More panels and bigger pump

[spdas]

Aloha all, I have installed 2 4x20 "sungrabbers" along with my DIY solar panel consisting of 1500' of 1/2 irrigation tubing. See the setup and the tests I have been doing for the last 3 days at DIY Heater tuning/setup thread (july 18). I also installed a 3/4 hp Jacuzzi pump in parallel with my 1/8 hp pump.. Since I am on PV solar stand alone and not tied to the grid, I will use the 3/4 during the day when the sun is out and the 1/8 at nite.
Here are some of the solar heat figures I got out of the 3/4 pump (but I only started at 4:30pm when I finished the sungrabber installation).

1) 3 degrees heating at 4:30PM @ 40gpm.
2) Constructing a easy convertible top (maybe a hinged clear plastic corrugated material) to expose the pool to direct sun as that gave me 2.4 degrees increase today.
3) Also, like everyone says, USE a SOLAR BLANKET! Since my pool is square 8'x20' I will McGiver 2 8x10 panels on pulleys that will hinge and cover the pool at night.
Question: Can I use any material as a solar blanket, such as a tarp? Or are the "official" bubble wrap material really superior?
thanks
Francis

 

[JohnT]

Question: Can I use any material as a solar blanket, such as a tarp? Or are the "official" bubble wrap material really superior?
thanks
Francis

Any material that floats will be mostly effective, but the solar blankets are usually at least semi-transparent to allow the sunlight to hit the water, and the bubbles make them float high on the water. A tarp will tend to get a lot of water on top, making it heavy and harder to handle.

 

[spdas]

Aloha, I was going to make two 8x10 frames (each cover 1/2 the pool) (pool is 8'x20') and hinge them on one side of the pool. Then use a pulley to raise up and down and the cover will not touch the water and actually rest on the edges of the pool, about 6" from the water. Can use bubble foil, tarp or get a real pool cover made to size. Does the pool cover actually have to float on the water to be effective?

BTW with my solar setup I raised the temp from 78.8 to 84.8 = 6 degrees today for my 7800 gallon pool.

Francis