Solar panel how to hang them

[Tysnest]

I ordered from intheswim what I thought was something to put on the side of my pool to hang my solar panels. I got straps that you attach to the roof to put your panels, mine is not set up to put them on the roof. Does anyone have any suggestions how to put the panels on the side of the pool so I can get them off my lawn. (of course I have complained to them about it and waiting for their answer, but I know they won't help me, I will just have to return them) I have 3 panels that I want off the ground.

[TizMe]

Have you thought about building some kind of rack/ out of PT wood to put then on and raise the platform off the ground some ? Im thinking about getting solar panels for our pool next year and I think thats what I am going to have to do....

[Steve]

Yea, sounds like what you got is simply the strapping for Fafco panels. Here, here and here are some examples.

[Tysnest]

Well I am not a person who knows how to build things and my husband had a massive stroke, so he is not able to help out, so I was trying to find something that was easy and simple to do. The third "here" you had is the directions that came with the items I ordered from in the swim. I was disgusted with them as nothing in their ad said I had to build anything. I was just wasnting to find something easy and simply, but I just haven't found it. Thanks for the responses

[DaveNJ]

Maybe family, friends, neighbor. Its not complicated for someone to make (correctly). If you were closer we would have a build party.

[gonefishin]

Hi there



This is my first year with our (1) solar panel...and I must say I do love this thing! I'm getting that little kick in the temperature that has enabled us to go swimming, comfortably, for a good part of the year.

When trying to come up with a mounting device I built a large framed structure set on an angle that would hold the solar panel. I really didn't care for it. Even after staining it, with black stain, it looked pretty imposing. You could see it from the road so I decided to get rid of it. I came up with a possible design out of wrought iron that would look better. But during the prototype I got the best idea that I thought I have had for mounting the solar panel. I simply brought in a good load of dirt and formed a small hill to the angle I wanted to mount the panel. Then I put down a good layer of mulch, which heats up good on warm summer days due to decomposition. I put a row of patio stone every three foot to raise the panel off of the ground and that's it.

good luck!
dan

[TizMe]

Can we see a pic of it gone fishing ?

[Tysnest]

Well gone fishin I might be able to do that. I would like to see a pic too if you have one. The building party sounds nice but NJ is a long ways from Missouri!!

[gonefishin]

Hi all. I'll post a picture, but it will take me a little bit of time to get it posted. Maybe a week or so.

dan

[GraceLS]

Hi there

We're thinking about putting a solar heater on our 15x25 aboveground pool. We're in the country with lots of land and sun. We'd like to find a reasonably-priced, fairly compact, passive solar model (in other words, just a simple above ground pool solar panel along-side pool (like it says in the FAFCO ads). Any recommendations, warnings, suggestiongs? Thanks!

This is my first year with our (1) solar panel...and I must say I do love this thing! I'm getting that little kick in the temperature that has enabled us to go swimming, comfortably, for a good part of the year.

When trying to come up with a mounting device I built a large framed structure set on an angle that would hold the solar panel. I really didn't care for it. Even after staining it, with black stain, it looked pretty imposing. You could see it from the road so I decided to get rid of it. I came up with a possible design out of wrought iron that would look better. But during the prototype I got the best idea that I thought I have had for mounting the solar panel. I simply brought in a good load of dirt and formed a small hill to the angle I wanted to mount the panel. Then I put down a good layer of mulch, which heats up good on warm summer days due to decomposition. I put a row of patio stone every three foot to raise the panel off of the ground and that's it.

good luck!
dan

[launboy]

We have one 2x20 Sunheater panel and 2 2x20 Sungrabber panels. Any panel you buy will work well. If you are only getting one panel I would reccomend one like the Sunheater panels. These are made so the water goes down to one end of the panel then comes back. With this design the input and output are on the same side. The other two panels I have are designed so the water enters at one end and exits at the other. This design allows for more flow(because the whole 2' is one direction) but you either need to use 2 panels or a 20' long hose to get the water back to the equip/ pad.

FWIW, I got the Sunheater panel from a local Water Warehouse (www.waterwarehouse.com). The 2 Sungrabberr panels came off eBay. Look on eBay for solar penels! I found the 2 brand new Sungrabber panels for $160.00(that included shipping) shipped to my house. The 1 Sunheater panel cost $139.00 at a local Water Warehouse.

HTH,
Adam

[GraceLS]

Is it true that I would have to put a solar blanket on every night to keep it warm? And I guess that I could not run the filter at night?

[launboy]

You don't have to put a solar blanket on during the night, but I HIGHLY reccomend it! With the solar cover, our pool will only lose 2-3* overnight, without it closer to 10*.

You can run the filter at night if you have a bypass valve(which I also strongly reccomend having). You can make your own out of PVC or buy one premade(most solar panel makers have these). If you run the panels during the night they will cool your pool. I did this once when your pool got to 98* because I wasn't home to shut the panels off during the day. Also, you really shouldn't need to run the pump during the night because it will be running all day to pump water through the panels. I have full sun on my (south facing) panels from about 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. so that's when I run my pump. This gives me 9 hours of filter run time which turns my pool water over 3 times. That's more then enough time to keep the water clear.

Here's a picture of the valve I made. It's the PVC part mounted on the wall. The filtered water enters through the flex hose on the right. Then, depending on which valves are open either goes up to the solar panels up the vert. pipe on the right and comes back down the vert. pipe on the left, or just goes though the straight part, bypasing the solar panels all together.


This is a picture of my 3 solar panels on the roof. The bottom one is the Sunheater and the top 2 are Sungrabbers.


HTH,
Adam

[gonefishin]

Here is our nothing special way to (un) mount your solar heater.

[gonefishin]

last pic

[TizMe]

Who is the manufacturer ? Was this panel expensive?

[Tysnest]

I have sungrabber and I think it was 119 or so a panel. I have 3 for my size pool 18X33 ABG. Research the net and you might find them cheaper. I got mine at www.intheswim.com.