Pool heaters

[79TAKid]

I don't know enough about pool heaters, my house was a foreclosure so it was taken. I had the pipes reworked to bypass where the heater sat but it's all setup for a has heater.

I'd buy one if I found a good deal but wasnt really worried about it this first season with other house expenses.

Is something like this a good deal?

Hayward heater for $200

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/for/3889870927.html

 

[wildwilly1]

yeah seems like a good deal maybe a little small for that size pool

 

[Wiggledog]

We just put in a new 30 foot round agp with an expandable liner - 22,000 plus gallons. Our neighbor has a smaller in ground pool and has solar heated it for the last 15 years. We decided to try it. We are in southeast PA, near Philly, and since the pool was installed the temperature with 4 2x20' solar panels has been running 85 to 92 everyday. We also use a clear 12 mil solar cover to keep the heat in. Its free heat and wasn't that hard to install on our garage roof which faces southwest. We love it and so do all our friends. Beats paying for electric or propane to heat to the same temperature. Others in the area without solar panels have been running 76 to 80.

 

[Guest]

Wiggledog,
I'm also in SEPA and was thinking about a solar heater setup, where did you get the parts needed for install? What did the entire project cost you? and do you have a parts list? maybe even some pics of the install? Thanks in advance! Nick

We just put in a new 30 foot round agp with an expandable liner - 22,000 plus gallons. Our neighbor has a smaller in ground pool and has solar heated it for the last 15 years. We decided to try it. We are in southeast PA, near Philly, and since the pool was installed the temperature with 4 2x20' solar panels has been running 85 to 92 everyday. We also use a clear 12 mil solar cover to keep the heat in. Its free heat and wasn't that hard to install on our garage roof which faces southwest. We love it and so do all our friends. Beats paying for electric or propane to heat to the same temperature. Others in the area without solar panels have been running 76 to 80.

 

[Wiggledog]

I'm also in SEPA and was thinking about a solar heater setup, where did you get the parts needed for install? What did the entire project cost you? and do you have a parts list? maybe even some pics of the install? Thanks in advance! Nick

We bought Sun Heater Solar Panels from Eagle Pools in Eagleville, PA. They were $280 for two 2'x20' panels and included all the roof installation hardware. We bought two sets. They said they were for in ground pools but the only difference was that the inground included the roof hardware and the above ground only gave you one panel and no hardware. Other than that they were exactly the same. The chart said that for our szie pool we needed three sets but that would be overkill. Our pool has been between 85 and 90+ degrees every day - even when the air was only around 80. We bought PVC pipe at our local Home Depot and ran it up to our garage roof since the main roof is too high and too steep. Our pool is about 60 feet away from the house so we ran the pvc pipe out to the filter underground which added cost because our ground is all rock and we had to rent a small backhoe to dig the ditch. (We have since covered over the ditch that you see in the picture) Overall the whole install with valves (which came with the panels) cost probably $650 not counting the backhoe. Most people pr

[/img]obably won't have to do that but because of shade trees near our home we couldn't put the pool too close. We also got the darkest liner we could get and a clear 12 mil solar cover ( a pain to take on and off - we cut it into two halves) but that has kept evaporation to a real minimum and definitely holds the temperature during the night. A tip I read or saw on the internet was to put thin metal plates (we used aluminum plates) under all the joints on the roof because expansion and contraction happens and it can cause harm to the roof. We have already noticed that it was a very good tip. Our neighbor advised us to paint the PVC pipes because without the paint pvc does not last long in the sun and his has been up 15 years.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply! Great info.... This may be my spring project next year. ) I just have to figure out the best way to run the pipe to the pump/pool.

Thanks again!
Nick






We bought Sun Heater Solar Panels from Eagle Pools in Eagleville, PA. They were $280 for two 2'x20' panels and included all the roof installation hardware. We bought two sets. They said they were for in ground pools but the only difference was that the inground included the roof hardware and the above ground only gave you one panel and no hardware. Other than that they were exactly the same. The chart said that for our szie pool we needed three sets but that would be overkill. Our pool has been between 85 and 90+ degrees every day - even when the air was only around 80. We bought PVC pipe at our local Home Depot and ran it up to our garage roof since the main roof is too high and too steep. Our pool is about 60 feet away from the house so we ran the pvc pipe out to the filter underground which added cost because our ground is all rock and we had to rent a small backhoe to dig the ditch. (We have since covered over the ditch that you see in the picture) Overall the whole install with valves (which came with the panels) cost probably $650 not counting the backhoe. Most people pr

[/img]obably won't have to do that but because of shade trees near our home we couldn't put the pool too close. We also got the darkest liner we could get and a clear 12 mil solar cover ( a pain to take on and off - we cut it into two halves) but that has kept evaporation to a real minimum and definitely holds the temperature during the night. A tip I read or saw on the internet was to put thin metal plates (we used aluminum plates) under all the joints on the roof because expansion and contraction happens and it can cause harm to the roof. We have already noticed that it was a very good tip. Our neighbor advised us to paint the PVC pipes because without the paint pvc does not last long in the sun and his has been up 15 years.

 

[Wiggledog]

GoodLuck! Pool is 91 today - almost too hot but it is really worth it!