1. How to make a Solar Pool Water Heater - Full build and Test in the UK

Have you ever thought of making your own Solar Water Heater?
I made one from Start to Finish in 3 Hours using internet purchased items and show you how in this sped up video, then test its heating ability.
So,
How much will it cost?
Is it hard to make?
How much heat will it provide?
I decided to make one to find out and create this video to provide them answers. Apart from the last one, where at the end of the video is all the info to calculate average power output, I'm sure you could work it out ;-).
PLEASE LIKE and SHARE ;-D, THANK YOU, this helps me make more content like this, and most important, stay safe.
Here, on my website, are all the items to build your own: - www.dev255.uk/what-i-bought
**UPDATE**
Hi, just for info with the latest info from my tests (11th Aug 2020). The pool of 4600 litres heats up by around 3 to 5ºC per day on a sunny day, so you need a good few days for it to warm up. It's a lot of water to heat and from my recent calculations both the panel and dome solar heaters generate about 25% of that heat, it looks like most of the heat is generated from the sun directly heating the water via the black cover over the pool and surrounding air. I think the panel is still worth it as 25% extra heat ensures the pool heats from day to day. The foil wrap around the pool helps too, where I only lose a couple of degrees overnight, where the pool is currently sitting at 28.12ºC at 08:47 in the UK (11th Aug 2020). You can see the foil wrap in part 2's video and my intro video. Hope that helps
Plus I go into more detail (including all the math) in the next video should you want to see how it performed heating a 4600 litre pool. Here "Solar Pool Heater Comparison - Homemade Vs Purchased" video Here: • 2. Which Solar Pool He... . And now Part 3 goes into even more detail into Solar Thermal (ST).
This project is also on my Website at www.dev255.uk if you want to keep up to date, where I have now made a 10 channel data logger to find out if this could be even more efficient (updated 26th June 2020).
Why not make one during the Pandemic Covid-19 Lockdown. I managed to order all the parts for this online and get them delivered within a week.
I would recommend a Pool Fountain pump for water circulation as it has a filter and is designed to run continuously. Also, why not try a 12v version and connect it to a solar panel, that way it's low voltage and only pumps the water around when the sun comes out.
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[@mrbenny32]

Hi I'm a little concerned about having a submersible pump running while my family are in the pool! Is it safe? Water and electricity and that!?.

[@Dev255]

Mains Safety... Hi, I'd say it is never safe to have mains in the water... I chose this pump as I could have a hose connected to the input and be able to lift the pump out of the water leaving the inlet hose in and have it pump from outside the pool. The pump only runs in the pool when no one is in there. The pump is designed to run underwater, although not designed to be kicked around in the pool. The safest method would be to switch the mains off, place the pump and inlet hose into the water, dry hands, switch the mains on until water flows, switch the mains off (with dry hands), lift the pump out the water placing on the ground while leaving the inlet hose beneath the water level and then turning the pump back on with those dry hands. Also, make sure the mains supplying the pump has an RCD/ELCB device that detects for an earth leak, these should switch the mains of quicker than 240ms at 30mA leak; in other words as soon as it detects a short to earth (mains cable break, electric shock, etc) it will switch off. With the pump running in the water, although very little, there is a small amount of bonus heat given off by the pump into the water too. As a comparison, the Intex pump sits outside the pool. Also you can buy self priming pumps that can vacuum up the water (self prime) without the need to ever place it in the water. I've pinned this to the top and put a title so others can read it as it's an important point. Thank you for your comment. I hope that helps.

[@pierre-luclapointe7921]

you could but but an anti-shock outlet ''ddft'' at the the electricity outlet, i would see anyprobleme there if the device is broken or has bad designs it will trigger as soon as theres the smallest electricity leak.

[@spuds6423]

@@pierre-luclapointe7921 In the USA and CAN, we use a GFI (Ground Fault Indicator) outlet so if there is a short, the plug emits no power. At least one is required in a bathroom or kitchen which has Water around.

[@pierre-luclapointe7921]

@@spuds6423 DDFT are exactly that.

[@spuds6423]

@@pierre-luclapointe7921 Thanks, I didn't know that they had another name.

[@willm5814]

I’ve been using solar thermal water hearing for 20 years at my cabin in Ontario Canada - this is a great way to heat water during the warm months - in colder climates thermal-solar doesn’t appear to be a great solution - using pex is awesome - makes it a perfect inexpensive DIY project!

[@Dev255]

They do work quiet well, especially with the perspex, I'll be making a glass on next year when the sun decides to appear.

[@gareng5599]

Very simple collector water heater. Thank you.

[@Build_the_Future]

Nice vid. I have always wondered about the financial practicality of solar heating.

[@Dev255]

Thank you, the initial outlay was not too bad, although I know that there is a good cost saving. I am currently logging outside and pool temperatures to see how effective it is, where I will produce another video on that in a week or so. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@SteveyMarsh]

Love this Neil, brilliant job done there 👍🏼👍🏼

[@Dev255]

Thank you.

