1. 1. SolarPoolHeating
How Solar PoolHeaters uses Solar Energy to Heat Your Swimming Pool
Heating your poolwith solar energy is really quite simple. Cold water is pumped
from your poolthrough our patented solar tube design where it is warmed by heat
collected from the sun. The warm water is then pumped back into your poolgiving
you luxuriously warm water and plenty of extended swim time.
In-Ground Pool
i. Set your desired water temperature.
ii. Sensor determines most efficient time to run.
iii. Your poolpump sends cold water from the poolthrough solar collectors.
iv. Solar collectors heat the water.
v. Warm, solar-heated water flows back to your pool.
Above-Ground Pool
i. Your filter pump sends cold poolwater through the solar panel.
ii. The solar panel transfer's the sun's heat to water inside the solar tubes.
iii. Warm, solar-heated water flows back to your pool.
Link: http://www.sunvoltenergy.net/?page=Solar+Pool+Heating_L.htm

2. Saving with SolarPoolHeating
A solar poolheating system is an economical way to extend your swimming
seasonand improve comfort in your outdoorpool. By the end of 2010, the United
States had 15.3 billion kilowatts of installed solar heating capacity—and roughly
85% of this capacity was used to heat swimming pools. In fact, there are more
solar poolheating (SPH) systems installed in the United States than any other type
of solar energy system. The widespread adoption of SPHcan be attributed to the
popularity of residential swimming pools in Florida, California, Arizona, and
Texas. In these climates, outdoorpools can be used almost year-round, and SPH
provides the most economical solution for actively heating these pools during
stretches of coolweather.
Auxiliary poolheating is an option for poolowners who want to extend the
swimming seasonand increase comfort by providing greater control over pool
temperatures. Forpools that are significantly shaded, are used as therapy pools, or
are used so much that a cover may be impractical, active heating is typically
required.
In heated pools, oncewater from the poolis pumped through the filter, it is sent to
a solarpool heating collectorarray or a thermostat-regulatedauxiliary
heater—orboth. If the water is at or above the set temperature, the auxiliary heater
will not activate.
A common auxiliary heater is typically fueled by propane or natural gas, or an air-
to-water heat pump. Gas heaters are the most responsive—an appropriately sized
heater can reasonably raise the pooltemperature 5°F in four hours. A heat-pump
poolheater may take six to eight hours to raise the same poolwater 5°F. A
properly sized SPH system may require several days. The other trade-offs between
these technologies are costand environmental impact.
Economics & Efficacy
As shown by the “PoolHeating Fuels & Costs”table, the most economical method
for poolheating is a SPH system. The initial costs ofa SPH system are comparable
with heat pump and liquid fuel poolheaters, while the operating costs are far less.
The lower costof SPH systems is due to their simplicity and efficiency. For most
SPH systems used for outdoorpools, the only moving part is a motorized valve
activated by a differential controller. The controller uses two sensors—onenears
the solar poolcollectors, where it is exposed to the same solar radiation as the

3. collectors, and one that measures the water temperature from the pool. When there
is enough solar energy available to heat the poolwater, the valve is opened. (A
common temperature differential is 4°F, although this temperature can be field-set
on some controllers.) The poolwater is pumped through the collectors before being
returned to the pool. When the poolreaches the controller’s high temperature
setting or there is not sufficient solar radiation to maintain a collector temperature
that is 1°F to 2°F more than the poolwater, the motorized valve closes and the
mechanical system functions as it would in a poolwithout a SPH system.
Selecting Collectors
The difference in temperature between the fluid entering the collector and the
ambient air temperature has a significant impact on a system’s efficiency. If you
are trying to heat your outdoorpoolto 80°F on an 85°F day, unglazed pool
collectors are the best tool for the job.
When the poolwater entering the collector is equal to the ambient outdoor
temperature, unglazed collectors can reach efficiencies near 90%, meaning that
90% of the solar radiation that strikes the collector is converted to heat.
If your priority is to heat an indoor swimming poolto 80°F during a 30°F winter
day, then glazed flat-plate collectors will be much more effective. Since the
glazing decreases the amount of sun hitting the absorber, glazed flat-plate
collectors have a maximum efficiency of about 80%; the maximum efficiency of
certain evacuated-tube collectors is roughly 50%. When you consider that medium-
temperature collectors typically retail for four to five times the costof unglazed
poolcollectors, using them does not make sense for most poolapplications.
Given the popularity of pools and solar poolheating, there are a number of
products onthe market that are readily available in department stores and home
centers. Some do-it-yourselfers and frugal types have also been known to construct
their own devices that behave similarly to the manufactured collectors. When
selecting a poolcollector, considerthese factors:
Collectortype: Since UV radiation degrades plastic, appropriate UV inhibitors are
important. Collectors that have been rated by the Florida Solar Energy Center
(FSEC) have their absorbermaterial listed with their performance rating. Standard
materials include copolymer plastics, such as polypropylene and polyethylene. If
collectors with metal absorbers are used, care must be taken to ensure that the fluid
is not acidic, since this could corrodethe absorbers.
Unglazed flat-plate collectors look like large plastic mats. This popular style of
collector typically uses two large headers connected by several smaller risers that

