Do You Want A Photovoltaic Pool Heater?

From the operators of www.GreenLivingRocks.com — providing education regarding how to make a homemade solar panel, solar panels cost, and pv solar panels.

Solar pool heaters are one of the easiest solar heating applications to install.  And they are also one of the least costly.  So if you are considering installing a solar heater for your pool, here are some facts about how they work to help you decide if they make sense for your pool.

Solar pool heaters are generally less complicated than solar water heating systems for your home.  They in general use the pool’s pump and filter, so you will only have the expense of buying and installing the solar collector, piping, a diverter valve and an automatic control.

The control lets you adjust the temperature at the high end of the range to your preference so the pool doesn’t get too warm.  The diverter valve works with the control, either sending water into the solar collector to be warmed up, or back into the pool if not heating is required.

Solar pool heaters use a simple open loop design.  That means that the water flows back and forth between the solar collectors and the pool.  When the pool’s pump is on, chilly water from the pool flows into the solar collectors, is warmed by the sun and the heated water flows back into the pool.  There are no extra moving parts involved.

The least pricey solar collectors can be used year round in warm climates, and are also good for average climates where pools are used during the spring, summer and early fall, when air temperatures are above about 55 degrees Fahrenheit. These solar collectors are not insulated and are constructed from UV-resistant black plastic.  They heat the water to comfortable temperature, but are not useful for heating pools in colder climates.

For heating pools in cold wintry weather climates, a more expensive solar collector with a glass cover and insulated box is used.  Copper absorbers are used instead of plastic, since it does a better job of conducting heat.  These solar collectors are capable of heating water to the much higher temperatures needed in cold climates.  They are more expensive and more difficult to build and install than the lower temperature designs.

But no matter whether your pool is located in a warm, moderate or cold climate, a solar pool heater will save you cash.  Since there are so few components to purchase and install, they usually pay for themselves in energy savings in about 2 years.  And they are very low maintenance, since there are no moving parts.  They are one of the most cost-effective solar applications that can be installed in a home.