[@robertferreiro3466]

yes great test...thank you for sharing...

[@Dev255]

Thank you, your welcome, more to come in the next few weeks :-)

[@spuds6423]

Nice build and vid.. Thanks for sharing!!👍👍👍👍

[@Dev255]

Thank you 😃

[@irfanmanankhan]

Very informative hopefully it will work well

[@davidmccarthy2263]

Inspiration Neil, just finished one with the upgraded pump, ambient @ 27.7 and inside the array is nearly 70 deg, return temp is +3 deg.

[@Dev255]

Thank you and well done, I hope you have a more comfortable pool. It's rewarding to know that people may benefit and are actually making them. Plus I find it more rewarding if you've made one yourself

[@samwitts6913]

Nice setup! I have been looking at different designs for heating my 6100gal pool in Dubai during winter and by far yours looks the most lightweight and practical! Glad to see a design using the Gardena drip irrigation piping which is what I envisaged. I have been using it in extreme heat for 5yrs for plants so I know it is robust! Question about the tape though..... how has it held up in use? Did it unstick or become brittle. Have you had to use something different around the edge subsequently. Cheers 👍

[@Dev255]

Hi Sam, thank you, hope yours works just as well. Yes the Gorilla tape is all I used and it is holding up very well in heat and rainy conditions, where the packet states that it is Weather and UV proof apparently, it also sticks underwater, although I haven't tried this. I did read somewhere that it may yellow over prolonged heat exposure but wont loose any other properties, mine has remained clear and the air in the panel regularly gets up to 68ºC. Hope that helps. Oh and here is all the parts I used for my one www.dev255.uk/what-i-bought

[@xrtgameryt8008]

So far it seems to be doing good!!

[@Dev255]

Did you make one yourself? They are a lot cheaper than heating water with electric.

[@alyssadibartolo1292]

I have a solar heater connected to a submersible pump and found that if I let it run, after 25 minutes the water starts coming out the same temp as the pool. I set up a timer to turn off/on every 30 minutes to reheat the coil. It works. The pool was at 75 when I started. Had a week of nice days and pool is at 85. Temp outside today only reached 82.

[@Dev255]

Hi, they work really well, I was surprised by how much once I connected it up. You may want to try just leaving the pump on, although it feels cold, that is because the heat is being transferred to the pool, where if you turn the pump off to let it warm up in the pipes, this warming slows down as it reaches a maximum temperature, therefore leaving the pump running would allow for a high level of heat transfer to the pool. When you are in the pool and your body is used to the water you can feel the temperature increase. Hope that helps.

[@spencerwilton5831]

Alyssa DiBartolo Follow the advice above. Leaving water standing in the coils to "heat up" is pointless. Much better to have water moving as freely as possible. Although the temperature rise will be small, the overall gain in thermal energy in the pool will be much higher. Fundamental law of thermodynamics.

[@MR-md6kj]

​@@spencerwilton5831 Hey, I have been looking at a lot of videos and reading a lot of comments and you seem to be the right guy to ask. I get that for this to work right I need more flow with a small temp diff. of in and out water instead of super hot water at a trickle. I have analysis paralysis and still haven't built mine as i am stumbling on getting in right the first try. I get the head pressure problem too and can adjust height as needed in the build. So i plan to build a 4x4' box with 200' of 1/2inch black irrigation hose in a black box with a clear lid like everyone is doing. I have a 4500 gallon pool temps ranging 70-90 degrees F. After all the reading I was looking at a 1/4 hp 2000gph at 0 elevation pump so im not under powered but is that too much? can you be overpowered? Is there an easier way to figure pump size? If you are moving water at a flow that causes zero differential is it sill working? or do you have to dial it in a way that you have 1 or 2 degrees difference???

[@shivdayalsingh6843]

Nice project.

[@Dev255]

Thank you, I'm still testing it all too, the pool is currently sitting at 28.12ºC at 08:39 in the UK :-D, where we use it for around 2 hours per day. I will get a video out as soon as I get a good data set from all the sensors currently sitting around the pool.

[@janebrownis1]

Fab tutorial! How did you connect the pump to the black plastic irrigation pipe? Thank you so much

[@Dev255]

Thank you, sorry for the late reply, catching up with all the comments now though. The irrigation pipe slides into a standard garden hose and has enough friction for a nice snug fit. The hose pipe is then connected to the pumps standard output, although this was slightly larger than the hose, so I used 2 layers of heat-shrink over self amalgamating tape wrapped around the hose and pump input. I hope that helps.

[@nwkwok]

I'm currently making one right now that I want to also want to have track shape piping. Is it possible to tell me the distance from the middle for the smallest radius before it kinks?

