Something new for a change! A solar pool heater

 Hasn't been much activity of late in this group, so I thought I'd
contribute this info on a solar pool heater I just finished.

http://www.mildevco.net/solar_pool_heater.htm

Not a new idea overall - many others have done the same kind of coils:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/PoolHeating/pool_heating.htm
but I think I added a couple of usable / alternative ideas to the overall
concept.

In the meantime I'm still working on a closed loop gycol system for the
house DHW, slowly working through all the sweat joints and other plumbing
for it.
--
V8Z
Chevy V6 powered '66 Datsun Roadster
http://www.mildevco.net/chevypowereddatsuns/
Chevy V8 powered '77 Datsun 280Z
http://www.mildevco.net/chevypowereddatsuns/
Passive solar home www.mildevco.net/house2

 

Ummmm....the floating bubble cover goes on the pool at night?

It's not on the pool during the day, when the sun is shining and the kids
are swimming.
This is summertime in Ohio, and if you have a pool, its used daily from
Memorial day to Labor day by the kids ( and sometimes by dad if he plays
hooky during the week)

 

Since its a smaller, fiberglass pool we find that setting the timer on the
pump to only run  9am-5pm daily works just fine to keep it clean and
sparkling, even with the chlorinator at a 0.5 setting.  So it only runs
daylight hours, and I have a manual shut-off valve at the supply ( red valve
in picture showing the plumbing) for times when I need to.  Surprisingly, it
still seems to put out a decent amount of heat even on overcast days -
yesterday it was cooler and rained a portion of the day, but in the
afternoon I went out and felt the output water and it was warmer than the
pool.

Much like the passive solar house we built, the solar gain is not intended
to completely eliminate energy consumption, but to offset it in a very
cost-effective way.

 Cute design!

It would seem a darker under sheet of some kind and coil turns spread out
would collect more heat.

I know another project like that that takes a while to heat water and the
ground but after a few days it works!
How is the thing working for ya'?  Have you noticed or recorded any effects?

------------------

Since its a smaller, fiberglass pool we find that setting the timer on the
pump to only run  9am-5pm daily works just fine to keep it clean and
sparkling, even with the chlorinator at a 0.5 setting.  So it only runs
daylight hours, and I have a manual shut-off valve at the supply ( red valve
in picture showing the plumbing) for times when I need to.  Surprisingly, it
still seems to put out a decent amount of heat even on overcast days -
yesterday it was cooler and rained a portion of the day, but in the
afternoon I went out and felt the output water and it was warmer than the
pool.

Much like the passive solar house we built, the solar gain is not intended
to completely eliminate energy consumption, but to offset it in a very
cost-effective way.

 

We've been running it at what appears to be the optimum flow rate ( coils
just cool to the touch in full sun) for a week now, and with the bubble
cover on at night and sunshine during the day, it has been maintaining an
83-85 degree pool temp without the NG heater.
I think it was $
70 well spent....