# Simple pool solar heater



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

I made one ,many years back,along those lines--

Plywood back---black garden hose--2x4 frame---and an old patio door.

It got so hot that I had to add a mixing valve set up so all the pool water did not enter the heater.

Worked for years ---it was placed on the ground facing the sun and I used 2x4 props to angle it up ---

To secure the hose to the backing--I drilled holes and used nylon zip ties.


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

Sounds great..I have no concerns about it being too hot. In fact, thats one of the reasons I want the lid..for extra heating. 

Especially in this failure of a summer


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Just how big a pool is this?
Going to take one really big panel to have any effect on the pools temp.
Plexiglass will turn yellow and craze, use Lexan instead. 
Yes it can be cut with a table saw, just leave the protective plastic on it when cutting or drillng.
I'd use black heavy duty garden hose. That way when it does not work out you'll still have a nice hose.
How do you plan on cirulating the water?
I would think you would want a low CFM pump so the water has time heat up.
May want to Google "solor pool heater" and see how a real heater is designed.


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## PoleCat (Sep 2, 2009)

Glass will block less energy than plastic if that is an option. Also, painting everything in the interior flat black will absorb better than just the shiny black of a plastic tube.


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

joecaption said:


> Just how big a pool is this?
> Going to take one really big panel to have any effect on the pools temp.
> Plexiglass will turn yellow and craze, use Lexan instead.
> Yes it can be cut with a table saw, just leave the protective plastic on it when cutting or drillng.
> ...


Thanks for the tips everyone,

Its just a 21 foot above ground.
I had a commerical solar heater for a few years..but too many leaks and its toast now. So I will connect it to the regular pump and filter

Good idea about the black garden hose and the black paint.

Thanks


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Creeper--free glass doors are easy to find----go to any window and door company and ask if they can save you one----they are tempered glass and will not shatter if someone breaks it---


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

The one I made worked great---simple tools---cheap---and over heated a pool about the size of yours,until I added valves that allowed much of the water to bypass the heater when it was not needed.


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

I just got rid of a door with glass too

Figures
With all the swimming my kids do at the club this pool is little more than a giant bathtub
for games
May as well have it really warm


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Do you cover it at night? Covering it at night will do wonders for keep it warm.

I third the garden hose....the stuff you were talking about was too small.

If the collector is going to be far enough away....use real glass....it's cheaper than plexi....just breaks easier.

I've actually been amazed at how cheap it is to have glass tempered.


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

There are only a few months usually when the nights stay warm enough to rely just on the blanket. By mid August the nights get so cool that the water can't recover enough to get in. And June this year has so far been a dud.

I'm not worried about overheating. On the store bought one Ive been using it had a bypass valve that I never had to use. Water barely ever saw past 88/90.

It was a series of tiny tubes so the water would pass slower like Joe has suggested. Corrugated plastic. No glass...too many crazy people fooling around, plus I'd like to keep it there through the rest of the year. ..(Flying balls, hockey pucks. lacrosse balls)


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

The garden hose idea sounds good and cost effective. I even have a glass window left over from my old kitchen door. My only question though is when you step down the diameter from the 1 1/2" pump hose to 5/8" garden hose, won't that cause the pool pump to overwork?


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## frenchelectrican (Apr 12, 2006)

Jim F said:


> The garden hose idea sounds good and cost effective. I even have a glass window left over from my old kitchen door. My only question though is when you step down the diameter from the 1 1/2" pump hose to 5/8" garden hose, won't that cause the pool pump to overwork?


Useally not on discharge side due they are limited on " head " pressure so just watch the height when you put up the solar panels due some swimming pool pumps are low pressure on purpose ( IIRC useally less than 30 PSIG ) 

But I will suggest to you that add a thermometer on discharge side to see how hot it get and you may want to add a mixer or sorta like bypass valve to throttle a bit to intermix to drop the tempture a little.

I know some of you readers may recall Scuba Dave in this fourm he did have solar pool heating system and he have pretty good details on them so you may want to take a look at it what he did to his pool system.

Merci,
Marc


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## woodlandpatio (May 24, 2013)

Pool heating is a very good solar application. The systems are simple and relatively inexpensive. Pool systems usually use simple, low cost, unglazed plastic collectors. The pool itself is the thermal storage for the system, and the pump you already use for filtering pool water will also circulate water through the solar collectors. All of this leads to inexpensive systems -- some of the simplest solar pool heating systems cost as little as $100.


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

Works!!!
Mike was correct about needing a mixing value. May as well add this hose bib while its easy. I could, in therory, just leave everything where it is, but I'v already made the box, so I will just place the hoses in there.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

You are doing it! Bravo!

