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| Solar Pool Heater |  | ||
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| Posted by: Scott T. ® 03/18/2008, 15:09:42 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
I'm building a solar pool heater. I'm using 4'x4' box that will hold approx 400 - 500 feet of black irrigation tubing and pumped via the pool pump 16' verticaly and 25' horizontaly. Would it be better to use 3/8 inch or 1/2 inch tubing or even larger to get the maximum rise in temperature. The pool is a 24 foot round and 4' deep. Two other things, I realize you reach a point at which the water will not rise in temperature and additional footage of tubing is useless. But is a a 2 degree gain in temp at say 800 gal per hour better or worse than a 8 degree gain at 60 per hour. So I'm wondering, to get the best results to heat the pool, what size tubing to use, how much and at a low or high volume to get my cold pool warmed up? |
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| Posted by: kwogfive ® 06/04/2009, 09:02:58 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
I am building something similar for a 15ft round pool. I am using a 30x73 piece of glass I got for free from the glass store with 1/2 tube at 100 ft length. I was just wondering what you decided to go with and how it was working and what kind of temperature change are you seeing? |
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Posted by: randykimball ®  03/18/2008, 17:22:07 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
The "box" needs to be clear or of a material that allows sun rays in and not out. The more of the tube you can expose to direct sun the more energy you will capture. The larger the tube the more surface area it has in contact with radiant energy. The larger the tube the slower the fluid will travel giving it additinal time to capture radiant energy. Instead of in a box, can you loop it back and forth in a friendly looking way to expose more to the sun? For example: it may not look nice or be realistic, but if you were to spread the coils out like a deck of cards on the roof you would get max exposure. The top is exposed to direct sun and the bottom is exposed to the hot roof. If you are limited in space and thinking the box is the best space you have try coiling around something black and not in a box,... unless the box is clear or traps heat rays. In the cool months you don't want the coils exposed to wind chill. The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them. Modified by randykimball at Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 17:25:29 |
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| Posted by: Scott T. ® 03/18/2008, 17:37:38 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
Yes I can loop it or how ever I want to on the roof...I just talked to a pool guy and he said I would need approx 2700' of 1-1/2 tubing to get enough to heat my pool...holy crap that's a lot of tubing to be hanging out on the roof |
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| Posted by: randykimball ® 03/18/2008, 21:01:34 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
Scott,
yeah, but it won't hurt to try with what you have. I've seen some mighty hot water come out of a 50' hose! Why don't you simply connect the hose in line and toss it out there in the sun for a few days and make frequent temperature checks and see what happens... ?? I deeply support what you are doing, the attitued (green), and the expermintal data. We are all learning to be more aware of being green and I say go for it. ...and PLEASE let us know how it goes. You get a gold star for attitude alone! The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them. Modified by randykimball at Tue, Mar 18, 2008, 21:03:33 |
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| Posted by: Scott T. ® 03/19/2008, 12:00:57 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
Thanks for the GOLD STAR award!...heck, I might even get a platnium one when I'm done.... I am NO WAY in any shape or form an eng. or scientist, but if you want hot water to wash your hands, very low flow would be what you want, however, after doing some research on solar heating it appears that for the solar panel to work at maximum efficeincy you want the water moving thru to keep tubing at pool temperature...kinda like the theroy cold water will boil faster than hot water...you get maximum btu's from the sun. Now the rule of thumb for how many sq feet of solar surface you need to properly heat the pool is at least 1/2 sq feet of pool surface...if you have shade or want extra heat you need to add more sq feet so see if my calculations are correct for figuring 100% of pool surface. I have changed my design to a 1-1/2 pipe (collector)at the gutter and roof peak with 3/8 inch pipe 12 feet long layed side by side connecting the collectors. Pool size 24' round pool 12x12x3.14=452 sq feet I will need an area 38 feet long and 12 feet tall to heat the pool. How did I do?
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| Posted by: randykimball ® 03/19/2008, 12:20:29 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
If you can afford the test, I say go for it. Then you will know... add...and learn that worked best and didn't. It all counts torwards our "brighter" future. The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them. |
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| Posted by: marky ® 03/18/2008, 15:16:15 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
Try this https://www.powermat.com/ |
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| Posted by: mattoc13 ® 03/19/2008, 08:46:44 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
A friend of mine had one growing up that worked very well. The box was made of wood probably 8' x 8' x 6" deep, completely painted black. The top was glass and the hose was the standard 2" flexible drain hose from Lowes and zig-zagged across the box. This setup worked very well and I'm sure some improvements could be made to it. Good luck! |
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