[@Dev255]

Hi Nicholas, certainly, I just went out and measured it, it's roughly 17cm (just under 7 inces) cold, where it can be gently heated to achieve a little more, although haven't tried it myself. Good luck with yours.

[@MrRedneck1488]

30cm inner diameter if you make a cirkel would be the max.

[@jtreg]

the wobbly picnic table LOL :))

[@Dev255]

It's since been destroyed ;-)

[@thee_number_six6227]

Ok, I think I may get just do this but I'm gonna ramp it up, as you used a reflective surface a black would work better for absorbing heat. glossy black should work better and some one way reflective tint on the top should also increase the heat gain. Best way I can think to get the glossy black base though will be second hand window pains. Fasten the tubing at the seams and paint one side of the glass black. A plywood backing to attach the tubing to, and use the tubing to sandwich the black reflective glass panes and acrylic top with a one way mirror tint. That's my new pool project this summer

[@Dev255]

Sounds like you have a good few ideas to try with yours, I have recently made another that seems to be more efficient for its size than my last one, although not had enough sun in the UK to test it fully yet. I'm just editing the video for that one now, where it should be out in the next few weeks. This new one has copper pipe sprayed black mounted to an aluminium plate that is also sprayed black, all within a frame behind a double glazed unit. It would be good to see how yours does too.

[@jaimeriquelme6727]

Thanks for your experience and your video, question, what power and voltage is your pump?? Thanks

[@Dev255]

Hi Jaime, Thank you. The pump is 240V a.c. and runs at 24W; this is the one I use and is still in use this year: -www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/

[@marcosiebert472]

Hi, first of all you did a very well heater. Do you have any problems with condensation forming underneath the plexiglass? I have also built such a pool theater and am now considering whether or not to attach a plexiglass. I fear the formation of condensation water, which would then not be so great for the wood.

[@Dev255]

Hi Marco, I have seen slight condensation on the plexiglass early in the morning, although this clears up rapidly when the sun is on it. The unit is not fully sealed as there is a slight intentional hole around the exit pipe as a drain/air expansion release. This version is now 2 years old and has survived UK weather for around 6 months and been stored in my garage for the other 18 with no signs of rot yet. Also, I have just modified it by spraying the reflective foil black to attract more heat.

[@m9saville]

Like others have said everything should be matt black, also always wondered if using cable ducting tube which is corrugated so will have a much larger surface area that normal tubing.

[@Dev255]

Hi, it would have a larger surface area, is readily available and from what I have seen has a smaller wall, which may help transfer the heat more efficiently to the water; so you could have a good point there.... Hmm, I feel another project coming on. Although I'll need to finish off my Solar CNC conversion and EV conversion projects first :-D.

[@DO-sv6ex]

I've built mine also using Gardena 13mm x 50m piping on some 18mm chipboard, painted black. I find that the water is very hot to begin with for around 5 mins and then gets colder quickly. However, I'm not using a perspex sheet. Would you say the perspex makes a huge difference? Can you recommend a supplier?

[@Dev255]

Hi Darren, the water in the system if stood still for a while would get hot and start to cool once the pump turns on, where the heat is transferred to the water and then to your pool, it will feel cold, although would be a degree or two higher than the input (depending on a lot of factors, such as flow rate, surface area, sun exposure, etc). You mainly feel the temperature increase when you are in the pool, our pool was at 29.5ºC today and the water from the pipe was at 31.4ºC. I'd recommend some cover to trap the heat in and make use of the greenhouse effect. I bought my perspex through amazon.

[@thegreenenergyshow]

Hi Neil, really loved the video. Great to see the added detail on flow rates and temperature changes. I'm sure someone else has done this, but couldn't find it in the comments. By my calculations you have 16.6kg of water (10kg + 6.6kg in the pipe), so 312kJ required to heat the water 4.5degC? Which would mean you your panel is running at 578W, or most likely quite a bit higher given the heat loss in the bucket over the 9 minutes of testing. Not bad at all! I'm thinking of trying something similar to what you have, but for an outdoor shower. I was just wondering what your take on that would be and what a potential setup would be? One thing I couldn't quite work out from the video was what temperature rise you are getting across your panel in a single pass? It would be great to know in practice what you get at different times of day/different outside temperatures too.

[@Dev255]

Hi, thank you, yes it averaged around 600W over a good summers day and got to as high as 900W. I measured flow rate against temp in and temp out. I used a microprocessor to do all the calculations and data logging every 15 seconds from 10 temperature sensors. Here are the video's that relate to them tests: Comparison with purchased one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3OahICootymkKc Effectiveness of solar to heat a pool: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kKXCg5yDnLiAe9U Version 2, trying to make it more compact with different materials: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXTRkJionqmVe9E Feel free to quiz me on any details.

