 except Dec-Feb but am beginning to think the seven panels on the west side of the house are not sufficient for the 35' x 10" pool. Think I need to call Jack.

If you don't use the pool cover, I think you'd have a tough time maintaining 80-degrees, almost regardless of how many panels are installed.

Another thing to consider is the amount of water you lose thru evaporation during the cold, dry winter months. Without the cover, my pool looks lie a San Francisco fog bank in the mornings. That's all (expensive) "lost" water you'll have to replace.

[kimball]

Originally Posted by jimbo2012

Folks I have researched this topic in great detail, those that know me are aware that I developed a solar cart with the help of a close friend who is a solar engineer.

I have been talking with him for the past few weeks about solar heating our to be built pool and spa in very near future.

Bottom line is this is very simple to calculate, it is the surface area of the pool as the first part of the puzzle to the sq ft of the panels, not rocket science.

THere is also a flow rate thru the panels to consider, too fast will not allow time to heat, to slow will get it hot but not circulate enough water to have it work.

The basic panels cost about less than $2,000 plus the labor to install. My pool is going to be about 18-20', I'm planning on 4 4X12 panels.

Generally a solar pool install should cost $2500-$3,000, if you can't find anyone at about that price I'll start a new biz.

But folks you need to know where in relation to your roof TRUE south is not a guess but the angle.

The majority of if not all the panels MUST be on the south side, if there's not enough room then you can add east/west facing panels.

If someone told you they go on the west side........well the question is do they know what they are doing.

another issue to be aware of is what is IMO the unprofessional way some have been installed with pipes all over the place like monkey bars, that can be done in much cleaner aesthetically looking way.

One other point, they must be mounted where the entire system is on a slight angle to allow it to drain for freezing.

I just took a system down off a roof in The Villages two weeks ago (I rather not say who installed it) [U can PM me] but it was absolutely level and could not drain.

The sealant was not put in place adequately, and lastly all PVC pipes on a solar system MUST be painted they plastic and most importantly the glue joints break down with the suns UV. This installer did none of that and that is solar install 101.

So down load an app for a compass and see what you have.

Rant over

All this mumbo jumbo aside, if you have a propely sized solar system it will heat your pool to an acceptable temperature from March to October. If you want to swim in Nov, Dec, Jan and Feb suggest you augment the solar with a gas heater. It's got nothing to do with anything but the weather in the winter months.

[jimbo2012]

I don't think U need gas to augment a solar array, if it is sized correctly for a given temp.

But do you want to go swimming and get out of a pool wet in 55 and under degrees, it's cold on your skin.

So if you design the panels to give you 80 water temp at 60-65 air temp it's very doable with solar. This design should include a solar cover.

That being said a gas heater is about $2,000 installed I think and if you're in an area without natural gas add the cost of a propane tank, how much will additional panels cost to do the same.

Of course with gas U increase you're carbon footprint

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

If you don't use the pool cover, I think you'd have a tough time maintaining 80-degrees, almost regardless of how many panels are installed.

Another thing to consider is the amount of water you lose thru evaporation during the cold, dry winter months. Without the cover, my pool looks lie a San Francisco fog bank in the mornings. That's all (expensive) "lost" water you'll have to replace.

I have been listening to pool discussions here for five years and everyone I know agrees with you.

In the winter, pools are difficult and expensive to keep swimmable.

[shcisamax]

I never considered swimming in the winter months when we built the pool. Who wants to get out into cold weather. We have solar and gas but are not heating the pool. Might use it to kickstart in the spring. It is still nice to look out on it in the morning. The temp is 65 so no fog here

[NECHFalcon68]

I was in my pool yesterday afternoon. Water temp was 86, and I am not using the cover nor the heater. Gotta love the solar panels!
I will probably put the cover on tonite, as the water temp will drop over the next few days when the daytime ambient slides below 75.

[jimbo2012]

What is your panel config and size of pool?

[shcisamax]

Wow. 86!!!!! We don't use the cover nor the heat and ours right now is 72. Our lanai faces north...not great for winter but so welcome in the summer.. 7 panels on west side.

[Golfingnut]

Originally Posted by Happinow

For those of you have a solar heated pool, has your pool been swimmable over the past few months?? Our pool has gotten too cold to swim in since end of October. We thought we would be able to swim in it longer than that and wonder if our solar heat is working properly. Our house faces west so we get the afternoon sun. Seemed to us it should not have cooled off so fast and not been able to get it back up to a reasonable temp. It hovers around 65 these days.

We have been swimming all week with temps in the low to mid 80's. That is with water solar only.