Solar heating the kids pool from underside of the garage roof ??

Mike Thomas_2

Depending on what part of the country you are from, the surface area of the pool would equal the surface area of the solar heater. Don't forget to turn it off at night or cloudy days, it will cool the pool just as fast as it heats it. Covering with a solar cover will reduce heating needs by as much as 70%. Another alternative is the Solar Fish or Solar Pill, a clear liquid that acts like a solar blanket. It will work at about 40% savings, and you don't have to put it on or take it off....

ScottMP

Just like alot of you

I like to think outside the box.

My kids have an above ground and I tried to heat it with a solar panel I made. I used an old storm window and built a box with copper loops. It was too small and did'nt make a dent.

I was looking at the roof joist in the garage and wondering if I ran tub loops in each bay ( about 10 that are 12 feet long and 12" wide ) then insulated under them .... Would it heat the pool water ??

Would I need to run 3/4 pex ? 1" poly ??

Any ideas ?

Scott

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jp_2

?

not sure I understand? I would attach the tubing right under the roof deck. run it horizontally so its self draining. easiest to run it on the roof directly though.

there are inexpensive plastic spa solar panels out there too.

Ericjeeper

Use black garden hose

Toss 100-150 feet up onto a dark roof. Pump with a cheap sump pump from the pool to the roof and back. Or you could tie it into the pool filtration pump. My neighbor did it this way for many years.

BC_12

I was thinking along the same lines...

Last year I took about 600 feet of 3/4" poly scraps left over from my geo loop and just snaked it around the yard where it would get the most sun. I tied it into the filter pump that came with the cheapo pool. In full sun I think I got up to 2000btu/hr or so. It was late in the summer and it never did get the pool up to temp. partly was my fault as I didn't turn the pump on and off at optimal times.

This year I was going to try something on the garage roof - I have a dark metal roof over plywood deching, and I thought of just snaking some pipe down through the ribs. maybe it will work for boosting my geo loop temps on sunny winter days, too!

ScottMP

I was thinking more along the lines

of not seeing the panels.

Would poly pipe have enough transfer ?

Since this is home stff whats the cheapest but still transfer energy?

Thats liquid stuff gives me the willys that my kids are swimming in some sort of oily barrier ??

Scott

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hot_rod

condensation issues?

I remember a product called solar attic or something like that. It looked like a large hydronic unit hearet with a drip pan below. It removed un wanted heat from the attic and heated the fluid as it passed. It may be a simplier way to "harvest" some attic heat?

Certainly home build-able with your hands on ability.

Some company is offering a whole rool collector system, with tubing covering the roof area.

hot rod

Patchogue Phil_32

My light green garden hose laying in the sun just on the grass gets hot enough that the water is too hot to the touch.

Laying up on the roof will get plenty hot.