[@larryestes8065]

That’s a very good job at what I would like to see is someone take something like this and hook it to their existing pump put a check valve on it and a valve to throttle it back it would take longer to heat it up but in the end same results without any pipes run across your yard just a thought

[@Dev255]

Hi Larry, thank you. Yeah I agree, the pipes were a little annoying above ground, I'm making another one this year with copper piping in the panel sprayed matt black and will have the connecting pipes berried in a channel. I will probably still stick with a separate pump controlled by the temp of the panel as this offers the most efficient way to transfer the heat out to the pool. I go in to a lot more depth in Part 3 though

[@Skinwalker-Ranch]

impressive build. my only question is shouldnt the reflective insulation be painted flat black to absorb heat rather than deflect it? This was the #1 concern i had when building mine, i was not sure if i should just leave my reflective or paint FLAT black (I painted). Also i tried to get my coils as tight as possible, should they be seperated (I honestly dont know). very good job builiding and look forward to your reply. Oh one last question, I have a small pond pump in my pool (16x16 above ground). I get a nice slow stream of water...that is warmish and I am using 100feet of 1/2 pipe. Should i use a larger pump?... i doubt the pump speed would matter as the water needs to heat up... i would think a larger pump would only be usesful if pushing more volume through a longer roll(s) of tubing?

[@Dev255]

Hi, Thank you, I am learning through this too. Yes, the reflective insulation would be best behind a highly absorbent surface with as much surface area as possible, where this was mentioned by lipil00 on a previous comment, I have since scrunched up black bin liners and placed them in the center of the panel to heat up the trapped air; this has increased the air temperature by quite a considerable amount (62ºC measured a few days ago). I think the coils with a slight gap and the reflective foil behind them increase the surface area seen by the sun, most of the purchased ones seem to separate the pipes out. I don't think a large pump is required as long as the flow is not just trickling out, my 1400l/h pump is sufficient for my hose size and length (164feet and just over 1/2" diameter). If the flow just trickles out, I believe the heating of the water would slow down as it reaches a maximum temperature; therefore move a good flow of water through, no restrictions. Hope that answers your questions ;-).

[@Skinwalker-Ranch]

@@Dev255 " I have since scrunched up black bin liners and placed them in the center of the panel to heat up the trapped air;" what is black bin liners? do you have any pictures of this new addition? also you are saying that a black black paint over a reflective surface is not as efficient as just a shiny reflective backing? Thank you for the advice!

[@Dev255]

Refuse/trash/garbage bag or liner, very cheap and thin with lots of surface area when scrunched up. Ideally a huge aluminium heat sink or aluminium block machined to maximise surface are painted Matt black would offer one of the best ways to transfer heat, plus if you could run the water directly through it, that would increase the panels efficiency. I can see me chasing the most efficient design now, hehe. It was mentioned before that black absorbant surface would be better, the reflective surface is to stop the heat from escaping out the back, this works really well as the back of the panel is cold to the touch even in direct sunlight.

[@charlotteconroy9367]

If the pump speed is set to high ,the water will not get time to heat so you have got to get it right, Nice job

[@Dev255]

Thank you. From my understanding the cooler you can keep the pipe, the more efficient it becomes as the heating effect from the sun slows down as the pipe reaches the maximum heat achievable (which was around 70deg C in the UK summer), so it's better to transfer the heat to the pool so there is more heating capacity in the pipe, although you wouldn't want a 1000W pump circulating the water as it defeats the object, therefore you are right, no point in getting 900W of heat from the sun if you are still using 1000W to pump water. My compromise was the 35W pool pump and a 14W pond pump (If I remember correctly) running at full capability.

[@palusisko]

Hello, thank you for your guide! Great! :-) Can I have one question - why not a black background, why silver?

[@Dev255]

Very good question, where the answer is that it needs both (a design I am currently making). Have a reflector to stop the heat escaping out of the back of the panel (as in the original panel) and have the whole surface sprayed black to absorb more energy.

[@bryangpeterson77]

I would paint the housing black as this will help to absorb more of the solar energy instead of reflecting it away as the silver backing will.

[@Dev255]

Hi Bryan, very true, I have since filled all the gaps with scrunched up black bin liners and this helps heat up the panel a fair bit more. I was going to paint, although thought you could get more surface area exposed to the sun this way, plus it was a cheap and quick experiment. I may make another panel and use the space a little better with painted matt black aluminium to transfer the heat to the pipes from any gaps (pipes still exposed), plus put it behind glass as you can feel the heat through the perspex. Still works very well

[@cbird02]

This is true. Since solar heat passes right through the plexiglass it will enter, reflect off foil and pass right back through the plexi. Since you've gone through the trouble of encasing the pipe, you want too increase emissivity (absorption of energy) of all materials behind that plexi. This increase of temperature within the space will have a bigger effect than any gain by reflecting sun on sides of pipe.

