Solar Message: I am looking to replace the solar heating on our swimming pool. We live in Armstrong BC, with a 16 by 32 inground pool currently heated by 5 2ft by 20 ft black PVC solar collectors. I run the system off my my main pool pump and control it strictly with a timer. The collectors are mounted on the roof of my workshop with a south west exposure and its unobstructed by anything to shadow it. The PVC panels are starting to leak and have degraded from exposure to elements. My thoughts are to use a vacuum tube set up to heat the pool and perhaps take the heat from the collectors in the non pool season and use it in my shop/greenhouse as a supplement. The Armstrong area is in the North Okanagan and we get a lot of sun in the summer but a lot of cloud cover in the winter. The PVC collectors are capable of taking the pool well in to the 90s f in mid summer. The can maintain about 4 degrees above ambients anytime the weather is warm enough to consider the use of the pool. The pool has a solar blanket installed when ever its not in use. As well we have an all weather security blanket that we install when winds or in climate weather occurs and this has an effect on the heat loss as well. I am torn between your pool heater unit or a full pressure system, your comments would be helpful. thanks
Dated on : 06-15-2012
Replies :
Hi Bruce, Yes certainly we have a pool solar system that could heat your pool very effectively. I have attached a short simulation report just using our solar system to assist your pool temperature.
Post By : Alan Anderson Dated On : 06-17-2012
Hi Bruce, File attached to provide you with how the solar would perform in your area. For this example I would recommend a SWH-2 complete solar kit without storage and a pool heat exchanger. Your pool season could start April 1st thru to Oct 15th II made the assumption your pool cover ( Thermal blanket) would off the pool for 4 hours per day 7 days a week. I set the pool temperature at 78 F ( 26C) the solar system report shows we can maintain and exceed that temperature set point. I agree with you we should review the option of diverting any excess energy to your shop /greenhouse. Please send me the following information--- Square footage of your building, how are you heating the building now? . Thank-you Alan Anderson Northern Lights Solar Solutions #20 305 McKay Avenue Winnipeg, MB R2G 0N5 Canada 1-800-317-9054 ext. 226 e-mail [email protected] www.nlsolarheating.com www.solartubs.com
Post By : Alan Anderson Dated On : 06-17-2012
i Alan, Thanks for the very complete review. Typically we use our pool from early May to the end of September, And in all honesty if the cover was off every day for two hours that would a lot. The shop is 24 by 56 with 10 foot ceilings but I only heat a 24 by 24 portion of it. I use one 3000 watt electric heater equipped with a low temp thermostat. During the week its set at about 40 F and when I want to use it it brings it to 60f in about an hour. The greenhouse is a leanto attached to the shop, its 8 by 14 and its heated primarily by 50 feet of sill heating cables which is 1500 watts and a supplemental 1500 watt electric heater if we get a cold spell. It picks up enough solar gain to grow lettuce and other cold hearty veggies from about mid February to mid October and keeps them harvestable till early December unless we get a real cold snap. If I could dump the heat into the shop a small fan would allow me to move it to the greenhouse as needed. Thanks for all your help.
Post By : Bruce Walkden Dated On : 06-18-2012
