Can Someone Help Me With My Solar Heater?

Dec 11, 2017
234
Pa
Pool Size
13500
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
We are relatively new pool owners (3 years now, came with the house we bought) and still pretty clueless with many things.

The previous owners briefly explained some things to us but pretty much said, "there is a book in the shed that explains everything". And it sorta does, I guess, but other than the few sentences (as seen in the one pic below) about the solar heater, there is no other mention of it.

Two Fridays ago we had our pool opened. The water temp was 64*. It was sunny and warm all week. Today I checked the temp and it's only 68*. Pretty odd cause in previous years the temp usually raises fairly quickly if it was warm and sunny out. It has been.

My question is, based on the photos of our setup, can you please tell me if everything is set to the correct position(s)? I am wondering if the pool company who opened us forgot to switch a valve or something. We wouldn't know either way cause, as I said, we're pretty clueless. The heater box is set to AUTO and BOTH the POWER and HEATING buttons are lit.

In previous years when we'd stick our hand in the water and in front of the return jets, we can feel the warm water coming into the pool. We don't feel that yet this year. But when the pump gets shut off we do hear the solar panels and drains, drain, like they normally would. So it seems all is well in that department as far as flow goes. And, when my husband turned the heater panel off to test things, the handle on that black box moved to the LEFT (pool shed) on it's own. As you will see in the one pic below, the owners wrote that, "all the way to the pool shed is off, all the way to the tool shed is on" but what does that mean? WHAT has to be turned towards the tool shed in order for the heater to be on? That black handle or the red handle on the white pipe below the black handle that just happens to be broken? Also, we cannot freely turn that black handle and the little notch on it says ""unlock" with an arrow pointing counter clockwise (but you all prob know this...lol).

I would love any feedback/help you can provide. I will attach several pics below. This is what it all looks like as is, operating yesterday with the solar heater ON. Notice the black box handle is facing UP/TOP (while it's ON and the power and heating buttons are lit). NOT to the right/towards the tool shed, like I'd think it should be based on what the book says. Not sure why or if that's normal. The pic of the solar control panel is one taken previously so you can't see any lights on. But, they (POWER & HEATING) most certainly are on as I type this. Just forgot to take a pic of that earlier today so used an old pic of it.

The closer to last two pics of the B&W pics were taken of the photo that are in the book that the previous owners left us. And I also took a close up of that broken handle. IMO, it looks to be running in the direction with the pipe. Am I right?

I guess what I really want to know is, does it all look to be in the CORRECT OPERATING POSITION, or no? Am I assuming it should be to one side or another? Does it do it on it's own at various times? Do you think it will get warmer as time goes on?

Thanks so much!!!!








 
Last week my pool gained about 15 degrees, and then lost it all this weekend with the cold and rain. Looking at the pics has me wondering about the red broken handle valve, does this usually stay in the open position, which it appears to be in, or do you move it? In my system there is a check valve there.
In the photos it looks like the valve actuator has solar closed, if that is the case, and the valve does move when solar switches on/off, there should be a 3-way toggle switch on the opposite end of the actuator from the handle. Move that switch the other way, not in the middle. That should move the handle in the other direction, and send the water to the solar panels.
I see some unions on the plumbing for the auto valve and puck feeder, do you remove these in winter? If so, that might be how the toggle got moved.
Hope this helps
 
We never move the red handle. Last Summer when they came to open us the guy tried moving it, wondering what it was (before he figured out we had a solar heater....lol), but it wouldn't budge and the handle broke on him but last year the heater warmed the water just fine so I assume whatever position it's in it's supposed to be. Otherwise it wouldn't have worked last Summer?

I will have to wait until morning to check and see about this toggle switch you speak of. Although off the top of my head I do not remember seeing such a thing. But who knows. I believe the water is going to the panels just fine. As I said, when we turn off the pump we can clearly hear the panels draining like we always do and have all these years. It's just that we don't seem to feel the warm water coming into the pool via the return jets like we're used to. But maybe it still needs time to get warmer? I don't know. Then of course it's been cloudy and rainy the last day or two and gonna be all week so that doesn't help.

Not sure what an auto valve is but when they close the pool down, no, they do NOT remove anything shown in the pic other than drain the filter housing, remove the cartridges and basket. That's it. Thanks so much!

Last week my pool gained about 15 degrees, and then lost it all this weekend with the cold and rain. Looking at the pics has me wondering about the red broken handle valve, does this usually stay in the open position, which it appears to be in, or do you move it? In my system there is a check valve there.
In the photos it looks like the valve actuator has solar closed, if that is the case, and the valve does move when solar switches on/off, there should be a 3-way toggle switch on the opposite end of the actuator from the handle. Move that switch the other way, not in the middle. That should move the handle in the other direction, and send the water to the solar panels.
I see some unions on the plumbing for the auto valve and puck feeder, do you remove these in winter? If so, that might be how the toggle got moved.
Hope this helps
 
In your pictures, the (electric) actuator valve is in solar off position, and the solar controller is set to manual off. Try flipping the switch on the solar controller to "manual test". The handle of the valve should rotate 90 degrees to the left (looking from the same position the picture is taken from). That's counterclockwise looking down. When you switch back to "manual off" it should return to the same position as in your picture.
 
