Solar Heating an Above Ground Pool

It sounds like you're on the right path. Your pump should be ok, you don't want the water going too quickly through the pipe. Do what you can to keep the pipe from losing heat to the earth or the air.

A smart solar setup uses solar panels to power the pump. That way it only pumps when the sun is shining!

Wouldn't it be something if you could use the slight expansion of the water to circulate the water! Both ends in the pool, and a check on the inlet. As the water heats and expands it flows out the discharge, hot. The replacement water from this automatic syphon is drawn from the coolest part of the pool.

Good ideas but over my abilities. Thanks

The long length of hose should be on the discharge side of the pump.

I would also be concerned about air entrained into the pump suction, if fed directly by the skimmer.

I hadn't worried enough about the air entrainment, and didn't know the hose should be on the discharge side either. Thanks

Tornado is correct, install the "solar" tubing on the discharge side of the pumps as the NSPH will be way too high for the pool pump/motor. Increasing the HP of the pump motor won't solve this problem, only increase your electric bill.

Things to consider when you're heating your pool water to such a high degree:

You will deplete your free chlorine residual much much faster than you normally would due to the elevated water temps. That means more expense because that you will need to purchase additional chlorine tablets or powder or Sodium Hypochlorite.

You will need to use additional algaecide and perhaps more water conditioner due to the elevated water temps. This often is the case with spas and hot tubs, which is what you're attempting to do by the looks of it......

I just want to go to 85 to 90 degrees, which is what I can do with a solar blanket in the normal (unassisted by extra solar heating) system. My goal is to extend the season to our occasional hot spells in months like May, early June, late September and October.

Lots of people in hotter climates deal with the chemical problems, you mention, routinely. I used to live in Bakersfield, Calif. Good information though. I had forgotten about that. I loaded my chlorine dispenser with 3 inch tablets, on June 18 and the level is still too high. Even though I opened only one slot. It has been closed since. I have had three small above ground pools in the past, but never really got into the water chemistry aside from chlorine. Am trying to master that subject now with the help of computer analysis at the local pool store. We are greatly enjoying our pool.

I've seen this done, you can place a tee with 2 globe valves at the pump outlet to feed the coil when you want to raise the temp, and bypass when desired...I've seen them with 3/4" lines coming off pump discharge with solenoid controlled by coil temp, this provides a low flow volume to maximize heat gain and provide auto control...I've seen them made with abs plastic hose, regular solar water heaters, even black garden hose....

or you can make your own...

I really like that Solar Bear economy model. Guess there is no point trying to reinvent the wheel when I can buy a proven system for $138. 99 that is sized for my pool. Thanks for the information. You are quite the searcher! I had not found one that seemed quite as good. I might even go for the larger model.

I have installed a system similar to the ones linked to by SolarEagle, complete with solar pump. I believe the heater "panels" are made from a polyethylene (probable cross-linked, not high density), naturally resistant to UV radiation. The system had a thermostatic control on a bypass valve to keep the water from getting to hot. I have seen better than 110 ºF coming out of the heater on a good day- maintaining the temperature of an "olympic" size pool at 90-95 ºF is not difficult, if you have the sunlight. We used ozone sterilization on this system, which reduces the need for additional chemical treatment due to elevated water temperatures. The water heater portion of the installation is quite practical from a cost standpoint (compared to the cost of a gas or electric pool heater), but I am not sure the solar-powered water pump is all that cost-effective.

Be careful if you cover the multitube plastic panels. They can melt without air to cool them if you aren't circulating.

Hadn't even thought of that! Maybe aluminum tubing would be a way to go.

Hi ronwagen

"I am already using a solar blanket. We like the water at 85 to 90 degrees or more."

I get good results with an improved solar blanket system. Our climate is similar and we reach 85 to 90 F (at a rise rate of 4 F per day on sunny days). No additional collectors needed.

Please describe your solar blanket.

How many hours per day of direct sunshine do you get on your pool?

What is the inside color (bootom and walls): light blue, dark blue, white,...?

