Solar Cooling?

[Isaac-1]

This is my first summer with my updated solar panels (66% surface coverage area) including a solar controller (old panels came down with the old roof last year), so for the last 6-8 weeks I have been running my solar panels in night time cooling mode to attempt to maintain my desired water temperature of around 84 - 85 degrees, so far with fairly good results. Traditionally by mid August without use of cooling techniques my water would be in the mid 90's , but by setting my solar controller to a cooling goal temperature of 82, I have achieved the above mentioned 84-85 degree afternoon water temperature. I am somewhat surprised by these results since for the last several weeks we have been experiencing average highs in the upper 90's (almost never less than 95) that only dip down to the mid - upper 70's in the early morning hours with 70-80% relative humidity at night. (temperature at midnight is often above 80 degrees) I suspect one key helper has been the solar controller with opportunistic cooling when we have short lived afternoon thermal thunderstorms which have been in fairly elusive this year, as these storms can cause rapid localized cooling and relatively cold rain water, even occasional hail during the peak of the summer months.

Now down to the question part, how many of you also use your solar panels for pool cooling during the summer months, do you have an automatic controller, and how effective is it for you?

Ike

 

[foobert]

I was about to say that I wish I had the problem of needing to cool my pool. But, then it occurred to me that the rest of the time I'd have to live in that climate which allows a pool to naturally get up to 90+ degrees :sad:

Clever using the solar panels as reverse heat exchangers at night!

 

[linen]

how many of you also use your solar panels for pool cooling during the summer months, do you have an automatic controller, and how effective is it for you?

I have only purposefully cooled my pool only once when I was up in the mid 90s, but it did a great job...I think I got ~5 degrees pool temp reduction just due to the panels. I have also done it by mistake ...I have no auto-controller.

 

[Isaac-1]

Just after I posted that question we had our first little brief hint of cooler weather, with the lows at night getting down into the low 70's at night, maybe even upper 60's., and highs below 90 the last 2 days (it was only 86 degrees at noon today).

 

[chiefwej]

I seldom need to cool my pool water. Even though we have prolonged periods of 100+ temps, the evaporative cooling seems to be enough. I do use my solar panels for heating quite often, even in mid summer.

 

[Charlie_R]

This being only the second year I've had the pool in my own back yard, I've been having to keep fuel on hand for heating this year. Last year, I was having to use the aerator set-up as a means to keep the water cool enough to be comfortable swimming. Strange turns in weather have been keeping the water decent temperature, with firing the heater only every couple of days, as long as I keep it covered.