duraleigh said:
True, but at night you're not fighting the solar heating of the water. Hmmmm...I forsee a test in my future..temp loss during the day vs temp loss at night w/ the fountain running.
Hot water...
- Thread starter newpoolguyinmo
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True, but at night you're not fighting the solar heating of the water. Hmmmm...I forsee a test in my future..temp loss during the day vs temp loss at night w/ the fountain running.
Heat gain from the sun will occur regardless of the fountain running or not.
What you would gain at night is the water droplets passing through much cooler air. However, air is a poor conductor of thermal energy so I doubt you would get much help.
I'll bet there's lot's of folks here from the Southwest who use what we call "swamp coolers" instead of air conditioners. They could probably provide some insight as to when they are most efficient. However, even at night, I doubt their RH ever gets much above 30-40% so it may not be as valid as testing it here in the sticky Southeast. Interesting (to me) subject.
What you would gain at night is the water droplets passing through much cooler air. However, air is a poor conductor of thermal energy so I doubt you would get much help.
I'll bet there's lot's of folks here from the Southwest who use what we call "swamp coolers" instead of air conditioners. They could probably provide some insight as to when they are most efficient. However, even at night, I doubt their RH ever gets much above 30-40% so it may not be as valid as testing it here in the sticky Southeast. Interesting (to me) subject.
My update...
So with the two misters running last night we went from 97 to 93 this am. Will run it all day and see how quickly it gets back up to 97. I think part of the problem is that it just doesn't cool off much here at night.
So with the two misters running last night we went from 97 to 93 this am. Will run it all day and see how quickly it gets back up to 97. I think part of the problem is that it just doesn't cool off much here at night.
I'm not sure that it's an option for you, but when we run our solar panels at night during the summer, we're able to lower the temp up to 10 degrees or so if there is any kind of breeze at all.
duraleigh said:
In central Texas, near the coasts, east Texas, probably, and other areas there's usually too much humidity for a non-commercial swamp cooler to give much more than moving air. Central Texas isn't in the "extreme" humidity category like Houston, for instance, but I've only had one swamp cooler that did much. It was many years ago, in a very old house. The "swamp" cooler was HUGE, I mean a monster. It didn't have the capability of cooling like an AC but it certainly did take temps down into high 80's, low 90's when outside temps were in high 90's.
This is the first year I've had pool temp reach 90 this early in the summer. We cut down a big tree, this spring, that shaded half of the pool most of the day. Until this year it was usually late June or early July before the water got anywhere near 90. I don't think it ever reached 90 last summer, as it was a cooler than normal summer.
I have two extra 9 ft patio umbrellas, still in boxes, I was thinking about putting on the end of pool that used to be shaded by the tree. I know Jake Mastiff would like it. Over the years my Mastiffs have napped on the pool steps, when they became shaded by the tree around noon. Poor Jake was lounging on the bench, same end, yesterday, after the Holly tree started shading the bench in late afternoon. We could tell he wanted to lay down but couldn't without going under. That's when I got the idea to put an umbrella near the steps so he could lie down there. And then, why not use the second one for a little more shade and maybe a little less heating of water. BTW... this is the shallow end so it may have more effect there than if deep end shaded.
gg=alice
duraleigh said:
Swamp coolers work well here in Tucson, for most of the year. Our first place was only swamp-cooled, and we moved out after our one year was up, mainly because of that.
At best (<10% RH), a properly functioning swamp cooler will get you about 20 degrees below outside temp, while increasing the humidity 2/3 of the way to saturation (so, starting at ~100 degrees and 10% RH, you have ~80 degrees and 70% RH). 80 degrees w/ 70% humidity is not exactly gloriously comfortable, but is tolerable. The problem really gets bad when you get really high temps and high humidity. Rainy season here is about mid-June to mid-September. So, we get 105+ days with 50% RH, and you just can't escape the heat. In that situation, the swamp gets you down to somewhere in the 90s with 85% or so RH. Miserable!! 4th of July 2007 was the hottest day in the 5 years I've lived here; 114 with about 40% humidity. Our house was just below 100, with 80% RH. I though we were going to die!
Little Help.