[@Dev255]

@@cbird02 All valid points that I will use on the next panel, although will still use the reflective backing as the original thought for this was top stop/reduce heat loss out the back of the panel. As you suggested, the next one will be covered by absorbing material rather than reflecting back through the plexiglass 😉. The panel was generating around 600W average / 900W peak during the summer, let's see what can be achieved from all the suggestions 👍

[@cbird02]

Go with 1/2" foam! Higher r-value and lower price than reflectix.

[@Dev255]

Thank you, I will look into it. I was looking at reflective shutters to hinge over the panel when not in use, then open up at a specific angle to reflect even more light onto the panel 🤔

[@ayethetiense]

Would this work better if the cover was painted black as well? I feel like it would absorb more heat. I made one and noticed the top reflects light so I assume it could contain more heat if painted a matte black

[@Dev255]

I thought this initially, although it was better to cover the silver foil inside with a black bin liner to capture more heat and stop it radiating back out the front. The idea of the reflective foil was to stop the heat escaping out of the back. I have made a new version using copper piping thermally mounted to an aluminium panel all sprayed matt black, plus this sits behind a sealed glass unit to keep the heat in.

[@deffstar69]

you in the uk ? If yes where did you get the pipe from ?

[@Dev255]

Hi, yes I am in the UK, where I ordered through Amazon, here is the product that I purchased www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0001E3S5E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This pipe is fairly rigid and can kink easily if not handled properly, there is a minimum bend radius, hence the look of my unit. It does help to run hot water through it to make it more pliable (with gloves on ;-D), although I couldn't do that as I made it in the lounge :-D.

[@rsr458]

hi, thanks for the very useful video. Did you consider using the pump that came with the pool instead of using a separate one for the solar heater. that's what i'm planning on doing....the pump i have is rated 330gal/h and i think that should be able to cope. any thoughts?

[@Dev255]

Hi, that was my first thought when looking into this, although I would have had to reduce down from 32mm I/D pipe (pool system) to 13mm I/D pipe (Microdrip), where the pump may struggle (increased flow, reduced flow rate). That is why I opted for a second 1400 l/h (just under 330 gal/h) pump that has similar I/D. My pump is rated at 24W and has a maximum pumping height of 1.8m. Plus if you wanted to take it off when not required, it's just a case of pulling the extra pipes out of the pool, no need to disconnect from the filter or pool. Hope that helps. My pump is this one: www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/

[@jean-pierreduven7234]

Hi, i just got my flowclear sand filter and was thinking to do the same but ive already encountered problems testing it directly on the pipe, the pump needs to be below the waterline and cant get any flow unless i hook up the old pump through the pool so it has no elevation, hope that made sense, im going to just add a t joint on the outflow so i can bypass some flow to my solar pipe.

[@rsr458]

@@jean-pierreduven7234 hi, in the end i decided to go for a separate pump for the solar heater. but i wasn't keen on the submersible ones incase i get fried in the water, so opted for a mains voltage surface pump. £30 from ebay.

[@jean-pierreduven7234]

@@rsr458 oh great, was looking at submersibles last night and had similar concerns, thought my two young kids might hurt themselves, will look into your choice 👍

[@scottbrain9629]

@@jean-pierreduven7234 Doing similar and currently have a submersible pump but have to switch off when my girls go in pool just in case... Have you a link for the surface pump you got please mate 👍

[@naibaizhang9890]

hi what an amazing video, where did you get the water pump from by the way?

[@Dev255]

Hi, Thank you, I got the pump from All Pump Solutions, this one is mine: www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/

[@shahrozshah9534]

I am using the same allpond solution pump in my project of air condition and in my fish tanks .ther pump Re strong and safe,i am not there salesman 😂

[@eternitybc]

What did you use for a cover/side reflectors? I’ve been looking on your website and older videos but I can’t find it

[@Dev255]

Hi, I used radiator reflective backing on the side and a floating pool heater cover for the top, plus a standard pool cover for additional insulation. Here are some links: - Reflective backing: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00GUDVUXW/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=dev25503-21&linkCode=w00&linkId=492f80de3ffcad224c5be22949f5a723&creativeASIN=B00GUDVUXW Pool floating heater/cover: www.vidaxl.co.uk/e/vidaxl-pool-cover-black-381-cm-pe/8719883746258.html Pool Top Cover: www.diy.com/departments/bestway-black-cover-3-05m/6942138951639_BQ.prd?ds_rl=1272379&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhLKUBhDiARIsAMaTLnG2L9UcNB9SqEyMfNFDuyJf9gD3xM4atkLNtTkX3K1wlubpqUyE0LcaAltUEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&storeId=1276 Disclaimer: The radiator reflective backing is an Amazon affiliated link, and although this will have the same cost to you it also helps to fund these projects. "As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases." Thank you.

[@mrchris123gmail]

Hi great video. Im just about to make one of these. A double coil with about 100m of rain bird pipe. Ive seen lots of these videos and you are the first one ive seen to use a siver reflective backing instead of matt black, and im a little confused which way to go. I guess the matt Black soaks in the available heat and silver reflects the solar energy back into the box. Dont know which to do.

