What's the most efficient solar cover for 12 x 24 oval salt pool in terms of heat retention and production? 12 or 16 mil? Weight shouldn't be a major factor with this size pool) Clear or blue? Blue/gold?
Best solar cover
- Thread starter arm
- Start date
- May 3, 2007
- 16,903
- Pool Size
- 20000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
The best solar cover is one you will actually use. The thicker the cover, the heavier it is and the less likely you will use it. I have not found a significant difference in cover life with the thicker covers so my preference now is to go with a lighter cover. Current I am using a 5 mil cover and it is very easy to take on and off.
As for color, I haven't found much of a difference in heat gain although I have only tried blue and clear. Theoretically, clear will allow more sun light directly into the pool (and radiation out of the pool) but that doesn't mean water temperature will be higher. The colored covers heat by conduction and re-radiation and seem to allow heating of the pool fairly effectively as well.
The biggest factor in a solar cover is simply covering the pool. Everything else is secondary.
As for color, I haven't found much of a difference in heat gain although I have only tried blue and clear. Theoretically, clear will allow more sun light directly into the pool (and radiation out of the pool) but that doesn't mean water temperature will be higher. The colored covers heat by conduction and re-radiation and seem to allow heating of the pool fairly effectively as well.
The biggest factor in a solar cover is simply covering the pool. Everything else is secondary.
borjis
LifeTime Supporter
after reading a bunch of the posts here I settled on an 8 mil blue cover.
It really keeps the heat in let me tell you.
Also on a sunny day when I pull the cover off, the top 1-2 feet of water is VERY warm so I redirect my
jets sometimes to blow right into it for distribution.
anything bigger than 8 mil will likely require 2 people to help with it.
- - - Updated - - -
after reading a bunch of the posts here I settled on an 8 mil blue cover.
It really keeps the heat in let me tell you.
Also on a sunny day when I pull the cover off, the top 1-2 feet of water is VERY warm so I redirect my
jets sometimes to blow right into it for distribution.
anything bigger than 8 mil will likely require 2 people to help with it.
It really keeps the heat in let me tell you.
Also on a sunny day when I pull the cover off, the top 1-2 feet of water is VERY warm so I redirect my
jets sometimes to blow right into it for distribution.
anything bigger than 8 mil will likely require 2 people to help with it.
- - - Updated - - -
after reading a bunch of the posts here I settled on an 8 mil blue cover.
It really keeps the heat in let me tell you.
Also on a sunny day when I pull the cover off, the top 1-2 feet of water is VERY warm so I redirect my
jets sometimes to blow right into it for distribution.
anything bigger than 8 mil will likely require 2 people to help with it.
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