Solar panel return water temperature?

[haybird]

Hello,
I have read in several threads that your return water from your panels should only
be a couple degrees warmer then the pool water. When I feel my return water from the panels it is much hotter
then the pool water. I understand that the best flow rate is 4GPM but have no way of measuring my
flow rate through the panels.

When I divert the water to the panels I adjust the valve so the filter gauge goes up about 5 or 6 psi
from 15 normal filtering to 21psi. If I send all the water to the panels it jumps from 15psi to 30psi.
Would sending all the water to the panel help cool the water more? Any risk of running the filter at double the normal pressure? I guess I am having trouble with this concept.

Thanks for any advice!!

 

[dmanb2b]

The water returning to the pool will be about 3-4 deg warmer and quite frankly the warmer, the better. Doesn't sound like a lot, but will feel much hotter than the surrounding pool water. As long as your panels are cool to the touch, they are getting enough flow.

 

[solarboy]

At the risk of being wrong.... the more you can send through the panels the better, but you shouldn't exceed the filter rating. The lower the temp differencial between the water returning from the panels and ambient, the greater the efficiency.

 

[haybird]

Thanks for the replies!
My maximum working pressure for my filter is 50psi. I was thinking it would be easier on my filter
by only raising it up to 20 or 21psi where it cools the panels. Would you suggest sending all(more) of the water to the panels and
let it run at around 30psi?

Thanks

 

[mas985]

Actually it is 4 GPM per panel which is a total of 36 GPM. With only a 1 PSI rise, you are probably not sending very much to the panels. I would split the difference between no flow and full flow filter PSI or about 25 PSI. See how that works out.

 

[haybird]

Will do, thanks!!