Solar heater pipe sizing
- Thread starter n240sxguy
- Start date
That's my roof where the solar panels will go. After doing some math, is this even gonna be worth it? Looks like I can maybe get 7 4x12 panels up there, which is just under 50% of pool coverage. Will that even make a noticeable difference?
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Yes, it will definitely help. I have 5 4x12 panels, 240sf for a 700sf pool that only receives full sun for less than 2 hours per day. My solar panels get sun for 8-9 hours. From about 10/11 am to 7ish pm right now. We can gain 5 to 8 degrees in a day. With a solar cover we lose 1 or 2 degrees, maybe 3 sometimes. So, over the course of a week we can gain 10-15 degrees. We have found that we can generally maintain the water temp 3 to 8 degrees above the daily high temps. So, when it is lo 60 and hi 80 our pool will usually be 82 to 88 degrees with solar and the cover. Sometimes wind and rain derail that a bit and we turn on the heat pump.
There are pics of my solar panels and some discussions about heating in my pool thread, link in sig.
There are pics of my solar panels and some discussions about heating in my pool thread, link in sig.
That gives me hope. My pool has full sun from about 10-6. Ok. I shall proceed with the plan.
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Well, here's the reason that all seemed so urgent. I was perusing Craigslist all around trying to find some used panels when I found an eBay listing for a brand new 4x12 panel for $47.60. Upon further investigation, its a techno-solis panel, and they have 5 of them. I just ordered 5 panels for what 1 should've cost. Guess we'll see what's what in a few days when/if they actually get here. Or I'll be having PayPal reverse the charge. PayPal and the eBay buyer protection is the only reason I even gave this a chance because it's a new eBay user, and the text seems to be the same as another company's. Maybe they're clearing out the warehouse or something. Either way, I may have solar THIS YEAR instead of next year.
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Nice. Techno-Solis is the manufacturer of the Vortex panels that I have. Which I bought from Solar Direct. Isaac-1 also has Techno-Solis panels. They are good stuff.
If these turn out to be legit, this has been a record 24hrs for good luck. I won a $50 tattoo gift certificate off the radio yesterday, then a couple hours later I won a $10 gift certificate to a local brewery from the same station. That all seemed too good to not keep going, so I went and got a powerball ticket for tonight. Then this this morning. Crazy. This stuff doesn't happen to me.
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I didn't win $80 million. Now I'm digging under a deck. Today did not go how I was hoping.
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Resolution in progress on eBay for the panels. Figured it was a scam or a fluke. Either way the buyer protection should take care of everything. Now I'm thinking I should go ahead and start ordering stuff piece by piece so I'll have some sort of system in place for the end of summer. What's on the list of must haves? Check valves? 3way? Controller eventually? I've got plumbing run from the pad to the house at least.
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Is it better to have the solar 3 way valve and check valves by the pad or closer to the panels? The way my yard is sloped, the lines actually dip down below the pad, and will never fully drain when off. I'm just thinking about having water sitting in them potentially for weeks at a time during the hottest part of summer when solar wouldn't be needed. Didn't know if having the valves closer to the house so there would be water circulating through those lines would be prudent, or if it would even matter.
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How far is it from the pad to the house? I'm thinking at the pad because there is no reason to pump water to the house and back if solar isn't on. It shouldn't matter about water in the pipes because there is no sun reaching it.
It's 135 feet of pipe each way to get where it is right now.
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Got my solar panel transaction dispute resolved today with a full refund. Too bad it didn't work out.
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