Hi all need a little advice on heating my pool. Lets get the info out there I live in central iowa this year has been a messed up year have had some hot days 90+ but most are in th low 80's with lows around 50-60. I have an intex easyset (Blow up ring) 18' X 48" deep around 5600 gallon. About a month ago got a solor cover for it and just the other day found the oringal cover as well.(have both on). In the hot parts of the day pool temp is around 76 and in the morning after a cool night around 69-72. I can get a used laars lite propane for 200 or a new in box never used laars lite gas for 350. We don't use the pool a lot due to the fact it is cold. Now after looking around on this site was introduced to pool heat pumps don't know what to get now. Need more info let me know.
What to heat my pool with HELP
- Thread starter fordman
- Start date
If you have a large enough sunny area on your roof or in your backyard, solar panels are a cheap and effective way to go, especially for a small pool like yours. You only have to pay once for the panels and then the heat is free. With propane, you'll get instant heat (and lots of it), but you'll have to continuously pay.
There are many variables to consider (location, weather, sun, etc.), but with a small pool like yours and a solar cover to keep the heat during the night, a single 4 x 20 panel (80 square feets) will give you a noticeable raise in temp. With 2 panels (160 square feets) you'll probably be able to maintain temperatures above 85 degrees all the time (except when the weather is really bad), with peaks above 90 degrees when it gets sunny and hot for a few consecutive days. With 3 panels (240 square feets), you'll have an 18' spa
There are many brands of panels available at different price points. Do a bit of searching on the forum and you'll find good recommendations.
You might have an issue with your pump though. I think that the tiny pumps / filters on the smaller Intex pools have very low flow rates. I don't know if it's enough for solar panels or any other type of heater.
There are many variables to consider (location, weather, sun, etc.), but with a small pool like yours and a solar cover to keep the heat during the night, a single 4 x 20 panel (80 square feets) will give you a noticeable raise in temp. With 2 panels (160 square feets) you'll probably be able to maintain temperatures above 85 degrees all the time (except when the weather is really bad), with peaks above 90 degrees when it gets sunny and hot for a few consecutive days. With 3 panels (240 square feets), you'll have an 18' spa
There are many brands of panels available at different price points. Do a bit of searching on the forum and you'll find good recommendations.
You might have an issue with your pump though. I think that the tiny pumps / filters on the smaller Intex pools have very low flow rates. I don't know if it's enough for solar panels or any other type of heater.
well I made a homemade collector and does ok get warm water out of it but not enough. Is there a post that shows some solor panel setups. The thing is this year not a lot of clear days do the bought panels work in cloudy weather very good.
There are many posts on the forum showing installations.
You can see my installation here:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/solar-panel-installation-pic-t5823.html
There a nice thread of a step by step installation of solar panels here:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/adding-solar-bear-panels-to-our-agp-the-process-with-pics-t11410.html
On a very cloudy/rainy day, you won't get heat out of the panels. However, on a partly cloudy day, you'll get some heat. The best thing to get the most out of your panels is to use an automated valve system that sends water to the panels whenever they get hotter than the pool water and bypasses them when they are too cold. Goldline makes such a system.
If you have enough panel surface area, your pool will heat pretty fast. For example we had a few cold and rainy days at the beginning of the week here in Ottawa. On Thursday morning my pool was at 71 degrees. We had a lot of sun during the day and when I came back from work at 5pm, the pool had already reached 80 degrees. It's still nice today, so it should be above 85 when I get back home.
The key is to have enough panel surface area. I have 192 square feet for a 7000gal pool.
You can see my installation here:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/solar-panel-installation-pic-t5823.html
There a nice thread of a step by step installation of solar panels here:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/adding-solar-bear-panels-to-our-agp-the-process-with-pics-t11410.html
On a very cloudy/rainy day, you won't get heat out of the panels. However, on a partly cloudy day, you'll get some heat. The best thing to get the most out of your panels is to use an automated valve system that sends water to the panels whenever they get hotter than the pool water and bypasses them when they are too cold. Goldline makes such a system.
If you have enough panel surface area, your pool will heat pretty fast. For example we had a few cold and rainy days at the beginning of the week here in Ottawa. On Thursday morning my pool was at 71 degrees. We had a lot of sun during the day and when I came back from work at 5pm, the pool had already reached 80 degrees. It's still nice today, so it should be above 85 when I get back home.
The key is to have enough panel surface area. I have 192 square feet for a 7000gal pool.
do they have to be pointed south or will west work. I see there is some kind of controller to turn the water on and off correct how much are these and what is a good unit?
I have a pop-up intex that is 10' x 30" and I use a single Solar Sun Ring. It only covers about 75% of the pool surface, but there is not room for another ring because our diameter is so small. Your pool would likely take five or seven. They are about $20 each if you shop around on-line. They seem to keep my pool at least 4 to 6 degrees warmer than without - maybe more. Today our pool was 86. I also swam in my neighbor's, without any heat help, and I'm sure theirs was no more than 80 and felt much cooler. I was considering solar panels for next year, but if 84 to 86 is all I can hope for on a sunny day, I already get that with the ring. I need to find a solution where I can keep it at 84-86 on yucky days. I have never used a full blanket, so nothing to compare to, but I like the easy of the solar rings b/c I can just lift it out easily and toss if over a bench or the swingset. Seems easier to take on and off by myself than a full-sized blanket would.
Well this needs a little update. First off my thermometer was off pool was in the 80's bought two new ones and both read 10* higher than old one. Then made one home made solar heat collector then bought a little more supply's and made a second one. The other day (don't know my flow rate) had temps close to 100* coming out of collector hose. Pool was 86-88 when I got home at 6 tonight with a solar cover on as well. Also not really a hot year by any means low 80's but good sunshine.