4. lie parallel to one another. This arrangement splits the flow between these risers
and accommodates various poolpump flow rates, which may be as high as 75
gallons per minute (gpm).
Many unglazed flat-plate collectors are not self-supporting, and must be installed
on a roof or a frame constructed specifically for the collector array. Since a strong
wind could easily lift these lightweight collectors, they are strapped or clamped to
the supportstructure.
Wind can also negatively impact unglazed poolcollectors by stealing their heat.
For example, a 10 mph wind can reduce a collector’s efficiency by 20%. Some
poolcollectors feature a plastic glazing to help reduce these losses.
Coil-type collectors consist of black, coiled tubing that is unglazed or includes an
acrylic cover. Poolwater is pumped through the tubing, which may be constructed
from a variety of materials, including low-density polyethylene. Only two
manufacturers—SolarTech International and Gull Industries—offer SRCC-
certified coil-type SPH collectors, which feature warranties of up to 20 years.
Other coil-type poolcollectors can be purchased through retail outlets, but
typically only offer warranties ranging from 90 days to one year (see “Collector
Types” table).
Coil-type collectors provide greater pumping resistance than unglazed collectors,
which split the flow through multiple pathways. This increased resistance—known
as pressure drop or head loss—canbe minimized if multiple collectors are installed
in parallel, which splits the flow between collectors.
A system that utilizes five coil-type collectors in parallel and pulls water from the
poolat a flow rate of 20 gpm will have a flow rate of roughly 4 gpm in each
collector. If the system used only a single coil-type collector in the mechanical
loop and the flow rate of the poolwater was maintained at 20 gpm to ensure proper
poolfiltration, the flow through the single collector would be 20 gpm. With this
configuration either the head loss in the single collector would require more
pumping energy or the reduced flow rate caused by the increased resistance would
reduce the efficiency of solar collection and impact water quality in the pool.
Some homeowners have installed a single, large coil-type collector. To maintain
water quality and minimize additional pumping costs, a bypass can be installed.
The bypass allows 4 to 5 gpm to flow through the collector, while the other 15 to
16 gpm returns to the pool.

5. Since the productionof unglazed solar poolcollectors is extremely low in cold
weather, glazed flat-plate collectors are sometimes used in SPH systems for indoor
pools. However, this brings an additional complication—almost every certified
glazed flat-plate collector uses copperpiping. If poolwater is run through the
collectors, it can cause deterioration of the copperand stain the pool. As a result,
many indoor pool-heating systems isolate the poolwater from the solar collectors
with a stainless steel or titanium heat exchanger. The solar loop in a heat-
exchanger-based poolheating system may be configured as a drainback or an
antifreeze system to prevent freeze damage. (See “Drainback Solar Hot Water
Systems” in HP138 and “Closed-LoopSolar Hot Water” in HP140.)
Warranty: The quality of a collector material and construction can be indicated by
the warranty. Industry-standard poolcollectors typically carry a warranty of 10
years or more. When considering the strength of a warranty, it is always beneficial
to do some research into the viability of the manufacturer.
Ratings:Solar poolcollector manufacturers may opt to have their products
certified through the Solar Rating & Certification Corporation (SRCC)OG100
protocolor through the FSEC Standard 102-10. These are the same protocols that
are used to certify glazed flat-plate and evacuated-tube collectors. The program
gives manufacturers an industry-recognized label for their products, and consumers
can use the ratings to ensure durability and compare performance.
Pump considerations:The flow of water through poolpiping is affected by the
speed at which the fluid is pumped, the diameter and length of the piping, and how
high water has to be lifted to the collectors. Forexample, a single collector made
from 200 feet of coiled 3/4-inch poly pipe located 20 feet above the poolwill
significantly impact flow rate when compared to the same pump in a mechanical
system with just a filter. When selecting collectors, consider whether the design
will require more energy for pumping, or require a larger pump or even a dedicated
pump specifically for the SPH system.
Cost& availability: Polymer collectors tend to be fairly affordable. Even so,
homemade collectors made from materials that have been reclaimed or are readily
available can reduce a poolowner’s initial investment in a SPH system. When the
decision is driven by cost, besure to also consider the lifespan of the materials
being used and their effectiveness.