So when we installed our pool we went ahead and added a valve on the side of the deck so in the future we could install a slide or waterfall. So basically we have a pvc pipe sticking up about 1 inch on the side of our pool deck. This pvc pipe does not have any threads. It is just a smooth pvc pipe. After speaking to the pool people there is an adapter that slides into that pvc. This adapter needs to be glued in place I belive since there is no threads that I can screw in the adapter. On the other end of the adapter there is threads. So how would I screw in a pvc cooler to the adapter? Do they make a 90 degree pvc that the threads would line up? Any one know? I would like to build a cooler like CrabBoy did so it could sit on the side of the pool.
a-cheap-pool-cooler-for-the-end-of-summer-t2501-20.html?hilit=cheap
So when we installed our pool we went ahead and added a valve on the side of the deck so in the future we could install a slide or waterfall. So basically we have a pvc pipe sticking up about 1 inch on the side of our pool deck. This pvc pipe does not have any threads. It is just a smooth pvc pipe. After speaking to the pool people there is an adapter that slides into that pvc. This adapter needs to be glued in place I belive since there is no threads that I can screw in the adapter. On the other end of the adapter there is threads. So how would I screw in a pvc cooler to the adapter? Do they make a 90 degree pvc that the threads would line up? Any one know? I would like to build a cooler like CrabBoy did so it could sit on the side of the pool.
a-cheap-pool-cooler-for-the-end-of-summer-t2501-20.html?hilit=cheap
OK, I started my fountain running yesterday around 11am, let it run all night and all day today. Today and yesterday were partial sun and clouds, humid, and hot (temps in the 90's). During the daytime hours, the temp of my pool increased two degrees (checked it at 6am this morning, and again at 6 pm this evening). Without the fountain running during the daytime, I usually gain four to six degrees from the sunshine on the pool. Overnight, the temp decreased six degrees (again, checked at 6pm and then again at 6am this morning).
So - running the fountain at night does cool the water more than running it in the daytime. However, running it during the day does reduce the temp increase from solar heating, so the water won't get as warm during the daytime.
This concludes my unofficial unscientific test.
So - running the fountain at night does cool the water more than running it in the daytime. However, running it during the day does reduce the temp increase from solar heating, so the water won't get as warm during the daytime.
This concludes my unofficial unscientific test.
Ok, after a few sessions with the new fountain this is what I have experienced. It has been very hot and humid here in Southeast Missouri the past month with highs in the mid to upper 90's and humidity in the 70-90% range. If I don't run the fountain for a few days, the pool water temp will reach 90 degrees. If I run it at night, I can usually get about a 4-6 degree drop overnight each night even with the high humidity. Running it all day will help keep the temp from climbing as much but it will still climb a couple degrees on a hot sunny day.
Running the fountain does raise the pH fairly quickly in my case. I have to add 20 or so oz. of Muratic acid about twice a week to keep it in line. I would much rather do that than to swim in the warm water.
To me, it has been well worth the $$ to cool the water to a comfortable level for swimming. Thanks for all the input and help. This is a great site!
Running the fountain does raise the pH fairly quickly in my case. I have to add 20 or so oz. of Muratic acid about twice a week to keep it in line. I would much rather do that than to swim in the warm water.
To me, it has been well worth the $$ to cool the water to a comfortable level for swimming. Thanks for all the input and help. This is a great site!
That's a good testimonial, Dave, and similar to my experience with a fountain/mister.
When the water gets too warm, we run ours whenever the pump is on....night OR day (12 hours of run time).
It is essentially free cooling since our pump runs that much anyway.
Then as the pool temp eventually drops below 84, we rotate the cooler so it is underwater until the pool temp goes back above 86.
When the water gets too warm, we run ours whenever the pump is on....night OR day (12 hours of run time).
It is essentially free cooling since our pump runs that much anyway.
Then as the pool temp eventually drops below 84, we rotate the cooler so it is underwater until the pool temp goes back above 86.
Here in ND, we usually dont have this problem, however, this year seems to be a more "normal" year temp wise. Pool cover is always on at about midnight to mid morning. My temp is pretty consistant at 82-88 degrees. 88 is a bit warm, but then at night it drops back down to 80-82 without having to use any fountain. My wife loves the warmer water so leaving it around 82-86 degrees is about right for us. My kid doesnt care as long as she can swim.
The storms this summer have been nasty! ping pong to tennis ball size hail has been a royal pain. I am a crop hail agent along with being a loan officer for AgCountry Farm Credit Services and holy cow has it been an interesting summer thus far. One day there was a reported 21 funnel clouds from one of the storm in eastern ND. Now thats CRAZY for up here! Even took the town of Wadena, MN out.
Hope everyone is enjoying their pools this year. I know I am!
The storms this summer have been nasty! ping pong to tennis ball size hail has been a royal pain. I am a crop hail agent along with being a loan officer for AgCountry Farm Credit Services and holy cow has it been an interesting summer thus far. One day there was a reported 21 funnel clouds from one of the storm in eastern ND. Now thats CRAZY for up here! Even took the town of Wadena, MN out.
Hope everyone is enjoying their pools this year. I know I am!