Jim and Creeper--I left the original piping and added two Ts to feed the hoses--one for 'in' one for 'out'--each one had a shut off so the heater could be isolated in case of a failure.

A ball valve was installed between the two Ts---this allowed for tempering--wide open--little water went through the hose--partially closed--lots of water went through the heater--fully closed would be bad---to much restriction for the pump.


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

Thanks Mike,

So far I've only added one tee and the other end of the hose is just inserted in the lid to the skim basket. If it proves a success then it will be easy to add a the other for a tidier finish


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

I see a problem---I should have mentioned--that I carefully laid out the hose so that it was coiled side by side--drilling the backer board and zip tying it--the hose was flat to the backer and coiled like a watch spring--

this gave full exposure to the sun,no hose shaded by any other----it took a while to drill all the holes for the tie straps--


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

So in others words the box I made is too small...should have used the patio door..with the glass...What about the hose length..enough??


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

I used 150 feet---the more the merrier--

What you want is a box with a wood frame--plywood back--2x4 frame--just a bit bigger than the door--then an outside 1x6 frame to act as a lip to hold the door.

You are trying to get heat to the hose from direct sun on the top and heat from the black plywood on the back of the hose---kind of like a hose laying on a black top driveway---


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

Translation....the more hose you have exposed to the sun, the more heat it will pick up.

I'm thinking a troft about 20' long and 4' wide would work really well. It's all about surface area...the more the merrier....


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Creeper you have been after me to learn how to post pictures----I wish I had--a picture is worth a thousand words----


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

Mike, I would like to see pictures of some of your stuff, but as usual you make your instructions easy to follow. 
I have in my minds eye exactly what you mean...its the execution that may be the tricky part:laughing:

I will post a picture of mine when its completed


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

Shadow box made..


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

nice job.......

so....want to sell that "Bridge Island" sign on the wall?


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Looking good so far---is the wood frame about the size of the door?

(these people that think you have a garage sale every time you open the door,jeeze)


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

Better?


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Wow--That is just the thing--a work of art----Have you tried it yet?


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

that's pretty neat....the engineer in me want to instrument it with a few TC's and a flow meter to see what the BTU rating is.

is that real glass or plexi?


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

Had a really busy day, so only to see if it worked..it does, the plumbing anyway. We will see what the next few days bring

Thanks for your input Mike. Much appreciated


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

Looks really nice!
Got a thermometer in line or at least in the box?


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

Thanks.
Good idea. I think I will stick one inside the box. Should be interesting


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Get a thermometer that can take the heat---You did well--that looks really nice.


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## jagans (Oct 21, 2012)

creeper said:


> There are only a few months usually when the nights stay warm enough to rely just on the blanket. By mid August the nights get so cool that the water can't recover enough to get in. And June this year has so far been a dud.
> 
> I'm not worried about overheating. On the store bought one Ive been using it had a bypass valve that I never had to use. Water barely ever saw past 88/90.
> 
> It was a series of tiny tubes so the water would pass slower like Joe has suggested. Corrugated plastic. No glass...too many crazy people fooling around, plus I'd like to keep it there through the rest of the year. ..(Flying balls, hockey pucks. lacrosse balls)


WOuldnt this have worked a lot better if you sheathed the rack, and put foil faced iso on the sheathing then the collector? Seems like you would lose heat out the back otherwise.


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

Speak newbieze please...no cabeesh

Regardless, it sounds expensive. So far I'm into it for the price of the garden hoses, the hose bib and a slice of plywood.

2x4x8 were seconds...cost 1.75 each
sliding door from somebody who replaced theirs..free
paint I had in the archives
screws had in the garage.


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## frenchelectrican (Apr 12, 2006)

Crepper.,

The other thing is you can lower the panel down instead of sorta like 45 degrees angle drop it down more like 25 degress angle or so so you can get very good afternoon sun to heat it up a bit. when you hit very late summer you can raise the panel up back up like 35 to 45 degress angle so you can follow the sun tracking to get the most of heating value from sun.

Put a timer to shut the panel pump off at nitetime when the sun is down so that way you can retain more heat in the system when you start it up first thing in the moring and it will warm up as the sun " heating " the panel up.

I know someone else mention thermometer to read the tempture and expect that to get over 50 C easy more like 65 to 75 C for sure.

Merci,
Marc


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## PoleCat (Sep 2, 2009)

I'm getting hot just looking at it. Nice one two punch of shading your pump also!


