DIY pool heater. is there a cheap efficient way to heat my above ground pool using the sun?
Question:I have tried the bubble stuff and it works good but i want something much less of a hassle like a simple flip of a switch. any ideas? im on a budget so it needs to be pretty inexpensive and i would prefere to use more solar energy than electric.
Answers:
The black poly pipe will work, but the pool will lose heat as fast as you can apply it as the temperature increases, so it may just be a wash if you don't insulate the sides and cover the pool when not in use. So get some bubble wrap for the sidewalls and don't allow the water to continue flowing through the absorber after the sun is down or it will just transfer the heat right back to the air around it, put valves to turn the water off at night. Set the absorber almost flat for summer use to get the most insolation and cover it with glass or Mylar film to reduce loss from re- radiation, and don't flow all the water from your pump, that's too much divert a little to the heater to increase the dwell time in the heater for good heat transfer...Oh, also get in the pool from time to time to "test" the effect rather than spend all your time fidgeting with the controls! Splash-on dude!
Make a cover of black trash bags and stretch it over the top of your pool, it might take a while, but it should do alright.
-Duo
You can make a solar water heater and run the water from the filter thru it before it goes back into the pool. It isn't that much money. You use a sheet of plywood or OSB painted black. Then you use the cheap black plastic pipe (like inground sprinkling uses), Run it zig zag pattern on the plywood to get as much length as possible. On a sunny day it will put out very warm water.
This might not be too glamorous but, get a couple of metal garbage can lids paint the underside black and lay them in pool painted side up. How many lids varies based on the size of your pool, budget and solar exposure
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