I am looking to purchase a solar panel for my 14x42 intex pool. Would i be better off using my 1600 gallon sand filter with a diverter valve or using my smaller 1000 gph pump with seperate lines. Im leaning towards the smaller pump which i would believe would allow the water to reach a greater temp before being pumped back into the pool as apposed to using the sand filter with the diverter half open which i think would allow the heated water to mix with the cooler water prior to being introduced back into the pool and cooling it down.
Solar Panel Question
- Thread starter whatsup201178
- Start date
For best efficiency you actually want as much water flow through the panels as possible and allowed by the panels. Letting the water reach higher temperatures in the panels actually lowers efficiency since you aren't taking all the heat you possibly could out of the panel.
That said, the difference between the pumps isn't that large and there are some advantages to using a separate pump for solar, though it does mean extra hoses and a little more complexity.
That said, the difference between the pumps isn't that large and there are some advantages to using a separate pump for solar, though it does mean extra hoses and a little more complexity.
I was thinking the seperate pump for the reason that i can also use a timer on it for peak sun hours and also my wife would not half to worry about the diverter valve. how much of a differance do u think the smaller pump would make.
It depends on how large your panels are. You usually want about 0.1 GPM per sqft of panel. Your pump 1000 gph pump is about 16 gpm, so good for about 160 sqft of panels.
That is an intex 1000 gph pump? I am not sure you would get the 16 gpm Jason mentioned, those pumps are overspeced IMO. You will still want the filter in there so the crud doesn't get to the panels, but you will have to keep it really clean. Worth a try though, unless you are putting them at a raised elevation (on roof), then that intex pump (the 1000 gph) will not do it. The panels should feel cool when operating with enough flow.