[@mrchris123gmail]

Just gone through and read most of the comments and watched your other video.. black it is then 👌

[@Dev255]

Hi Chris, now after doing the experiment I believe the best way to go is do both, have a matt black surface to absorb the energy and have the heat reflector behind it so that the heat captured does not escape behind the panel. Hope that helps.

[@mrchris123gmail]

@@Dev255 thanks for the reply. Im hopefully doing mine next week so ill give that a try. 👌👌

[@Dev255]

@@mrchris123gmail Good luck, hope all goes well.

[@jbunch7071]

That guy is absolutely massive! did you see how he dwarfs that picnic table!?

[@Dev255]

I knew a Giant with an iron deficiency... Fi Fo Fum ;-D

[@Serenoj69]

`What pump did you use. that seems key at least in my situation. I have a 900l/h pump but I am only getting 60-120 l/h. Way too little to heat a pool with 26500 l of water. I kept the hozing flat so the the pump only needs to pump up 20 cm of water and than it is all flat. Yet...1/2 l. So what pump is used precisely? Thanks!

[@Dev255]

Hi, it was a "Reich 611-0412EA Submersible Pump-12 White, 12 Litres/min" (720l/h) although this was not designed for continuous pumping, so I now have a 1400l/h pond pump from here: www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/ My pool has around 4600l of water and takes a while to heat, where I have another video coming out within the next couple of weeks to compare the homemade one to one I purchased. It may slow low powered pumps down if you are pushing a large body of water, I would suggest a higher wattage, where a 1400l/h pump at 35W would not force the same amount of water as a 1400l/h one at 100W, even on flat ground. Also, I don't think the flow rate has a huge affect on heating up to a certain point as the energy from the sun does not stop heating, you just take the heat away quicker with a faster flow rate. Feel free to subscribe to be notified of that one coming out. I hope that helps.

This is the downside of the very long lengths of tubing with no parallell connections. You can buy second-hand premade "mats" for this purpose very cheaply if you are patient, and they will have a much larger area of flow through them making it easier for the pump.

[@Serenoj69]

@ Thanks for you reply. I got myself a full inverter 9 kW warmpump. Works great. I have way too many solar panels on my roof so my electricity bill won't be affected one bit either.

[@toyuryuz]

i liked your idea,but instead of putting the reflective foil on the bottom you should have painted black so that the run rays heat up the board instead of reflecting it back.

[@Dev255]

Hi, I agree, I ended up putting a black bin in the centre to absorb more energy. My second attempt uses copper tubing fixed to an aluminium plate that is sprayed matt black, this all behind a sealed glass unit within a wooden frame. Last years panel and this year's copper version work with fairly similar output. I will hopefully get a video out for that one soon.

[@kylesi2nr]

If I assume that the pool water temperature is 15 degrees C, and given 15 lpm (~4 gpm) with a temperature rise of ~30 deg F (or 17 deg C delta T, from 32 deg C coil leaving water temp - 15 deg C coil entering water temp) gives: (500)*(4)*(30), which = 60,000 btu/h (or 17.5 kW) of heating capacity. Not bad at all :)

[@Dev255]

Hi Kyle, thank you for the calculations, I had to google it here to get it into my head (www.contractingbusiness.com/residential-hvac/article/20867342/how-to-calculate-water-system-btu-measurements). I was calculating it from the amount of water heated up in a specific time, hence the values at the end of the video. I worked out 4200 (heat capacity of water in Joules) x 17 (kg or 17l water) x 4.5 (deg C delta T) = 321300 Joules. Then 321300 (J) / 540 (t (sec)) = 595 W, where this may be a lot more when the weather warms up. I think my video may not have been too clear for the information you require, where the temperature difference was only 1.5ºC (2.7ºf) from input to output, making only 5,400 btu/h (1.5 kW). There is clearly something wrong with my calculations, doh. I will have to look at it when I have more time, unless you could shed some light on it( excuse the pun ;-D). Thank you again.

[@kylesi2nr]

Ohh! My mistake, you are right... For some reason I thought I saw your thermometer measuring 32 deg C when the water was coming out of your solar heater coil, and I also assumed your pool water was 15 deg. C, that's how I came up with a temperature rise of 17 degrees C... But yes, if your temperature rise is only 1.5 deg C (or 2.7 deg F), then (500)*(2.7)*(4)=5400 btu/h or 1.58 kW. Even though it's not nearly enough to heat the pool with by itself, it's still renewable "free" energy (after buying/building the heater that is...).

[@LETHALMANIAC1]

@@kylesi2nr I made a solar heater and would like to know btu I'm getting. It was 78 degrees outside and the pool was 68 degrees. I was getting 72 degrees water at 300 gph back to the pool. Can u help me calculate? Or do I need more info? 3500 gallon pool.

