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Benefits | Superiority | Technology | Pool Heating | Installation | FAQ
Join the millions worldwide who have been enjoying solar heated pools for over two decades. Today, swimming pools are the largest users of solar energy in the world! Enjoy a Warm Pool and a Longer Season. Let SPP design a solar system for your needs. Benefits | Superiority | Technology | Pool Heating | Installation | FAQ
Benefits of Solar Pool HeatingSolar energy uses the sun's rays to produce heat or electricity. Solar Heating harnesses our sun's natural energy in a cost-effective way to warm the water in your pool. Solar energy:
The bottom line is solar pool heaters use natural solar energy in an easy, safe, and cost-effective way. Benefits | Superiority | Technology | Pool Heating | Installation | FAQ
Superiority of Solar Energy in Pool HeatingSolar pool heating is the most economically attractive option for pool heating and for extending your swim season. Solar energy is more economical over the life of the system than a pool heater that uses electricity, fuel oil or propane gas. Compared to other pool heating technologies, a solar pool heating system pays for itself within 2 to 4 years. In comparison with other pool heating technologies, solar energy:
Benefits | Superiority | Technology | Pool Heating | Installation | FAQ
Solar Technology for Pool Heating
For pool heating, a flat panel is used that is made up of many small tubes. The size and number of tubes as well as the material of the absorber effect how well the sun's warmth is captured and transferred to the pool water. (This is referred to as the thermal performance rating of the product.)
In addition to the solar panels, the other major parts of a solar heating system include the circulation system and the storage tank. For pools, the circulation system is the pump and filter, and the storage tank is the pool itself. Benefits | Superiority | Technology | Pool Heating | Installation | FAQ
How Solar Pool Heaters WorkHeating your pool with solar energy is really quite simple. Cold water is pumped from your pool through our patented solar tube design where it is warmed by heat collected from the sun. The warm water is then pumped back into your pool giving you luxuriously warm water and plenty of extended swim time.
Benefits | Superiority | Technology | Pool Heating | Installation | FAQ
Installation Considerations for Solar Pool HeatersAn effective solar pool heating system can be installed for almost any pool. Your Solar Pool Heater dealer is the best resource to determine the ideal installation for your individual home and pool configuration.
In addition to where you live, there are a number of factors that are considered when optimizing a solar pool heating system.
Factor 1: What is the ideal orientation for my solar panels?
Fortunately, the modular nature of the solar panel makes it easy to tailor the system to a specific site. Be certain that the orientation you select is not shaded by trees or other structures. Remember, the effectiveness of a solar system is directly dependent on the amount of direct sunlight that the panels receive. Your Solar Pool Heater dealer can work with you to identify the ideal orientation and location for your solar pool heating system.
Factor 2: What is the best inclination for the solar panels?
The inclination of the solar panels is less important than their orientation. However, the inclination should always exceed 10 degrees to ensure proper drainage.
Factor 3: How many panels will I need?
Benefits | Superiority | Technology | Pool Heating | Installation | FAQ
FAQ [Frequently Asked Questions]
Your pool represents a significant financial investment. Heating your pool enables you and your family to enjoy your investment more than just a few months a year. Heating your pool enables you to comfortably enjoy your pool - earlier in the spring, evenings after work, and later into the fall. A warmer pool means more time for family fun, more opportunities for healthy exercise, and a better gathering place for family and friends. [back to FAQ's][Top]
Q: Is there enough sun where I live? Studies show that there is enough solar energy in all parts of the United States and into Canada for you to enjoy a longer swim season with a solar pool heater. [back to FAQ's][Top]
Q: Is a solar pool heater better than a gas heater? We think so. A solar pool heater can be less expensive up front than a gas heater, depending on the size of your pool. Once a solar pool heater is installed, your heat is FREE from the sun. With a gas heater you need to pay the gas company depending on how much you use the heater (your pool store can give you estimates for your area). In the spring and fall when you really need heat, you use the pool heater more, so it costs you more - but solar energy is still free. Also, solar is non-polluting, and it can cool your pool during hot months, something no gas heater can do. See also our webpage on Solar Superiority. [back to FAQ's][Top]
Q: How do I compare a gas heater to a solar pool heater? First check the operating costs. Will you really be willing to pay the gas bill, or will you shut off the pool heater when you need it most? Second, ask about annual maintenance costs. Solar has none. Also, determine the life of the system. Solar pool heating systems can last 15-20 years. Lastly, what are you really trying to accomplish with a pool heater? If you want your pool to be a comfortable swimming temperature all season long, then choose solar. See also our webpage on Solar Superiority. [back to FAQ's][Top]
Q: Can pool solar panels be used to heat the house? No. Solar pool panels and controls are designed specifically to heat a large volume of water in a swimming pool, and to operate in temperature ranges of 80 to 100 degrees. Household space heating and household hot water are different applications of solar, requiring the heating smaller volumes of household water to higher temperatures. [back to FAQ's][Top]
Q: What about maintenance? Chemicals should be added to the pool water far from the collector intake pipes. The filter should be cleaned as frequently as recommended by the manufacturer to ensure that adequate flow is supplied to the collectors. Check the solar heating system for proper operation at the beginning of each swimming season, particularly if it has an automatic control. Remember, a properly operating solar collector feels cool to the touch. The temperature rise of the water going through the collectors should be from 3°F to 5°F for most efficient operation. [back to FAQ's][Top]
Q: What about pool covers?
Q: How does solar compare with other
forms of pool heating? Please note that the actual cost of solar pool heating systems depends upon many factors — ease of installation, type of financing, location of pool in north or south, length of pool season desired and building code requirements. These variables cause price variations and the homeowner should talk to more than one dealer-installer when considering a purchase. [back to FAQ's][Top]
Q: How does a solar pool heater work?
Comfortable swimming water temperature is relatively low compared to other uses of hot water. This allows the use of simple, efficient solar collectors (see the following question). These systems require no separate storage tank, since the pool itself serves as the storage tank. In most cases, the pool's filtration pump is used to force the pool water through the solar panels. In some retrofit applications, a larger pump may be required to handle the needs of the solar system, or a small pump may be added to boost the pool water up to the solar collectors. When adequate sunshine is available, the filtered pool water is circulated through the solar collectors, where it is heated by solar radiation and then returned to the pool. In this operation, the water goes from pool to pump, from pump to filter, from filter to collectors, from collectors to fossil-fueled backup heater (if there is one), from fossil-fueled heater to automatic chlorinator (if there is one), then back to the pool (see Figure 1). Automatic controls may be used to direct the flow of filtered
water to the collectors when solar heat is available. This
may be accomplished manually by the use of a manual "bypass
valve" placed in location P of Figure 1. Normally solar
systems are designed to drain down into the pool when the
pump is turned off. This provides the collectors with |
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Solar
energy refers to the use of the sun's rays rather than
electricity, oil, kerosene or natural gas to provide heat
for a wide variety of uses. Sunlight strikes and heats an
"absorber" surface within a "solar collector".
The water to be used flows through the absorber that has been
warmed by the sun and picks up the heat from it. An analogy
is often made to a garden hose that sits in the sun and then
warms the initial water passing through it. 
The
smaller the tubes, the slower the water flows through
them which in turn enables more heat to be transferred to
the water. Likewise, if the number of tubes used is increased,
more water can be exposed to the heat and therefore warmed.
Most tubing is made of durable, lightweight, ultraviolet-resistant
polyolefin material blended with proprietary additives determined
by each manufacturer.
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