It's been a month and we have started to use the solar. I have two banks -- high roof and low roof -- both facing south. The lower bank has 4-4x8 panels and is about 5 feet baove the pump level and the upper bank has 10 4x8 panels and is 8 feet above the lower bank. I think the panels are Solar Indsutries with raised tubes.
The solar installation company installed the two banks in series -- claiming it heats much better that way. My worry is that if I am running the solar heat at 40 gpm as they set up that the lower panels are getting 10 gpm each -- much too high in my opinion. I seem to be limited to maybe 25 gpm if I read the specs correctly (to hit about 6 gpm each). The upper panels will and up with 2.5 gpm at this rate -- if I did my numbers correctly.
Should this be plumber in parallel? If it was, would water get to all the panels equally (given the upper has more panels and is higher)?
I have only 70 to 75% pool area in panels, under the 80% I was told i should have, but still expected more heating. I can feel hot water coming out of the returns, but the temperature only raises about 4 degrees in a day (would have raised 2 w/o solar anyway) and then gives it all back overnight. This is with full sun. How is this supposed to extend the swimming season? When the water is down to 76, it won't make it to 80 by the end of the day.
I understand a cover would help a lot overnight... but...?
Thanks,
Steve
The solar installation company installed the two banks in series -- claiming it heats much better that way. My worry is that if I am running the solar heat at 40 gpm as they set up that the lower panels are getting 10 gpm each -- much too high in my opinion. I seem to be limited to maybe 25 gpm if I read the specs correctly (to hit about 6 gpm each). The upper panels will and up with 2.5 gpm at this rate -- if I did my numbers correctly.
Should this be plumber in parallel? If it was, would water get to all the panels equally (given the upper has more panels and is higher)?
I have only 70 to 75% pool area in panels, under the 80% I was told i should have, but still expected more heating. I can feel hot water coming out of the returns, but the temperature only raises about 4 degrees in a day (would have raised 2 w/o solar anyway) and then gives it all back overnight. This is with full sun. How is this supposed to extend the swimming season? When the water is down to 76, it won't make it to 80 by the end of the day.
I understand a cover would help a lot overnight... but...?
Thanks,
Steve