My little science experiment

[Super B]

So I ran across some Intex solar heat mats at good ole wally world the other day. Figured for $7 a piece why not. Picked up three of them. The plans were to hang them off the side of the deck vertically so they get all the afternoon sun. That part worked out pretty good. I'll probably make a folding platform over the winter for next season so I can get the morning sun as well without killing the lawn. Where this little science experiment started going wrong was the hard piping. Needless to say well over double what I have in the mats I have in PVC. I've got drips at my main connections to boot (off the SWG and at the Intex flex hose, both are very slow maybe 10 drips an hour). After hours of google and TFP searching I've found what I need to make the SWG connection water tight but to keep the Intex hose I haven't really found anything that suits my needs. The only thing I've found is the 40mm to 1 1/2 adapters online. Has anyone found a way to keep the Intex hose and still get a water tight seal to PVC from a local store? The flex hose is a must, the kids get the pool rocking pretty good by splashing and jumping in, so I think hard piping 100% is out of the question, I think there would be to much stress on the liner and pipes.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jeffchap]

The Intex hoses will attach to a 2" male PVC, but you have to add an extra 1/8" rubber washer because the difference in the threads keeps it from screwing on tight enough to keep it from leaking.

 

[domct203]

I use the Game 40mm adapters (seven of them actually) with zero leaks. Never did find anything locally. I tried 2"MPT but even with two rubber washers it still leaked.

https://www.amazon.com/GAME-4560-Conversion-Intex-Bestway/dp/B004TYBCEG

 

[Super B]

The Intex hoses will attach to a 2" male PVC, but you have to add an extra 1/8" rubber washer because the difference in the threads keeps it from screwing on tight enough to keep it from leaking.

I picked several of those up the other day during the inital PVC parts trip with hopes that they would but with the Intex hoses I have just no luck. There's at least a 1/4" of space that would need to be taken up. I appreciate the possible tip tho. Looks like what I've seen online is that there was either an earlier or later design that the 2" male PVC adapters worked with.

I use the Game 40mm adapters (seven of them actually) with zero leaks. Never did find anything locally. I tried 2"MPT but even with two rubber washers it still leaked.

https://www.amazon.com/GAME-4560-Conversion-Intex-Bestway/dp/B004TYBCEG

Yeah it looks like I'm going to go that route as well. Seeing how the drip rate is very slow I'll probable just leave it for the rest of the season (just a few more weeks). I'm planing on moving everything this winter for more ease of access (crawling under the deck is getting old). I should be able to use everything I have to do the reconfigure and use the 40mm adapters to make the inlet and return connections. Thanks for the pics. Did you see any reduction in flow given the length of the pipes? On another side note how do you like the fountain?

 

[domct203]

No noticeable loss in return flow, as a matter of fact I think the flow has improved. I actually had to install a bypass on the solar circuit to slow the flow through the panels a bit.

End of last season with 50' of flex hoses:

This year with PVC:

In this pic you can see the bypass circuit I added, just to the left of the pump basket, on the panel side of the check valve.

 

[Jontmiller]

Noticeable pool temp or real feel results? Gut feeling in my application it won't help much on the days I want it. ( gets to 85-87 on hot sunny days without heater...5 degree swing between dark and light


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[domct203]

On a sunny day the return jet is noticeably much warmer than the pool water. My original intent was to make up for the shade on the pool during the day, which the panels do cover IMO. Next year I'm hoping to double the # of panels to see if I can gain a few more degrees.

 

[Jontmiller]

Thanks


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[Super B]

Noticeable pool temp or real feel results? Gut feeling in my application it won't help much on the days I want it. ( gets to 85-87 on hot sunny days without heater...5 degree swing between dark and light


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Yeah ever since the install we've had cloudy stormy weather with the storms off the coast. Pool temps today were 76 brrrr for us. Hoping that we can get some sun soon. I really need a solar cover to help things along.


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[Jontmiller]

yea, I won't be using a cover so that's my issue....we get great sun in the afternoons, only use the heater a few times a year just with company or to extend the season but it all leaves overnight. Like the idea of solar just don't know if it would really help much...or at least not help when I want it to.

 

[Super B]

yea, I won't be using a cover so that's my issue....we get great sun in the afternoons, only use the heater a few times a year just with company or to extend the season but it all leaves overnight. Like the idea of solar just don't know if it would really help much...or at least not help when I want it to.

Yeah it was a **** shoot with the end of the season sale for sure. I've looked at a lot of other people's since then and will be redoing it over the winter months. Going to relocate the pump, sand filter, and SWG as well as redoing the solar portion. I'll keep the mats for future use if possible but going to try the irrigation pipe theory next year. Also instead of plumbing the solar back into the return I'm going to have it flow straight back to the pool. Lot of people I've seen have a better success with that theory. If I can get some sun I might play around with the flow rate to see if that makes a difference. Might be to fast right now but with out sun who knows. Solar cover will be had next year as well. Given my up coming work schedule and new baby making his way in this might be it for the season for us [emoji22][emoji22][emoji22][emoji22][emoji22][emoji22][emoji22].


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[domct203]

I highly recommend a solar blanket to help retain heat overnight, and reduce cooling evaporation on windy days. I open the pool for sunny days, and leave it covered on cooler days, opening for a couple of hours early evening for the pool to breathe a bit & testing & dosing.

I find that I get more heat from the sun with the solar blanket removed on sunny days. I have mine on a reel, making it super easy to manage (pic from last season). Once we roll up the cover onto the reel we just swing the reel over to the fence and hang it on a hook, which you can see in my previous post.

I had to custom make mounting adapters to mount the reel to the Intex frame.

Super B- the kids love the fountain, and the lights at night are kind of neat too.

 

[Super B]

Defiantly looking for a blanket. I turned off the solar mats because I think they are cooling the water faster with no sunlight. Checked the temp a little while ago and it was 74 brrrrr for me. Good deal on the fountain its on our next season list. Did you trim you cover to accommodate the ladder?

 

[domct203]

Yes, I trimmed around the ladder.

I added the auto solar controller this season, works great. Like you, I found that when it turned cloudy, or cool & very windy the panels would cool the pool. The controller automatically controls the flow to the panels based on the temp.

 

[Super B]

Yes, I trimmed around the ladder.

I added the auto solar controller this season, works great. Like you, I found that when it turned cloudy, or cool & very windy the panels would cool the pool. The controller automatically controls the flow to the panels based on the temp.

Nice might have to look into that as well. Thanks again


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