Can I use SunHeater (aboveground)solar panel for an inground

Jump to latest Follow Reply
H

haybird

0
LifeTime Supporter
Mar 29, 2007
211
Ontario
Hello, I found a good deal on SunHeater solar panels.
When I did a search on them I see they sell above ground and inground panels.

I thought they where all the same, if the ones the guy is selling are for aboveground
will I be able to use them for an inground pool? If I buy a roof mounting kit, and extra
pipe will it work? Thanks
 
I can't find their website. The google search just show all the stores that sell them.
I am looking at the aboveground and ingrounds, and I can't tell if its just a different kit
I would need to buy.

The guy that is selling them bought them and never used them,because he got a gas heater.
He selling them for half the price he paid, valves and hoses included. I just don't want to buy them
and find out for some reason I can't use them for inground. I can't imagine the panel itself is different.
 
haybird,

I did some research and it appears that Sunheater solar panels are made by a company named SmartPool Incorporated. Here is their contact information:

687 Prospect Street • Lakewood, NJ 08701
Toll-Free: 1-888-560-7665
Tel: (732) 730-9880 • Fax: (732) 730-9881
Email: [email protected]
www.smartpool.com

Here is a link to the SmartPool Sunheater webpage: http://www.smartpool.com/website/sunheater/index.htm

Here is a link to their S220 above-ground panel (2 ft x 20 ft) http://www.smartpool.com/website/sunheater/s220.htm

Here is a link to their S421 above-ground panel (4 ft x 20 ft) http://www.smartpool.com/website/sunheater/s421.htm

Here is a link to their S601 in-ground panel (4 ft x 20 ft) http://www.smartpool.com/website/sunheater/s601.htm

Link to various Sunheater manuals: http://www.smartpool.com/website/sunhea ... anuals.htm

It is not clear to me what, exactly, is the difference between the S421 (above-ground) and the S601 (in-ground) solar panels. It may very well be just the accessories in the box. If you are able to find the differences, please post your findings at TFP.

edit: Sunheater solar panels are even sold through Costco. I would check Costco prices and your local CraigsList before committing to buy from your friend. Maybe 50% off is still too high of a price. :?: :?:

Titanium
 
Thank-You very much for the information. I checked link after link but did not make the connection with
smartpools.

You are exactly correct about Costsco. The prices even include shipping. He might of bought his
at the pool store. Very helpful information thanks a lot.
 
After you did the leg work and got me the phone # I gave them a call.
She said you diffently want inground panels. The ingrounds have a baffel on the
inside that directs waterflow differently.

Thanks for your help, she told me exactly what I need. So I will buy them at Costco
and save thousands from the quotes I am getting from the pool stores.
 
I have the inground ones...still in the install phase so can't tell you how much they put out, but I thought the only difference was the size of the panel. Who cares which way the water runs inside them!!!
If it gets warmed up...it gets warmed up!
I have the 2' x 20' and they were a huge PITA to get on the roof. If you have a low pitch roof and have a helper on the roof then it wouldn't be so bad I guess.
They say the kits require a system kit, but if you are at all resourceful you don't have to spend an extra $200 on that.
These kits assume you will hook them up to your pump and filter so be careful that you have enough HP in your pump to do so. Remember pushing all that water up a two story house isn't going to be the same as the trip from the pool to the filter and back!.

I myself am using a simple 1" clear water pump that I got at northern tools for $40 which has a 110' head and attaching via 1" poly pipe to the collectors.
 
You want a fairly good flow rate through the panels. An inexpensive high head pump is unlikely to have a very good flow rate. Likewise, using 1.5" or better yet 2" pipe for the runs from the pool to the roof is preferred because that also gives you a better flow rate. The higher the flow rate, the more efficient the panels will be.
 
JasonLion said:
The higher the flow rate, the more efficient the panels will be.
Click to expand...

Not exactly...too much flow will render them near useless as the water won't be able to absorb any heat if it is flowing through too fast, but I do know what you mean about the cheap pump. I did the math and it should be enough, but not too much.

My thing is that I don't want it running with my (already problematic) pump because I don't want it pushing water through the collectors when there is no sun.

I need a separate switch for the heater is all.

In my opinion DIY solar heating is pretty much a crapshoot.
I got a couple panels cheap so I'm trying it out.
Will post back when I get it running.
Raining again so prolly next week.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
danbutter said:
Not exactly...too much flow will render them near useless as the water won't be able to absorb any heat if it is flowing through too fast
Click to expand...
This is a common misunderstanding about solar heat. The only way the flow rate can be too high is if the pressure is high enough to damage the panel. Otherwise, you want the highest possible flow rate. Most solar panels are designed to have between 4 and 8 GPM per panel. If you run them at a lower flow rate then that, you are losing efficiency.

The cooler the panels are, the more efficient they are. As the panels heat up, you lose more heat to the environment. Higher flow rates draw the heat out of the panels more quickly, less heat is lost to the environment, and overall efficiency increases. Even though the water coming out of the panels is cooler, you are pushing more water through the panels and the total amount of heat increases. Ideally, you want the water to warm up by about 1 degree going through the panels. A couple of degrees is still alright, though not perfect. But if the water is warming up 10 or more degrees going through the panels you are losing a lot of heat.
 
That is very true. It surprises me that people think that the hotter the water coming out the better it is. The goal is to get the most BTU/HR out of the unit, not high temperature. Thus, the more water you push through (up to a point) the better.

I have a cheap set of 2'x20' panels that I bought on e-bay that are supposed to be for above ground that I use for my inground pool. I just took the flow disc out of the manifold and have the two mats next to each other running in parallel. Once my heatpump gets the pool up to temperature these two mats are enough to maintain the pool from mid may to late august without the need to run the heatpump. That is for a 20x40 inground in Northern NJ.
 
I bought some sungrabbers off e-bay. We put up 9-2x12 on the roof. A little undersized for our 16x32. We get about 6 or 7 degrees a day. About 1 degree a hour. We where shutting them off last year when they where heating the pool over 92*. We had a bad winter with snow ,ice, wind, rain, flash feezing and the panels had no leaks this spring. We have had nights below freezing this weekend and the pool is still at 74* today. Day air temps around 60*

We payed about $1000.00 for the panels, and because of the roofs pitch about $600.00 for a pool company to install on their down time in August. The quotes we where getting where between $4000 and $5000. Yes we are happy with our purchase.
 
Can anyone point to specifics about putting the sunheater on a 2nd floor roof?

Questions I'm wondering about are:

1) If I'm using 1.5 hp Hayward, would I need an auxillary pump?
2) If so, what is the best type of pump?
3) Best location to place the pump?
4) With an auxillary pump, is there an optimal way to configure the PVC into the return to the pool?
5) Noticed that the roof assembly kit is essentially web strapping and flat fitted brackets for the strapping. Are there any recommendations from someone who has done this without buying the kit, which seems to be fairly expensive for simple looking parts, especially where I'd be using 3 kits?

Thanks,

dkiley
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply