Solar swimming pool heating is done with one of the two types of collectors you see in the two photos above. For simple shingle roofs or rack mounts often the preferred choice is semi rigid polypropylene grid style panels like our Powerpro shown in the photo on the left. Click that photo for more. On the right is Powerstrip. We manufacture this product. It is flexible and it can be made in any size. This type of system is used when freezing is an issue (low pitch roof in an area where freezing can occur) , when systems need to be glued down as in the case of a tile roof and when it is desired that the system be custom fitted to the roof or ground space. Click that photo for more.
So, you want to divert the flow from your pool's filter through hundreds of feet of pipe and hundreds of square feet of thin black solar collector mounted on your house roof and you're nervous about the ramifications? You should be. There is more to this than meets the eye. Diverting the flow thru the black thing on the roof when the sun shines without understanding the implications is a dangerous game. Hot Sun looks at the whole picture, including the roof and the pool mechanical system and intimately understands what is happening. Aside from the products this is really the key gap you need filled whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or a contractor or even a major solar dealer. The work itself is simple PVC plumbing. What we can offer you is the design specific to your situation and a top notch custom system appropriate for your situation with full support. If you have time and can work safely on the roof, this is a pretty simple pvc plumbing job.
Through extensive collaboration with universities and gov't we've learned to simulate the performance of a solar pool heater with remarkable accuracy. We've verified these curves repeatedly with real systems and found excellent correlation. Below is is a typical pool in San Diego CA with a little pool shade, located near the ocean where the collectors are on a south facing roof.
100% solar means a solar heater sized at 100% (same size) as the top surface of the pool. We also have compiled curves for many major cities in the US. Go here for performance predictions more specific to your location and for a full discussion on sizing a solar heating system for a pool.
These semi-rigid polypropylene collectors come in various sizes, the most common being 4x12 and you simply gang these modules together to form a bank or banks of collectors to provide the surface area needed to do the job. Several large factories in the US mass produce these with standard mounting hardware. The experienced and skilled contractors that implement these systems have devised their own proprietary schemes for attaching these systems to all the various roof types. Our Powerpro collector is the best polypropylene collector we can get our hands on. We supply it with the best mounting hardware for your unique situation including options like extra rows of stainless steel plastic coated strap
for high wind areas. Our no roof penetration schemes for tile roofs warrant your attention. See Powerpro for more on this collector type.
Low pressure is the bottom line when it comes to setting solar up for long term reliability. You can't expect a thin plastic collector to withstand extreme temperatures, thermal movement, aging etc all in combination with stress from pressure in the water. Take away the pressure and you compromise NOTHING. You simply allow the system to operate stress free the way it is intended and you've removed the source for problems. We end up solving other problems in this process and creating a harmonious smooth operating pool mechanical system. Easy to say. Not nearly as simple as you might think to accomplish.
This is our most common solar design for a simple pool without a spa and without "in-floor" cleaning built in where the collectors are elevated up at least one storey. This design requires that the pressure where solar ties in is low. For much more on this visit Proper Pool Mechanical System Design
Please take a look at this document It covers plumbing designs and automation options for your solar heater. We're proud of the animations we've created to help educate you.
Note that we include a bypass valve in the above design. In other words we don't try to force all the flow to solar. In very few cases with modern day pools is it advisable to send all the flow to solar. Note that with almost every solar pool heating kit you can buy, the design is always exactly the same, blindly send all the flow through solar and stop reverse flows at night with a one way valve. It works but it is dumb and it overloads the pool pump and the collectors in too many cases.
Often solar pool heaters go on the roof of the house. We are often asked to re and re solar heaters for re-roofing and we discover that the reason the roof is leaking is a poor collector installation. This thing is big and black and it expands and contracts with temperature like crazy and unless the collector manufacturer and the system installer are fully aware and competent at taking this into account for your unique roof surface, the end result is eventually a roof leak. The single most important aspect of solar collector design is compatibility with the roof. Hot Sun is very competent in this regard.
We also have extensive experience creating beautiful (beauty is in the eye of the beholder) ground level racks for solar panels.
You'll find a form buried in the sizing section. The biggest hurdle we all face when implementing a solar heater is finding a space for the collectors that is large enough to do what you want. There are no magic answers. We want a south facing roof. East or west is OK especially if the pitch isn't too great. North is NO GOOD except for the unusual case where you don't want a cover and you just want a warmer pool in mid summer. A roof that is flat is actually quite desirable and we have appropriate products and techniques available.
Next I suggest you learn more about the auto controls and plumbing and then click the appropriate link from this page to the type of roof surface you'll be mounting the system to. Once you're sold on the virtues of the best product for your situation click on sizing to learn all about what to expect from a solar heater. You'll find a form you can fill in so I can fully specify and quote your solar heater.
Hot Sun Industries Inc.,
858-627-9007
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