6. System Sizing
It is common to initially consider sizing an SPH system based on the volume of
water in the pool. Since the system will be heating the entire poolcontents, this
seems a logical conclusion.
However, the reality of a poolis that it is a large thermal mass that is brought up to
temperature at the beginning of the swimming season and maintained at that
temperature throughout the season. While a SPH system helps bring the poolup to
its operating temperature, it is typically sized to offset the heat loss that occurs
once the poolwater reaches the desired temperature.
Since the primary sources of poolheat loss are evaporation, radiation, and
convection from the poolsurface, SPH systems are sized based on the surface area
of the pool, not its volume. For simplicity, the size of the collector array is
expressed as a percentage of the surface area of the pool.
The recommended size of the collector array depends upona variety of factors,
including the:
 orientation of the array with respect to true south
 extent of shading of the array and the pool
 desired pooltemperature
 number of months the poolis open
 number of hours the poolis uncovered.
For a site where these factors have a minimal impact on solar production, the size
of the collector array in relation to the poolsurface area is illustrated in the map
above. If the site is shaded or the array is oriented significantly away from true
south, the size of the array should be larger.
While the thermal performance of collectors is a major consideration, SPH also
requires an understanding of the function of the pool’s mechanical system and how
a collector array best integrates with this system. Through properselection and
integration, a solar poolheating system can ensure that more time is spent pool-
side and less time is spent worrying about paying for fuel for this luxury.
Access
Vaughan Woodruff owns Insource Renewables, a solar design/build and
consulting firm in Pittsfield, Maine. A NABCEP-Certified solar heating installer,

7. he serves on committees for NABCEP, IAPMO, and IREC, and teaches for
organizations across the United States. Vaughan co-authored the NABCEP Solar
Heating Installer Resource Guide with Chuck Marken.
Resources:
i. Florida Solar Energy Center • bit.ly/FSECPoolHeating • Consumer
information and poolcollector ratings
ii. Residential Solar Pool Heating Systems: A Buyer’s Guide, Natural
Resources Canada • bit.ly/NRCAN_SPH
iii. U.S. Department of Energy • bit.ly/DOESPH
iv. Natatoriums:The Inside Story (Indoor Pools) • ASHRAE Journal •
bit.ly/IndoorSPH
v. Solar Panels Plus • bit.ly/SPHcalc • Poolheater calculator
Link: http://www.homepower.com/articles/solar-water-heating/domestic-hot-
water/saving-solar-pool-heating
SOLAR POOL HEATING BASICS
Using energy from the sun to heat water is one of the oldest uses of solar energy.
Today, several million homes and businesses use solar water heating systems.
These systems are providing consumers a cost-effective and reliable choice for hot
water. How you heat the water for your home is an important consideration. The
U.S. Department of Energy estimates that you will spend over $500.00 a year to
heat water with electricity in an 80-gallon tank. When considering a solar water
heater you may ask:
1. How is a solar water heater competitive with conventional heaters? 2. How does
a solar water heater work? 3. What about maintenance? Do I live in an area with
enough sun to heat my household's water?
HOW IS A SOLAR WATER HEATER COMPETITIVE WITH
CONVENTIONALHEATERS
Prices for complete solar water heating systems range between $2,000 — $4,000
depending on your hot water requirements and the climate conditions in your area.
This is a higher initial investment than required for an electric or gas heater but
when you add all of the costs involved with heating water in your home, the life-