[@Dev255]

@Kyle Dewey, No worries, I did speed it up at that point, so easy to miss. I have purchased one as well and have a black floating cover too, where all 3 heat the pool, just yesterday the 4600l pool was at 28.5 deg C, with an outside ambient temp of around 26, so must be working ok. I will be making another video comparing the homemade one with the purchased one too. I am learning through this and you have helped with the maths, so I thank you 👍.

[@kylesi2nr]

@@LETHALMANIAC1 Are you sure you are pumping 300 gph? That's an intense pump you've got :) For a water heating coil, heating capacity in btu/hour (Q) is equal to 500 × temperature rise (deg. F) × gallons per minute (gpm) . So 300 gallons per hour equals 50 gpm. Rising from 68 deg F to 72 deg. F is a 4 deg F delat T, so your Q=500*4×50, which equals 100,000 btu/h. That's pretty decent actually. How many feet of tubing is in your coil? What is the tubing's diameter?

[@fleebleflam]

Hi, this is a great video, i have a hot tub, and wanted to know if this project would be sufficient enough to heat the tub please. Tub heats up to 40c. If so, would these items you list, be all i needed? Thanx in advance😊✌🌱

[@Dev255]

Hi, thank you, sorry for the late reply, I'm preparing for the Makers Central event at the NEC later this month. You would get more heat in a hot tub as there is around a 3rd of the water in your tub than a 3m round pool, although would also cool quicker over night due to a higher temperature difference outside and less water.

[@stefflmrk]

..... it sure was! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👌🏻😉 Well done! I never saw, what month of the year you tried that! 🤔 I assume you're in the UK, but did i miss WHEN in the year you did all that? 😔 Wearing a T-Shirt, i assume it was fall or spring?

[@Dev255]

Hi, thank you, yes I'm in the UK and it was done in May this year, so I was happy with the results. 😁

[@ramontengkano2306]

Hi thanks for video. Watching from Indonesia, thinking of heating my lap pool of 120cubic meter. How much panels would I need to heat up the pool from 19c to about 24c. 😀and what diameter is typical with 24w small pump.

[@Dev255]

No problem, glad you liked it. Wow, that is a lot of water, with that much I would say you may require a bigger pump than 24W, looking to move the water around and through the solar heaters. You may be best with a number of black bubble wrap pool covers to make the most of the surface area of the pool, direct heating could save you making lots of panels and using up valuable space, obviously you will need to take them off when going in the pool. If it's just purely these panels I would recommend one per 3000 liters and connect them up in parallel. It would be a fairly complicated system, or opt for large diameter black tubing (such as 30mm) and make one large solar panel. It may be worth looking at other options though as it could get expensive and use up a lot of space. I'd try the pool covers first, in my opinion. Hope that helps.

[@justcurious3525]

What was the point of the reflector? Seems to me that the part covered by the coil is ineffective and the remainder will just reflect the sunlight straight back up. Wouldn't black paint on the backboard be more effective?

[@Dev255]

Hi Alex, you are right about reflecting back out, the idea was to significantly reduce heat going out the back of the panel, where it does a very good job at that, although it could do with a black painted panel in front of the heat reflector to trap even more energy.

[@MORISSONA]

hi it s nice to see that it works great !!!!! how many water liter in your pool ? regards Arnaud

[@Dev255]

Hi Arnaud, we use it daily now, so all working well as you say. There is roughly 4600 litres in our pool

[@MORISSONA]

@@Dev255 thanks Neil !!!

[@mycarecarpetcleaningbristo7798]

Hi z Whats size plywood panel did you use and where did you buy it from Thanks

[@Dev255]

Good question, I will check tomorrow and get back to you.

[@Dev255]

Hi, my sheet is cut to 1500mm x 940mm x 12mm where you should be able to get sheets at your local Timber Merchants. I got mine off an old homemade cupboard. You can purchase a sheet of 2440mm x 1220mm x 12mm online for around £25, here's an example: www.buildersmerchant.com/product/12mm-wbp-hardwood-throughout-plywood-2ft-x-1ft-610mm-x-300mm/

[@mycarecarpetcleaningbristo7798]

OK thanks 👍

[@jean-pierreduven7234]

@@Dev255 was wondering if you could advise. Im looking at this www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07PB3L78W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_1vE6EbXE656RK . Any good?

[@rs82uk]

Do you have a pool filter pump running as well as this pump?

[@Dev255]

Hi, yes I have 2 pumps, one running through the homemade panel and the other running first through the pools own filter and then through the dome heater.

[@jasonfedelem]

I looked at your parts list, but I'm not seeing where it lists the fittings you used to convert the pool pump to the garden hose.... can you help me out with a link?