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

frenchelectrican said:


> Crepper.,
> 
> The other thing is you can lower the panel down instead of sorta like 45 degrees angle drop it down more like 25 degress angle or so so you can get very good afternoon sun to heat it up a bit. when you hit very late summer you can raise the panel up back up like 35 to 45 degress angle so you can follow the sun tracking to get the most of heating value from sun.
> 
> ...


Marc:
In theory that would be a great idea, but I think it would be too heavy to manage by hand


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## hammerlane (Oct 6, 2011)

creeper said:


> Water barely ever saw past 88/90.


Does pool water need to go above 88? Is this for cooling off or bathing? I like my pool water around 84 but we got full sun all afternnon so at time I'd have to leave the solar cover off at nights.

Anyway nice final looking design.:thumbsup:


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

What I meant was even with the last heater the water never saw above that mark. So I wasn't concerned about a shut off valve. But I do like it a little warmer then 84.

Currently it is probably 70/72 and I'm hoping to not have to bother with the pain in the neck cover


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## biggles (Jan 1, 2008)

header supply/returns set up runs with less resistance compared to one pipe thru set up result is you get more water passing thru it to the pool check out this guys youtube.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WP8H5IOTwYU if anybody else is considering this do a sheet metal box little deeper then the hose diameter and with the header set up.pickle the sheet metal with rubbing alc..then spray flat black..ever sit on a car seat in a hot parking lot or touch the hood of a sun baked car....


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## frenchelectrican (Apr 12, 2006)

creeper said:


> Marc:
> In theory that would be a great idea, but I think it would be too heavy to manage by hand


Yeah I am aware with that part but something simple like a trailer jack or simuair to that will help you crank or move it up or down to the best postion.

So that one of the simple idea to adjust it yourself without hurting yourself on that.

Merci,
Marc


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

A screaming success.

pool water 68 degrees and a few hours later the solar outlet is still reading 80...


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Bravo!!!!

Once you figured out the plan,it's really a rather simple device---

Glad it's working---Have you got it piped into the system yet?

If not ,I'll tell you how---


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

Yes its plumbed in. The cold water in from the pool anyway. I may or may not do the hose end. Right now it just sits in the skim basket That's what I meant by the above post. It had been running for a few hours at least when I snapped the picture. 

So even after running for a good while cold water entering the solar heater was 68/70 but came out at 80.
I imagine it will just keep climbing... Thanks a lot Mike


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

Go ahead and explain how its piped in Mike ..for the benefit of others who wish to capture free heat


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Here is a simple explanation of the heater piping--

on the main outlet pipe from the pump--you need a T-then a full port ball valve--then another T--

Add a shut off valve and male hose fitting to the first T
Add a shut off valve and a female hose fitting to the second T

Attach the hose ends from the heater to the appropriate fittings on the Ts--open all three valves--and fire up the pump--

in this position very little water will flow through the heater---closing the center valve part way will force more water to go through the heater---

Hose bibs can be used on the Ts--but you will need to buy a double female fitting in order to hook in the male end of the hose.


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

This should be moved to the Project thread. I'm definitely doing this, maybe toward end of summer, but I think I want to skip the glass for fear one of the kids will put a foot through it. I'm sure I will miss out on the added benefit of greenhouse heating without the glass but it's just not worth the risk.


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

Jim:

I had the exact same fear. Rough and tumble boys with their crazy energy and flying objects.
That's why you use an old sliding door with its tempered glass. It breaks into little safety squares.
In fact, I had someone demonstrate how difficult it is to break one. It takes a couple of really strong wacks with a sledge to get it to crack. It definitely does not break into sharp shards


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

Creeper, how did this heater work for you this summer?


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## reinadeoz (Sep 6, 2013)

*Great idea.*



oh'mike said:


> I made one ,many years back,along those lines--
> 
> Plywood back---black garden hose--2x4 frame---and an old patio door.
> 
> ...


Great idea. Simple. But it looses a lot of heat in the very hot water at the outlet. If you increase the flow, the total BTU collected is MORE, because the water is not so hot that it radiates away the heat (which you discovered it does at night) The water might only be a few degrees warmer, but the flow is much greater.


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

I've been checking out a lot of videos lately. Some people use garden hoses but others use black PVC irrigation hose which is very cheap to buy. It seems to me that the PVC might be more vulnerable to temperature changes that the garden hose which is designed to be exposed to all types of weather. 

There are others that sandwich 1 inch foam insylation between two plywood sheets, have spray painted black aluminum flashing behind the hose to improve the collecting system. I wonder if that might not be overkill. 

I'm definately going to do one of these for next year if I can find the time.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

They work well----keep it simple and inexpensive---the one I made was in use for many years---

Start looking for a retired patio door.


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