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Old 06-02-2014, 12:53 PM   #1 (permalink)
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Pool win!

Last summer friends of ours were upgrading their above ground pool and asked us if we wanted their old (used 2 years) one. We'd never had one and never even thought about getting one, but for $150 we couldn't say no.

Once it was finally up (nightmares unrelated to today's story) it was simply too cold at first. I got us a set of solar heating panels as an experiment. They were right next to the pool in a horribly shaded spot, but you could see the potential- sticking your hand in the pool and waving it past the jet, the difference in temperature was noticeable. We decided it was worth sticking with and wanted to do it right this year so we bought another panel set to have ready- less flow restriction and more heat collection.

We did more site prep this spring and set the pool up two weeks ago (the kids couldn't be kept out of the pool that day). Last Thursday I had the day off and my project was setting up the heater. I spent the whole morning at Big Box Depot desperately trying to figure out how to get a long run of pipe that I could step down to seal to the proprietary pool hose connectors. A 100 foot roll of 1.25" tubing from the sump pump aisle did the job, moving the panels out to where they get full sun all day long and I had about 10 feet of tubing left over.

Thursady night, everything fit but I wasn't happy with some of the seals. Friday night after work I redid them and was only unhappy with one seal. Saturday after work I fixed it to good enough. Sunday morning the water temp was 54 degrees. Late Sunday afternoon when I was done with my yard work it was 64 degrees. Still cold, but tolerable after a day of working in the sun. It was down to 61 this morning, but today and tomorrow are full sun.

Overall, I'm thrilled- June 1st and the pool is up and filled with the heater running and all four of us in it. Last June 1st we hadn't even thought of owning a pool. Now we've got one and we're heating it with the filter pump that was going to be running anyway.


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Old 06-02-2014, 02:35 PM   #2 (permalink)
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Cool stuff.
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Old 06-02-2014, 04:55 PM   #3 (permalink)
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Great Pool , nice touch having the Solar heater , looks real convenient to use.

When I was a Kid we had neighbors with a pool like yours but it was enclosed , they used black poly pipe coiled in a frame for heat , as I remember it was in the shade and had freezing pool water..
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Old 06-03-2014, 07:58 AM   #4 (permalink)
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Well, the second day of use got it from 61 up to 69. This morning it had cooled down to 67. I think we're going in for real tonight!
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Old 06-03-2014, 03:35 PM   #5 (permalink)
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Get a good solar cover too, it will help reduce the evaporation which will cool the pool water.

Where I am at with a cover and solar heater I can get the pool temp up to 95F.

I am looking at getting one of the inexpensive grid tie inverters and second hand PV solar panels and hook them up to the pool circuit with a timer on the pump to reduce the power consumption from the pool.
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Old 06-04-2014, 08:29 AM   #6 (permalink)
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We've got a cover, and now that we can heat the pool effectively it's going to be easier. We'd always taken it off in the morning to allow more sun in during the day. Yesterday morning when we took it off the pool started steaming, and when she turned on the pump before leaving it was steaming even more. So now we don't have to take it off and put it back on every (sunny) day!

Even with it giving off so much heat that way, it was 72 last night and we all got to swim. We've got a few rainy days now, but on the weekend it'll catch right back up.
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Manual neutral engine off.100% @MPG <----- Fun Fact.
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Old 06-04-2014, 04:59 PM   #7 (permalink)
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I don't know how warm you like your pool, I go for 80-85, but it will actually get warmer if you leave it on until you want to use it. It also cuts down on the wasps, leaves and other stuff that gets in it.
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Old 06-04-2014, 08:13 PM   #8 (permalink)
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Wow, great use of solar energy.
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Old 06-05-2014, 08:20 AM   #9 (permalink)
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The pool at our Y is usually around 84. Very nice. An outdoor pool might want to be warmer, I don't know.

This setup is very cheering, but it's also amazing: a 2500 gph pump can take over 9000 gallons and raise it 10 degrees in a day, just by adding these black plastic tubes.
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Manual neutral engine off.100% @MPG <----- Fun Fact.
Manual 1:1 gear ratio .......98%
CVT belt ............................88%
Automatic .........................86%

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Old 06-14-2014, 07:01 PM   #10 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fat Charlie View Post
We've got a cover, and now that we can heat the pool effectively it's going to be easier. We'd always taken it off in the morning to allow more sun in during the day. Yesterday morning when we took it off the pool started steaming, and when she turned on the pump before leaving it was steaming even more. So now we don't have to take it off and put it back on every (sunny) day!

Even with it giving off so much heat that way, it was 72 last night and we all got to swim. We've got a few rainy days now, but on the weekend it'll catch right back up.
What type of cover do you have...???

Is it a solar cover like this...???









The solar cover on my pool would raise the temperature quickly and keep it there. Not only does a solar cover and solar heater get you into the pool earlier, it extends the season.

When I had the pool I also used this solar powered item.





I hardly used any chemicals. Just chlorine shock once or twice a week.



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