Too early for solar blanket?

[bbrock]

Wanted other TFPers input regarding if it is too early to put on solar blanket. Last week I turned on solar and I'm running it about four hours a day.

I am out here in the tri-valley of California, which is Eastbay San Fran. Air temps starting to warm up for spring with days to the 70s, nights in the low 50s. I've had a little water recession, but I attribute that to either splash out from my Polaris cleaner, or some evaporation. My water temp has risen to 65, which makes for a dive in and quick swim across the pool.

So, if any of you TFPers are in areas with temperatures approximately similar to what I have stated, do you have your solar blanket on already?

 

[pooldv]

We are about where you are on temps. I haven't turned in solar yet because it was raining up until yesterday. But, now the sun is out we are tanning and the pool looks good! :sunny: So, it is tempting to turn on the panels. We are waiting for the cover until the last 3 or 4 trees by the pool leaf out and drop their stuff. I am planning to turn on solar next if the temps stay in the 70s and hoping to put the cover on in 2 weeks or so. As of now the goal is to dive in by May 1.

We are NOT getting in 65* water!!! Minimum temp is 80, 85 is preferred.

 

[bbrock]

If you want a nice wake up, I am telling you... jump in. Just be ready. I was sporadically jumping in in the midst of the winter, and wow, that was cold. Did it last after the Superbowl. Told my wife, if my Broncos win, I'm jumping in. Had to stay true to my word. That was cold. I think that was in the 40s.

Good point re: putting on the solar blanket after the trees have dropped most of their stuff. I overlooked that. We have some type of pine tree right outside our backyard fence that is dropping a lot of pine pods and needles. Probably smarter just to wait to let them fall more prior to solar blanket going on. Not to mention, I think the solar blanket works better to trap in heat and prevent cool off at night, and prevent burn-off, vs. to aid with heating the pool. I believe I read here (may be by Jason Lion or some other member; I subscribed to that post and bookmarked it somewhere) that a pool heats better when the sun's rays are able to pass through the water. Thus, if that is the case, then leaving if off would suffice for right now.

 

[pooldv]

Yes, that is true. Solar covers hold in heat. Most needed at night. Best to leave them off during the day so the sun can heat the water directly, unless it is windy.

I have two words about you jumping in 40 degree water. You are crazy!

 

[mas985]

In our neck of the woods (low humidity), evaporation alone usually removes more heat than is blocked with the cover on. So it is almost always worth it to have the cover on.

 

[bbrock]

Thanks Mark. I would never have thought that of that. I think I took it off in November just wasn't sure yet when to put it on. While I do have solar on, I'm probably losing all that heat at night. So it's probably a wash without having the cover on. Do you throw on your solar blanket when you turn on solar? Already got your cover on?

 

[mas985]

I usually take the cover off around November and put it back on when I start solar, around this time.

The increase in water temp accelerates evaporation and heat loss so there isn't much point in having solar on without a cover.

 

[bbrock]

I put on my cover last weekend. Water was already up to 78 a few days ago.