Solar Panel setup

[JCJR]

I just got 12 (50sqft) panels installed in 2 sections. 6 panels on the South Facing and 6 on the West. According to the installation panel, there should be 1 split line feeding both panels at the same time and both return line merging into one according to the diagram below.

The installer connected the feed line to one panel, and on the opposite top return line connected into the 2nd panels feed line and then took that panels out line and connected back to the pool. Essentially running the water through 6 panels then flowing it into the next 6 panel. This doesn't seem too efficient. In essence it seems to me that I now have 6 100sqft panels.

Should I have them reroute the piping. My pool temps were as following 1st day after install, water temp 78, air temp 81hi-69low and pool temp at 5pm was 80 degrees, 2nd day water temp 80 ( no heat loss) 82hi- 67low and water temp at 5pm was 81. This morning water temp 78.

Am I over reacting?

 

[JasonLion]

Ideally you want the water to flow through all of the panels in parallel, as shown in the diagram. How big a deal it is that it was done another way depends on what your flow rate is. Typically, each panel should have a flow rate of 3 to 6 GPM. Six panels in parallel thus prefer 18 to 36 GPM. If your flow rate is above 36 GPM then it would be much better to have all twelve panels in parallel. If your flow rate is below 36 GPM it doesn't make nearly as much difference. At low flow rates the water will spend about the same amount of time in a panel in either configuration. At low flow rates all panels in parallel will have a lower dynamic head but would have about the same heating efficiency.

 

[JCJR]

My son and I went in the pool today and I had the pump on hi which I guess is about 80gpm, depending on how I open/close my suction/return valves filter psi was 24. During high noon the my pool temp was 80deg and the return water was around 85 deg ( I held the thermometer on the water from the return, not very scientific) however, I turned the pump on low and the temp from the return was 87. So on low, the water is hotter. My dilemma is I think(?) I should prefer to leave it on high because I get more water volume than on low.

So my plan is, to manually set the pump on high during the hottest part of the day and then turn it down on low for the rest.

Am I going about this the correct way?

 

[JasonLion]

If the panels are plumbed as two sequential banks of six and they are standard panels then the max design flow rate is 48 GPM (8 GPM per panel). Exceeding that flow rate could damage the panels or dramatically shorten their life.

You will always get more total heat out of the panels at the highest practical flow rate. That amount of heat coming from the panels is basically the temperature increase times the volume of water. At a higher motor speed you will get a lower temperature increase but move more water. The higher volume will more than make up for the lower temperature increase.