Brgds

Snel

The pool is a 16 ft. round Intex Ultra Frame. Grey with a blue and white print on the inside. 5000 gals. No metal wall, but a very sturdy frame. The solar blanket is a blue bubble pack system. Flat side up. I have trees to the east. My neighbors giant oak was hit by lightning and fell over giving me a nice, private spot for a pool. So it is mostly unobstructed to the west, south, and north. It also came with a nylon cover that I am planning on using when going on vacation. It is resting on a high quality poly tarp that I bought separately. The one they send is very thin. Otherwise I was very impressed with the quality for the money, including the pump system. $400 on sale. We may go to a larger size in the future, but don't have a lot of users. They make a 24 foot round and a 12X24 foot that are 52 inches deep. mine is 48 inches.

The blanket with the bubble packs is better at keeping the pool warm during the night than at helping collect solar energy. My pool is rectangular and the inside is white, so I use black removable surfaces on the bottom and near sunlit walls. Your color combination will not reflect as much energy as mine, and it's more complicated to deal with the round form. Think reclaiming the heat from the AC is the best solution in your case. Just avoid circulating chlorinated water thru aluminum tubing.

brgds

Snel

What does chlorine do to aluminum? Just curious. The solar cover is also very effective at keeping out insects and dust.

Paint the inside of the pool black.

Sounds like a great idea for a large pool, with extra concrete deck. Public pools should consider similar systems. Of course they don't usually worry about heating expense, or don't heat at all.

I had a supplementary water coil added to my heat pump to run the pool water through when cooling the house. This way, I dump the AC heat into the pool. A relay makes sure that the pool pump runs when the AC compressor is running. It has been running that way for many years and extend the swimming season.

You just need to find an AC guy who is better than most as they usually don't want to bother with anything different from what they learned.

We were looking into getting geothermal for the house and this was an option we asked about. When he gave me the price I about had a heart attack. He was wanting to basically add another compressor unit for the pool. Not just a heat exchanger like I asked for. You're right. There is a lot of wasted heat from the A/C so you might as well use it.

I had to supply the water coil myself (nickle plated), find a new AC guy hungry enough for business, and tell him that he only had to guaranty the filling and pipe welding. I took charge of the operation and the warranty on the heat pump (also geothermal). I have installed a small control system that limits the water flow into the coil in the spring when the water is too cold as it made the freon pressure too low (too much cooling capacity). I also switch off the ground loop pump.

At this time of the year, The temperature limiter closes the pool valve and start the ground loop pump because the pool's water has reached the 32C (90F) that we like. This switch is decided when the compressor start using the pool temperature and last the whole cycle to minimize transients in the freon circuit. Since the compressor cycles 5 to 10 times a day, the temperature regulation is very good.

There are weeks where the AC is not needed and the pool cools down a few degrees. I could use the heat pump and the ground loop to heat it but it is not worth it as the pool is still acceptable.

In Montreal, most people who have a pool either buy some kind of heater or use it only a few weeks a year. It is a big expense per usage either way. By taking advantage of the AC heat that I was discarding anyway, I increased my swimming season and comfort with about $1000 of material and AC tech. I spent many hundred (thousand?) hours learning and producing the system. But it is my hobby.

Brilliant idea! You might consider marketing a kit with instructions, or just an instruction e-book. People are making big bucks with such e-books. It doesn't have to be long either. Just sell it for five to ten bucks. Would probably only take a day or two to write. Then get it on different platforms like Kindle and Apple. We keep our house at 68 degrees, so I will have to think about that. What would it cost? The pool is only about seventy five feet from the A.C. It has to pass my wife's aesthetics standard though.

That is a good idea,

I believe Del did something to that effect awhile back, ^{but he's probally on a mouse hunt right now}

I use an electric heat pump to heat my pool. It works greats. But for what you want to do, I would go with PVC pipe over the flexible hose as my experience with the hose is it breaks pretty often. Paint the PVC black, and make a grid with it inside a shallow box that you can lean against the pool or something else. If your pool is getting too warm, run the pump later at night or earlier in the morning, or put a bypass valve in it.

If your heat pump is near the house, you can use ducts to force some / all of the cold air into the house through a basement window. Bedroom windows installation are harder to hide. You might want a filter in line. The ducts can be hidden behind a flower bed or a deck. Be imaginative and multifunctional... This will give you free AC.

PVC can neither handle the heat nor UV exposure. Polyethylene handles both well. CPVC can handle the heat, but I'm not sure about UV exposure.

Use black plastic behind the loops to help absorb solar radiation and insulate the grid with styrofoam blocks.