Solar Pool Heaters: How Do They Work?

Solar pool heaters can be effective option for anyone who is looking for option to reduce the heating cost in the pool season, because they offer more competitive costs or relatively friendlier on annual operating costs. They can be heat pump or gas pool heating systems. Moreover, they are great choice if you want to participate on preventing and reducing the global warming process because they are eco-friendly technology with relatively friendlier to the environment so thus you can contribute directly to keep your local environment clean. Like the title of this article, so how do solar pool heaters work? Below are pieces of helpful information about the working principle of them!

How does solar pool heater work?

Basically, the working principle of solar pool heating units is supported by 3 major components, that are; (1) a flow control valve that has function to control and divert water through the collectors of solar, (2) a pump mechanism that has function to circulate and direct the water through the proper filter => collector => and then back again to the pool, (3) a proper filter to filter and collect debris before directing the water through the solar collector, and (4) collector of solar (as the name implies, it has function to catch and collect the sunlight energy)! To understand more clearly the working principle of solar swimming pool heaters, the following is a helpful picture from energysavers.gov:

Source: energysavers.gov

The water is pumped and directed through the filter and then will be directed through solar collectors to be heated before returning to the pool again. The solar collectors also can be functioned to cool the pool in the summer season by circulating and directing the water through the solar collectors at night. Depending on the design, there are also used a manual or automatic valve to switch water through collectors if the temperature of collectors is greater enough than the temperature of the pool. On the other hand, if the pool temperature is higher or similar to the temperature of collectors then the filtered-water will returned back to the pool (the water passes the solar collectors).

And there are some different materials to make solar collectors for heating swimming pool. And which is the best one of those materials that we should choose is closely related to the local climate & the frequently of using the solar pool heating unit itself, especially how we intend to operate the solar collectors. And commonly there are available two major different solar collectors; unglazed and glazed collectors.

Source: energysavers.gov

Unglazed collectors

If we only use the pool when the water is above freezing, an unglazed collector is the answer. It does not involve a glazing (glass covering). Generally, it is made with a heavy-duty plastic or rubber treated and in order to make the panels last longer, the system is equipped with Ultra Violet light inhibitor. Unglazed collectors are relatively more affordable in price than glazed collectors due to their relatively cheaper parts and relatively simple in design. Moreover, they are not only popular for heating outdoor pools but also work well for indoor pools, but the system must be redesigned first to drain back to the swimming pool while not in use. With the right installation and proper maintenance, they will work better on energy savings than an expensive glazed model!

In addition, either glazed or unglazed collectors should be equipped with freeze protection, especially if we want to use them in extreme colder situations.

Glazed collectors

Generally, they are made of iron-tempered glass for the cover and copper tubing on a proper plate (aluminum plate). These parts are not as inexpensive as the parts of unglazed collectors! Therefore they are relatively more expensive to purchase.

But glazed collectors are more powerful and therefore will be nice idea for colder areas. Their more powerful performance is supported with more efficient performance on capturing the solar heat energy of the sunlight. So, although they are priced more expensive but will work well in many climates. Even they are powerful enough to be used as hot water heating unit year-round for residential use.

The last, the poor performance of the solar collectors will influence significantly on powerful or not the solar pool heaters to work. So consider them carefully before making a deal.

Read also Guide on choosing and sizing tankless hot water heaters!

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