8. cycle costof a solar water heating system is at least 80% lower. Remember that
your system runs on an energy source that is free! Savings can be even greater if
you are building a new house and the system costis included in the mortgage.
HOW DO SOLAR WATER HEATERS WORK?
In a solar water heating system, a heat-transfer fluid flows through the tubes of
solar collectors, where it is heated and transfers the heat to the household water.
The heated water is then stored for use in a tank. A solar water heating system can
be used as the sole sourcefor hot water or may include a back-up conventional
system to meet heavy or unusual hot water requirements throughout the year.
Systems are usually sized according to the number of bedrooms, peopleand
household water needs. There are several different configurations of solar water
heating systems. In general, however, there are two main types: active systems
which have pumps and controls to deliver solar heat to the storage tank, and
passive systems which combine the collector and storage in a single unit.
WHAT ABOUT MAINTENANCE?
The simplicity of solar water heating systems means that maintenance is minimal.
Required maintenance will depend on what type of system you own. Solar systems
should be designed for your local climate conditions. An important consideration
when designing a system is the freeze-protection requirements. The size of the
industry and the variety of available solar water heating systems means that you
can find a system that is appropriate for your region. All solar systems will provide
significant savings all over the United States. There are a number of qualified solar
water heater installers and distributors in your area who can determine and provide
the most appropriate system for your house. To ensure high quality and satisfactory
performance of solar water heating systems, authorized rating and certification
programs have been established to test systems, rate their performance, and ensure
the integrity of their design. These criteria have been established to assure
customer satisfaction and to simplify the purchase of a system.
A solar water heater will save you money but it will also help protect our
environment. One to two tons of carbon dioxide are generated by a single
conventional water heater every year. Other pollutants, such as sulfur dioxides,
carbonmonoxide and nitrous oxides are also displaced when a homeowner decides
to tap into a cleaner sourceof energy — the sun.

9. SolarThermal PoolHeating
Today, more solar energy is used for heating swimming pools than for any other
single use. Over 200,000 pools are heated by solar in the United States alone. The
oldest systems have been in use for more than 25 years, and are cost-effective,
highly reliable and require minimal maintenance. Customer demand has spawned a
thriving industry that now spans a large portion of the country. The solar option
offers many important benefits for both existing and future poolowners. This
brochure answers the most frequently asked questions that poolowners have about
solar poolheating systems.
1. Why should I heat my poolwith solar? 2. Can my home accommodate a system?
3. How do solar poolheating systems work? 4. What about operation and
maintenance? Do I live in an area with enough sun to heat my pool?
WHY SHOULD I HEAT MY POOL WITH SOLAR?
A swimming poolis usually an expensive investment, which can range from
several thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars depending on the type of
pool. Most people buy a poolfor recreational or exercise purposes, and usually
plan to use the poolon a regular, ongoing basis, making it the center of their at-
home activities. In many cases, new or existing pools have no poolheater. Some
poolowners are satisfied to some extent with a very limited swimming season and
naturally occurring pooltemperature. Most, however, wish to heat the water and
get more use out of their investment by using their poolduring a longer and more
comfort- able swimming season. In some cases, a poolpurchaser may elect to have
a natural gas, oil or electric heater in- stalled for poolheating purposes. However,
the annual costof operating these types of heaters can range from $750 to $2,000
or more, depending on such factors as the method of heating and the size of the
pool. Thus, heating the poolbecomes an ongoing financial drain. Most solar pool
heating systems costbetween $3,000 and $5,000; however, price varies on the size
of the pooland other site-specific installation conditions. If solar systems are
installed in order to reduce or eliminate fuel or electricity consumption, they
generally pay for themselves in energy savings in two to four years. Forthose pool
owners that desire to heat their pool, solar has been proven to be an effective
method. If a poolis not already being heated, a solar system improves the comfort
level and extends the swimming season. Whether or not your poolis currently
heated, a solar poolheating system is a wise investment. You pay for the
equipment only, because the energy source — the sun — is free.

