Do these solar panels in pools really work?
Question:I have a severe neck/spinal injury.Recently we purchased a pool for the physical benefits.It is SO cold it's really counterproductive. Can these so called "solar panels" or the solar fish additive be useful and if so how much?
Answers:
The solar fish additive hasn't been as useful in my opinion, but one of my colleagues has recommended one and says they work good in his pool.
The solar panels you are talking about aren't generators as mentioned above, but heaters. They do work quite effectively. When hooking them up make sure you put a gate valve on the input as well as the output so that you can adjust the flow properly and isolate it when needed.
I use a solar generator and it works better than the mini panels I think you are referring to for keeping a steady temperature for the pool, jacuzzi or steam room. They cost from $200 - 500 depending on the wattage you need to generate but are really worth it in the cost savings and clean energy usage. Just search "Solar generator" in your area. Good Luck!
We always used a solar cover (essentially high grade bubble wrap) on our pool and it worked great, just a pain to roll up. I saw plans years ago, but never built one, for a solar pool heater: buy some 1 inch black plastic pipe, 100 ft-- lay it flat on a piece of plywood-and mount at an angle facing the sun with the ends of the pipe in the pool- put a small pump on it to get the water flowing. Natural heat will, once it is full of water, circulate cold up into the coils and warm back in the pool,
Proper pool heating solar pannels are expensive but if you get the mounting angle right and the area to about 3/4 that of your pool they work very well. I bought and installed used ones. I live in Vancouver Canada and do not use the heater any more on a good week of sunshine the water temperature reaches 90 degrees. When the weather turns bad/rains then I am out of luck.
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