Solar-powered pool/spa heater (with cells)

[op999]

I always see solar pool heaters as the ones where the water runs across the black tubing and whathaveyou. But are there any that can run a heater using cells and just using an electric heater?

Or would it take way too many cells to get that kind of power to run a heater?

 

[Bama Rambler]

It would take an enormous number of photovoltiac cells to generate enough power to produce even close to the heat that a normal solar pool heater generates. And the cost would be a double order of magnitude over what a solar heater costs. In fact you can almost buy and entire solar heater for the cost of one decent sized cell.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

I'm guessing you mean photovoltaic panels? If so, yes, it would take far too many of them to run a heater.

Rough numbers:
I'm not sure how much energy each panel puts out, but I'm pretty sure it's <100 watts; lets say it's 100W. So....here's where it gets fun. A 400,000 btu/hr gas heater = 117,228 watts = 1172 panels to get the same amount of energy.

A heat pump would be much less, but still would require far too many panels to be practical.