Solar Panel installation in Toronto

[wayner]

I am looking at getting solar panels installed to heat my pool. All in cost will be around C$3.5k - this will likely be for 6 panels as we like to keep our pool at about 85F. Does this sound reasonable? The type of panels are evacuated tubes that are supposed to be better than mats. This will be an open loop system which is still supposed to be okay for a salt water system.

Does that seem like a reasonable price? I haven't figured out exactly what our summer gas bills have been but I would guess that this would have about a three year payback.

 

[Isaac-1]

Better is a relative term and depends on your goals. Evacuated tubes can work at a much higher temperature differential between pool water and panel than the common unglazed plastic panels, however the number of BTU's they can generate when the temperature difference is within about 20 degrees is much lower.

Meaning if you want to swim in 85 degree water, and your daytime temperatures when the sun is high in the sky are above about 65 degrees you would be better off using unglazed panels, but if you want to swim while it is snowing outside then you need a lot of evacuated tube panels.

Ike

 

[wayner]

My definition of better would be whatever provides more total heat and reduces the amount of Nat Gas that I have to burn. In past years I didn't necessarily heat the pool in the shoulder seasons unless the weather was warm enough to make it pleasant to swim. Given the advantages of solar it may allow us to seim more.

Won't be swimming when it is snowing but I would like the panels to be providing at least some heat from when the pool is uncovered, which is typically mid-May, until it is closed which is in early October. I don't mind supplementing with gas at times to get back up to 85.

 

[Isaac-1]

In that case you may be better off with unglazed, you get about twice as many BTU's per area out of them when the days are somewhat warm, and they cost about half as much or less, letting you buy more panels. Here in Louisiana (a much different climate) I can typically swim up through the first freeze of the year with only solar heat.