10. CAN MY HOME ACCOMMODATEA SYSTEM?
Most homes can accommodatea solar poolheating system. Although solar
collectors are often installed on a roof, they can be installed wherever they can be
in the sun for a good portion of the day. The type of roof or roofing material is not
important. The appropriate square footage of solar collectors required for a given
swimming poolis directly related to the square footage of the poolitself. The
properratio of poolarea to solar collector area will vary according to such factors
as location, the orientation of the solar collectors, the amount of shading on the
poolor solar collectors, and the desired swimming season. In general, however, the
square footage of solar collectors required is usually 50% to 100% of the pool
surface area. A solar poolheating professional in your area will usually provide a
free estimate for you.
HOW DO SOLAR POOL HEATING SYSTEMS WORK?
For most residential pools, the solar system operates directly with the existing pool
pump and filter. In a few cases an additional "boosterpump" or a slightly larger
filtration pump may be needed. Today's mostefficient systems employ the use of
an automatically controlled diverting valve. The pool's filtration system is set to
run during the period of most intense sunshine. During this period, when the solar
control senses that adequate beat is present in the solar collectors, it causes a
motorized diverting valve to turn, forcing the flow of poolwater through the solar
collectors, where water is heated. The heated water then returns to the pool. When
heat is no longer present, the water bypasses the solar collector. Thus, most
systems have very few moving parts which minimize operation and maintenance
requirements.
WHAT ABOUT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
The simplicity of solar poolheating systems means that operation and maintenance
requirements are minimal. In fact, in most cases no additional maintenance beyond
normal filter cleaning and winter close-up is necessary. The system should be
drained in the winter months; however, in some cases even this may not be
necessary because the system drains itself. Your solar poolheating professional
will alert you to any special requirements for your particular system. In addition,
solar poolheating equipment is so reliable that many solar poolcollector
manufacturers provide warranty coverage for their products which far exceeds that
of automobiles and household appliances. Solar poolheating systems are being

11. used in virtually every area of the United States. While it is true that they are
popular in the Sunbelt region, they function well and are cost-effective for the
swimming seasoneven in northern climates. Systems can also be designed for
indoor pools as well as for larger municipal and commercial pools.
The US Department of Energy has identified swimming pools as a huge consumer
of energy across the country, and has recognized poolheating as one of the most
cost-effective means of reducing energy consumption. Solar poolheating systems
are the best investment a poolowner can make. So, why not look into it for your
pooltoday?
3. Link: http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/seiapool.htm
More Links: http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/PoolHeating/pool_heating.htm
Link: http://solarpoolheatersystem.com/solar-pool-heating-part-1/
4. Fundamentals of Solar PoolHeating Systems Part 1
Introduction to SolarPoolHeating Systems
This is a new series we will be publishing covering the basics of heating a pool
with solar. This is a great time to get a solar poolheating system installed. The
rising electric costs and natural gas costs are making solar poolheater systems
more common and beneficial. Not only can you save yourself a large chunk of
money from heating a poolwith an electric or natural gas heater. A solar pool
heating system has a onetime installation costthat will range from $4000.00 to
$15,000+ for larger more elaborate systems. Currently solar poolheating systems
are the most common solar thermal installations. These systems are relatively
inexpensive, easy to install and the payback is fast. In some cases like propane and
oil heaters for pools a payback can be seen as quickly as 2 to 3 years.
To determine rather a poolsystem is a good choice for your home or client you
will want to gather some information. First a home with a poolin New York might
spend thousands a year heating a poolwhile someone in Florida with a poolmay
have a hard time justifying the expense. If you or your clients are in a temperate
climate then you will probably benefit from a solar poolheater system. Not only
will it save on heating costs butyour swimming seasoncan be extended since you
can keep the poolheated longer without cranking up the heater.
How to Prevent PoolHeat Loss

12. During the night you will lose some heat through evaporation and also there is a
loss due to reradiating both of which can take down the temperature of your pool
quite a bit. Your first tool in preventing heat loss for any pooland in keeping the
poolheated easier and longer is a good insulated poolcover. They may be a pain to
put on and take off but they will save you from major temperature losses.
Evaporation accounts for around 90-95% of heat loss. Without a good poolcover
the results from a solar poolheating system can be greatly diminished. Forthese
reasons you need to get a good poolcover and suckit up when it comes to putting
it on and taking it off. You will benefit greatly from this one addition.
Another option to a physical poolcover is what they call a liquid poolcover. This
is just a floater device you put in the poolskimmer that releases a non-toxic and
odorless liquid that is also clear and unnoticeable. This liquid helps to greatly
reduce the amount of heat loss due to evaporation. The other good thing about it is
it is very cheap usually between $20-$30. Below are a couple of the products you
can pick up right off of Amazon.com and the items are linked already to the
productpages for easy purchase.