Thought I mentioned above that the first pic of the actual heater controller box is an old one I tossed in because I had forgotten to get a pic of it while I was out there. But the day I took the pics and made the post the controller box WAS set to AUTO and BOTH the POWER and HEATING lights were on. And yeah, when my husband turned the power to it off (manual off), the handle of the black box moved towards the left (pool shed). When he put the heater box back to AUTO, it moved the black handle so that it was facing up as in the 3rd and 4th photos.

Shouldn't it always be set to auto not manual test?


In your pictures, the (electric) actuator valve is in solar off position, and the solar controller is set to manual off. Try flipping the switch on the solar controller to "manual test". The handle of the valve should rotate 90 degrees to the left (looking from the same position the picture is taken from). That's counterclockwise looking down. When you switch back to "manual off" it should return to the same position as in your picture.
 
OK, so I went out this morning to look for a toggle switch on the box and found one. First, it should be noted that when I first went out the black handle on the box was facing LEFT as show in the photos above. And the pool and heater are fully running/On.

I then reached under and felt the toggle switch and it appeared to be in the OFF/Middle position. When I moved it to ON2 the handle moved to the UP position as shown in the photos above. If I moved it all the way to the other side the handle moved to the LEFT (pool shed). So I moved it back to the opposite side again. Is that correct? Should I leave it there? I am so dang confused!!!


Last week my pool gained about 15 degrees, and then lost it all this weekend with the cold and rain. Looking at the pics has me wondering about the red broken handle valve, does this usually stay in the open position, which it appears to be in, or do you move it? In my system there is a check valve there.
In the photos it looks like the valve actuator has solar closed, if that is the case, and the valve does move when solar switches on/off, there should be a 3-way toggle switch on the opposite end of the actuator from the handle. Move that switch the other way, not in the middle. That should move the handle in the other direction, and send the water to the solar panels.
I see some unions on the plumbing for the auto valve and puck feeder, do you remove these in winter? If so, that might be how the toggle got moved.
Hope this helps
 
No worries, I'm quite sure you explained it well :)

Yep, set it back to "Auto" after this test.

Please set it to "Manual Test" and let us know if the handle is pointed to the left.
Then switch to "Manual Off" and let us know if the handle is pointed up (toward the filter).
 
Yup, when I turn it to Manual Test the handle goes to the left, Pool Shed. When I turn it to Manual Off, it DOES face the filer. So, what does that mean and how should I go back out and face it? LOL Thanks a million!!!



No worries, I'm quite sure you explained it well :)

Yep, set it back to "Auto" after this test.

Please set it to "Manual Test" and let us know if the handle is pointed to the left.
Then switch to "Manual Off" and let us know if the handle is pointed up (toward the filter).
 
OK, sounds like the valve is all good.

Next test is to see if the system is clearing out all the air, and then continuing to run normally. Leave it off (manual off) for around an hour. Then flip the switch to 'manual test'. Observe the pool for a while and let us know what happens. You should see lots of air (big bubbles and turbulence) coming out of your returns. After a few minutes, that should stop. Let us know what happens.

After this test, you can set it back on "Auto" and whatever temp you're shooting for.
 

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Ok, so I left it off a little over an hour. Went out and turned it to Manual Test and the handle went from facing the filter to facing the LEFT/POOL SHED. Bubbles then erupted for a few mins and stopped. I then put it to AUTO and nothing more happened. The handle also stayed facing to the LEFT/POOL SHED. Is that what it should be doing? The HEATING and POWER lights are also on.


OK, sounds like the valve is all good.

Next test is to see if the system is clearing out all the air, and then continuing to run normally. Leave it off (manual off) for around an hour. Then flip the switch to 'manual test'. Observe the pool for a while and let us know what happens. You should see lots of air (big bubbles and turbulence) coming out of your returns. After a few minutes, that should stop. Let us know what happens.

After this test, you can set it back on "Auto" and whatever temp you're shooting for.
 
Yep, it sounds to me like your solar heating system is working fine. Maybe this spring is a bit colder than last year or the water was colder to start with. Next bright sunny day, try checking the water temperature in the morning and again late afternoon or early evening. That should give us a bit of idea what the system is doing.
 
So all day I kept going out to feel the jets and nothing. Was the same temp as the water. Then, about 5 and right before I saw your message, I went out and put that toggle switch all the way to the other side to see what would happen. Did the manual test, etc. I then felt the jets. Still cold. So I was like eff it, I'll put it back the way we had it and wait to see if you respond. So I did. But I also stopped to check the jets, and guess what? Warm water was finally coming from them. No clue why it was suddenly working when it had been at that setting all day and cold, but it was.

Anyway, I want to thank you for all the help. I appreciate it!!!

Yep, it sounds to me like your solar heating system is working fine. Maybe this spring is a bit colder than last year or the water was colder to start with. Next bright sunny day, try checking the water temperature in the morning and again late afternoon or early evening. That should give us a bit of idea what the system is doing.
 
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