Solar Panel To Assist Heating 24 ft Above Ground Pool

[BIGBREW]

I live in Upstate New York and our pool season is not the longest. With the price of fuel right now I don't really want something that I have to plumb into my propane tank. I am looking for a solar panel that I can put up in the back yard. My yard gets a ton of sun and my pool stays in the 70 range most of the time. I like the 80's (Good music era too) I am looking for a rigid panel that I can set up in a section of my yard where some longer brush grows. I can build the stand for the panel to sit on, probably a few feet off the ground. I would like to plumb the panel into the return line of the pool so it comes out of the return line, through the panel and then back to the pool return so the main pool pump that is already running is circulating the water through the panel so another pump is not necessary. 100% if of the water does not need to go through the panel I can use valves to divert water to the panel. I made one out of 1/2 inch tube and the water got hot I just had to run a separate pump that was a PITA. I would put some unions at the panel so I can break it down and put the panel in the garage before the snow files up here and then hook it back up in the spring.

Thoughts and ideas appreciated, a link to a panel capable of doing this would be great as well. I have always found good info on this forum and I am hoping the same for this. Thank you in advance for your time.

 

[John Gayewski]

You need to be careful here. Solar water heating can be extremely dangerous. For instance you need to run a certain gpm flow rate to a panel or you'll have some exploding steam. Also your pool pump may not be able to handle an injection of 200 degree (or much much more)water.

Solar water heating for pools is actually thre most practical use of solar water heating, it's just not something that can done loosey goosey.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[BIGBREW]

You need to be careful here. Solar water heating can be extremely dangerous. For instance you need to run a certain gpm flow rate to a panel or you'll have some exploding steam. Also your pool pump may not be able to handle an injection of 200 degree (or much much more)water.

Solar water heating for pools is actually thre most practical use of solar water heating, it's just not something that can done loosey goosey.

I was planning on picking up the water after the pump. I was going to use a valve to adjust the water flow to the panel. I was thinking of sending only 30-50% of the return to the panel then from the panel back to the return to mix in with the rest of the water before entering back into the pool.

 

[John Gayewski]

That sounds good. Once you find a panel it'll provide more specifics. You should start by finding out how many btus per hour you need to and how quickly you'd like to raise the temp. This will help you find a panel.

 

[Fitter30]

Make sure the panel is made for a pool the chemicals are corrosive to metal. Look into solar pool covers heating the water without a cover most of the heat would go into the air by evacuation.