Separate port for return from solar heater?

[coopgraphic]

Last year, I tied my solar heat in with my pool pump eyeball fitting. I had very strong warm water coming from the combined pool filter pump with the solar pump injecting warm water into the pool filter line. The only downfall is that I had to manually shut off a valve if I didn't want water going through the solar panels while the pool pump was on. The solar has its own pump (although it may not be powerful enough) so it technically could have its own port. Any issues with having another inlet port? Both the solar and the filter would pull from the skimmer as their source.

thanks in advance

 

[ajw22]

I don’t think the water from the solar is going to care if it comes out a shared return or a dedicated return.

 

[LFrankow]

I was running mine with a dedicated return for my solar, until yesterday when I twinned it to the normal return giving me the option of running my swg while running my solar heat.
I have also at times ran an auxillary pump to the panels, now with a 1.5hp pump I find it is not needed, even with roof mounted panels.
One of the best investments I made in the last few years was my Pentair Solar controller. In years gone by I would just open my manual valve and head off to work hoping it was going to be sunny all day. Now the Solar controller does all of that, when there is heat to be had from the panels the valve opens, the pump goes to high speed. If it rains or clouds over and the solar panels are cool it goes to sleep closing the valve and turning the pump to low speed. It also has a freeze protect cycle built in for early spring/late fall seasons as well.

 

[coopgraphic]

I have often wondered if a solar controller would be worth the investment...I'm pretty sure you just convinced me. That would make things much easier. Thanks!

 

[setsailsoon]

You'll definitely get better performance with a solar control. It's surprising how many times the bypass opens when clouds pass or it rains. Each time this happens solar is taking heat out instead of adding. On some days it hurts more than it helps without a control. They all work about the same way using a temp probe on the surface of your panel near the outlet vs the water temp and set temp delta to open and close a bypass valve. You can also use this to start and stop the solar pump which saves on operating cost.

Chris