Seeking Advice On A Post Pool Heater Strategy

[Tanny]

Greetings Honorable Pool Gods!

I come seeking your advice. Our pool heater died at the end of last season, and given it's age I'm not sure we should be investing more money in it. And so I'm hoping to pursue a post pool heater strategy which can boost our pool temp approximately 5 degrees, and save us money too (no more running pool heater). So far my strategy looks like this:

1) Trim trees to get more sun. My best guess for now is that this will get us 1-2 hours more of full sun on pool, which hopefully translates in to a degree or two.

2) Pool squares, ie. pool cover divided in to 6 X 6 squares for ease of use. I have an excellent pool thermometer now (sends temp data in to house via wifi!) and it reports our pool loses only a degree or two overnight. So, confused on whether a cover will accomplish much. Advice needed.

3) Wetsuits - We already have full wetsuits. I trimmed mine down to short pants and sleeves. Hoping to get something really nice for my wife, a heated vest perhaps? She's a Miami girl, hates cold water.

We're in north Florida. 18 X 36 in ground pool, with screen enclosure. Typical pool temp in summer around 80. If we can boost that 5 degrees I'll declare victory.

Any advice most welcome and appreciated, thanks!

Phil

 

[cowboycasey]

Welcome to TFP

Don't tell anyone up north you want more heat, they are swimming in 70 degree water Just kidding..

1. good but they will grow back, it might help a little..

2. Yes, this will help more than you know and will cut down on water replacement

3. overkill, but fun

I would go solar in a heartbeat there, you could easily gain 5 degree's with maybe just a couple cells... there are many places that do solar there, call 2 or 3 places and ask them for quotes, the good think is if you get one big enough and automate it you could swim earlier and when or if it gets to hot you can cool it at night..

If no solar you could use a heat pump very easily there, they also have both heat and cool and work great if you want a constant temp, they work best if you set them at 85 and just leave it there...

I hope this helps

 

[Tanny]

Don't tell anyone up north you want more heat, they are swimming in 70 degree water Just kidding..

Ha, well, I'm going to start swimming this year at 75, so that by the time it gets to 80 it will feel balmy. My lovely wife will NOT be joining me at 75. It's 73 now, so I'll have to make good on this shortly.

1. good but they will grow back, it might help a little..

Now that I have a hi-tech pool temp gadget, I can easily see the temp throughout the day. I noticed that after the hour of full sun we get, the temp always goes up a degree. I'm hoping that each hour of full sun I can get will give me another degree. We'll see....

2. Yes, this will help more than you know and will cut down on water replacement

Thanks, but I don't understand how. I'm willing to build pool cover panels I can manage by myself using PVC etc. I want to do this. But I don't see how it will help given that I'm only losing a degree or two each night. What am I not getting?

3. overkill, but fun

So, what you're saying here is that you've never dated a Miami girl before? I know, it does sound like overkill, but I have limited options for boosting the temp 5 degrees. And if I don't do that, no wife in pool.

I would go solar in a heartbeat there, you could easily gain 5 degree's with maybe just a couple cells...

I'm not sure I have enough sun, but just in case, can you provide a quick description? I put solar panels on the roof, and then what?

If no solar you could use a heat pump very easily there

Yes, that's what we've been using the last dozen years, but it died, so looking for alternatives. I'm hoping to take the money I would have spent on running the heat pump this year, and invest in ways that are more permanent fixes.

Thanks for your input, much appreciated!

 

[cowboycasey]

solar cover, the reason they work is because they save the heat then you dont lose it.. so you say you lose 2 degrees a night, with a cover you only lose 1 and then gain 2 the next day, then lose 1 and so on.. in a week you could gain 5 degrees... there is a limit though...

Solar could be installed on your roof, a gazebo, the ground anywhere the sun can get to and you can run pipes to the panels... You say you live in north central, call this guy and ask for a quote he will look at your place and recommend the best route to take, you don't have to get it but he will give you an idea of what is needed and the cost the best part is once paid off its free until it needs repaired and it will need repaired and looked after, some systems last 20 years

Solar Thermal | | Kurt Johnsen Energy SystemsKurt Johnsen Energy Systems

 

[ps0303]

Buy a solar blanket and use it when you are not using the pool. You will not lose much temp overnight plus you will attract some extra warmth during the days when it's warm out.

 

[Tanny]

solar cover, the reason they work is because they save the heat then you dont lose it.. so you say you lose 2 degrees a night, with a cover you only lose 1 and then gain 2 the next day, then lose 1 and so on.. in a week you could gain 5 degrees... there is a limit though...

Ah, I see. Thanks for this explanation. So the saved heat builds up over time.

Perhaps I should start another thread to focus my questions on panel construction.

Solar could be installed on your roof, a gazebo, the ground anywhere the sun can get to and you can run pipes to the panels...

So a solar installation consists of the solar panels and PVC pipe to route hot water to the pool? I'm guessing the PVC must be connected to the pump so the water will circulate? Is that the gist of it, 1) panels, 2) PVC, 3) pump?

Sorry, I know the panels capture energy from the sun, but an unclear on how that energy is added to the water. Just trying to get the most basic understanding.

 

[banditig]

Yes hook the panels to the pump (after filter) basicaly the panels replace your heat pump.

 

[cowboycasey]

Here is a great website that explains how and what is happening

Plumbing and Controlling Solar Swimming Pool Heating Systems

 

[Tanny]

Thanks Cowboy,

I get it now, the water is routed right through the panels. That's the part I didn't get. I thought the panels drove some other heating device.

Well ok, here's the next question if you're interested. Is there a calculator available that could let me ball park estimate the results? Something like this:

Hours of sun times Number of panels = Pool temp boost for pool of X gallons

We have limited sun, but perhaps I could address that with more panels?