nothernewbie Posted May 15, 2017 Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 Two years ago we talked to everyone selling solar pool heat and were convinced that our area available for installation was insufficient to install enough units to properly heat our pool. Further, we are resistant to installing a solar cover believing it too cumbersome to remove and replace for casual use. I am wondering if there is any development in solar technology that might result in more juice for the space? Also I have now been researching "solar pool rings" thinking they might suffice. We would be happy to raise the temperature of our pool by five or so degrees. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sue Posted May 15, 2017 Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 I have solar heat for the pool and only use it for 3 to 4 months of the year as I find it gets the pool to warm for my enjoyment you can easily raise the temperature 5 degrees or more with solar heat for 8 months of the year.. The solar blankets are great if you like keeping the pool like bath water but they are cumbersome and unattractive. The problem with the solar rings is having the room to store them when not in use. There are some very attractive varieties available in the US unfortunately from my research they seam to only offer the low end ones here in Mexico. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stantheman Posted May 15, 2017 Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 Even the 'so-called-good' solar rings from the US only seem to last 2 or 3 years at the most and for the price they do not represent good value. You can make your own 'solar rings' - although in this case they are square - just go to YouTube and see how easily it is done and at a low cost. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedros Posted May 15, 2017 Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 The solar rings don't work as well and they don't last long. I can manage a pool cover myself even though I don't have a roller. The roller would just be in the way many months of the year. What are the dimensions of your pool? A solar blanket is essential. You can have it made to the exact size of your pool. Then you have to learn how to maneuver it. Don't expect to use your pool all year as it is too cool here in the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomgates Posted May 15, 2017 Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 There is no good solar option for Mid-Nov thru Feb. If you have to use it during those months, get a gas heater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geeser Posted May 15, 2017 Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 The solar cover can be attached to a roller that is as wide as the pool. My pool guy cranks it up by himself. When I do it, my wife gets on the other end to keep it even. Most panels available here are 1 meter wide and either 10' or 12" long. It is true it is impossible to bet it to 85°F during November and December. USing gas is very expensive. Of you have room on the ground you cah nave an low cost rack made to get them up off the ground or you can put them on a nearby steep slope.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nothernewbie Posted May 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 5 hours ago, tomgates said: There is no good solar option for Mid-Nov thru Feb. If you have to use it during those months, get a gas heater. Want it for this time of year. Not interested in the whole roller/cover thing as I am pretty sure we would never use it. Still wondering if there is any new technology which would enable us to get more heat for the space available. Anyone have a gas heater that they can comment on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomgates Posted May 15, 2017 Report Share Posted May 15, 2017 We have 6 or 7 panels for a 32,680 lt, 8600 gal pool. It will be as warm as you want it from late Feb on, including now. It is touch and go during the rainy season but decently above 80 most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go Solar Posted May 16, 2017 Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 11 hours ago, tomgates said: There is no good solar option for Mid-Nov thru Feb. If you have to use it during those months, get a gas heater. The vacuum tube heat pipe systems are great for the "less than ideal" solar times of the year. They heat from all available solar radiation and so can produce heating even on somewhat cloudy days. Also they are more space efficient than the flat black pool panels. This image from a home in Upper La Floresta shows them, the owners have been very happy with them for years for heating a large & deep pool. Colder times of the year - a cover is really helpful in "keeping what you make". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiko Posted May 16, 2017 Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 A common mistake with the flat black panels is that oftentimes pool owners think they can generate more hot water with more panels but the law of diminishing returns applies. With a 40,000L pool it is not likely that you can generate more hot water with a 8 panel system than a 6 panel system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedros Posted May 16, 2017 Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 9 hours ago, Kiko said: A common mistake with the flat black panels is that oftentimes pool owners think they can generate more hot water with more panels but the law of diminishing returns applies. With a 40,000L pool it is not likely that you can generate more hot water with a 8 panel system than a 6 panel system. The opposite is the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted May 16, 2017 Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 Quote 10 hours ago, Kiko said: A common mistake with the flat black panels is that oftentimes pool owners think they can generate more hot water with more panels but the law of diminishing returns applies. With a 40,000L pool it is not likely that you can generate more hot water with a 8 panel system than a 6 panel system. It depends on the arrangement. If they are arranged in parallel, each panel heats. If in series, the temperature differential decreases with each subsequent panel, hence the heating decreases. Our setup is two banks of 4 in series. So the second bank will be a little less efficient than the first. However, remember we are not talking about a huge temperature gain here, this is not like house hot water. Although the temperature differential on the second bank is not as great, the percentage reduction in temperature differential is not that great either. Our 8 panels will not heat the pool sufficiently during December and January even with the use of a solar pool cover. Air temps are such though that we aren't big on swimming at that time of year anyway. Our friends have 10 panels laid flat on a red coated roof to heat a pool of similar size to ours and this arrangement can keep the pool warm enough even in December/January. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go Solar Posted May 16, 2017 Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 Mainecoons is correct, it is important to plumb them correctly, and to have the right # of panels for the pool volume. A 40,000 liter pool should typically have at least 10 pool panels of 4 x 10 size or larger, which is why changing from 6 to 8 as Kiko mentions may still give them less than ideal temps. Riviera Alta's community pool has about 20 of the 4 x 12 flat black panels and provides nice temps on a year round basis, for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geeser Posted May 16, 2017 Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 Don't over look one of the huge benefits of the solar panels that you might not think of: that they eleiminate the inch a day evaperation. Evaperation here is a big problem especially with any winds which are common at night. Of course you know that evaperation is a cooling event. It actually lowers the temp. We can roll up the cover with spouse and me before we get in pool and then pull it back over the pool before we get out of pool, pretty easy. Good solar panels offer 1000 BTU per sq/ft The other choice is a heatpump but you would need a photovoaltic system to operate it they use lots of eletricity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted May 16, 2017 Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 I think you mean the solar cover cuts evaporation. The solar panels are a closed system, no evaporation there. The pool cover does cut evaporation but then our pool gets too hot and grows algae at this time of year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiko Posted May 16, 2017 Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 My solar panel system was installed in a parallel manner. 40,000 liters with 1 1/2 hp pump and there was little if any noticeable difference in heat gain between the change of 6 to 8 panels. May have been a pump impeller design problem, I do not know what the flow rates were so then friction loss would be a factor. I called the manufacturer of the solar panels in the USA and sent him photos of the installation, along with the pump specs and head. He told me that there would be little if any benefit to increase the number of the panels after six panels considering the capacity of my pool. I did not do any long term excel spread sheet study though, just looking at the thermometer over a month period and the temp always stayed in the same range within 1 or 2 degrees. About the only time I pump thru my solar is to heat the jacuzzi now, and I can get it to 100F on a sunny day with 6 panels so that is good enough. Full sun exposure on the panels and the pool/jacuzzi probably helps a lot in my case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go Solar Posted May 16, 2017 Report Share Posted May 16, 2017 An often overlooked feature of the flat black pool panels is that, if needed, they can work in reverse to help cool a pool as well. By running the pump at the coolest part of the night (especially in a climate like lakeside) the heated water can release energy through the large surface area of the panels. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim nixon Posted January 23, 2021 Report Share Posted January 23, 2021 Does anyone know of a retractable pool cover supplier in Mexico? And/or does anyone have experience with an automatic pool cover in Mexico. Gracias Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim nixon Posted January 23, 2021 Report Share Posted January 23, 2021 I should have said automatic retractable pool cover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedros Posted January 24, 2021 Report Share Posted January 24, 2021 Solar covers work well. I suspect that they work much better than solar rings. I did not need an automatic retravcable cover. I just did it by hand. For 40,000 liters I wouls use at leas 8 panels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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