| All pool solar panels are heat collectors. They convert | | | | and tear, provided they are built and installed properly. |
| solar energy into heat so that your pool can be | | | | Most importantly, solar heaters are cleaner and |
| warmed up to a comfortable temperature. Each heat | | | | cheaper than gas and electric heaters. |
| collector (or heat exchanger) is lined on the inside with | | | | The typically payback period of a pool solar panel is |
| many copper pipes that are parallel to each other. | | | | about 1 to 2 years, depending on the sunlight intensity |
| They are always painted black because this color | | | | and fuel costs. |
| absorbs the most energy from the sun. In this way, | | | | Because solar heaters are very simple in design, they |
| conversion of solar energy into heat is maximized. | | | | make very popular DIY projects. Homemade heaters |
| Solar heaters are also covered with a glass panel to | | | | will obviously cost much lesser than commercially |
| act as a greenhouse, trapping heat within the | | | | made pool solar heaters. A typical heater may cost |
| enclosure. Since air is trapped within the panel, heat | | | | within the $4,000 price tag while a do-it-yourself solar |
| cannot escape through convection. The only way for | | | | heater often cost only a tenth of this price. Therefore |
| heat to escape is through conduction. Fortunately the | | | | the payback period is much shorter. |
| rate of conduction is much slower. Therefore most of | | | | Installation |
| the heat is retained. | | | | Installing a pool solar panel will not be a very tedious |
| How they work | | | | task. More importantly, you need to tilt your panels |
| Cold water runs into a heat exchanger and out comes | | | | southwards (if you are living in the northern |
| warm water for your pool. This happens as the | | | | hemisphere) so they can be exposed to more |
| black-painted pipes absorb heat from the sunlight and | | | | sunshine throughout the year. |
| transfer them to the water passing through. The | | | | Other installation considerations include local building and |
| surfaces of the heat collector box are also painted | | | | insurance requirements as well as safety issues. An |
| black and certainly helps warm up the air within. This, | | | | alternative is to engage a qualified solar thermal |
| too, contributes to the temperature of water running | | | | contractor to install the panels for you. This will ensure |
| through the pipes. | | | | quality. |
| The sunlight intensity, rate of water flow and diameter | | | | With its simplicity, ease of installation and durability, pool |
| of pipes determine how hot the water will be. | | | | solar heaters are getting more popular with |
| Generally, the thinner the pipes, the more efficient the | | | | consumers. Many DIY hobbyists are putting together |
| heat transfer. This is because more surface area is | | | | copper pipes and pieces of wood to construct their |
| created and this allows more avenues through which | | | | own homemade solar heat collectors to warm up their |
| heat can be conducted into the water. | | | | pool. Such do-it-yourself projects will only get more |
| Advantages | | | | popular as consumers realize the benefits of using pool |
| Solar heaters rarely need any maintenance at all. They | | | | solar panels. |
| can serve you for decades without noticeable wear | | | | |