[@Dev255]

Hi, I kind of cheated there, but in a good way 😉. The plastic pipe used in the pool heater fits very snugly within the garden hose, so you shouldn't need anything other than a jubilee clip to hold it in place, although mine still holds on firmly without the clip. For the pump outlet, I used a couple of layers of self-amalgamating tape around the ends of both pipe and pump outlet, then held them together with 2 or 3 layers of heat-shrink; this works really well and mine have remained attached for 2 years and still not showing any signs of leaking. The pump inlet just had the hose pushed in, the outer diameter of the hose was slightly bigger than the internal inlet diameter, so it formed a good tight seal. This is the pump I used: www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/

[@shanefitzsimons8304]

Might have been better if you had sprayed the perspex black to absorb more heat. But a good idea. In Kenya they have black 2000 litre tanks and during the day the shower is hot

[@Dev255]

Cheers, I may make another one this summer with different materials and see which one is more efficient

[@ayethetiense]

Yes I am totally wondering this too! I didn’t use Perspex but I used a clear marine vinyl and notice the sub reflects off it at certain times. I’m thinking it will absorb more heat if it was painted a matte black

[@soneeeee4440]

i'm making one, i have sunsolar panels my friend wanted to get rid of. I thought i could find a self priming pump to use on the ground, because i don't want to have my 120 volt sump pump sitting in the pool all day long, anything happens, wire gets sheared off, thats a danger right? can't find any cheap self-priming pump with good flow, that's my problem. small inline pumps "2 in 1" need water to be gravity fed sadly, or prime somehow, as pool water would be taken 3 or 4 feet below ground level. Any thoughts? i can,t tie into pool pump, too far away for sun...

[@Dev255]

Hi, that's a very good question. I have this pump from here: - www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/ And it has an inlet connection behind the black circular cover, so has both in and out connections, where I submerse the pump and short (2 meter) pipe when not in the pool and then lift it out before going in with the pipe remaining in; therefore the pump still pumps around and is easy to prime by dunking it back in the pool. I hope that helps.

[@soneeeee4440]

@@Dev255 sorry, so you dip the pump with the inlet hose attached into the pool to get it started every time, and then pull it outside of the water with hose still in the water, Is that what you mean? that would not work in my case since my pump outlet will be connected to the solar inlet with a short thick piece of hose and the pump will have to remain at least 10 feet away from the pool, fed by flex hose coming from the pool. Can your pump manage to overcome some amount of air in the hose (* i.e. have enough suction to create a vaccuum?) or does the hose have to be completely full of water to get it to move water?.

[@Dev255]

@@soneeeee4440 hi, it can have some air in, although not the whole pipe, I have left my pump out on many occasions and had no issues with it pulling water out the pool, although I prefer to have it submerged to reduce pump noise. So I think you should be ok, there are more powerful pumps in that range if that helps

[@johnsaltwell1589]

Good Job mate, clever bastard 😂😂

[@Dev255]

Just a little panel, I may make another bigger one, see how the testing goes. The pool was at 19.5ºC at 18:45 with an outside temperature of 14ºC, so seems to be working well :-D. Hope you are well.

[@Star_cab]

So because of the amount of water in the loop being heated. By the time it gets to the end you will have constant hot water?

[@Dev255]

Hi, the water does constantly heat up while running through the pipe exposed to the sun, although there is normally only around 2 to 3 degree rise from input to output (from my findings of this heater at 9L / min). So if you had a bucket of water of 9L and it took 1 min to get through the system, then every minute it should raise by 2 to 3 degrees. Although, the rate of rise reduces as it reaches the maximum temperature (the maximum I have achieved is 60ºC), therefore 22ºC from 19º for first minute, then 25, 28, 31, 34, 36.5, 39, 41, 43, 45, 46.5, 48, 49, 50 , 51, 51.5, 52.5, etc. So it warms up quickly at the start and slows down the rate of heating towards the end. Hope that helps.

[@amberchester2244]

Nice way to drill holes in your chairs. Lol

[@Dev255]

Luckily I missed them all, probably luck more than judgement :-D

[@petertr2000]

I had to look away as soon as he started drilling!

[@naturistencampingdobraluka704]

The problem with all the diy solarpanels is that they can only be outsite when the weather is dry. I would make something like yours but with materials that don't get rotten in a few weeks.

[@Dev255]

Very good point, the backboard is just ply and there are tiny gaps that have got a couple of creatures in ;-), although the perspex and Gorilla tape are doing very well and it's easy to seal, I think this one will last a good few years (longer than some warranties), where if something fails, you could put it right yourself (I have left it out continuously). I was thinking of staining the back board soon. I will make another one in the future and will look at how serviceable this one is over time. Thank you for your comment

[@MrRedneck1488]

Spend more money on weather resistant wood and some paint. Old engine oil preserves wood very good.

[@Obi_too_kenobi]

Using an old Double Glass panel is i think more efficient and water resistant

[@Dev255]

I have a couple lined up for this year's experiment 👍

[@Dev255]

I'll have to try that, although isn't new engine oil best as the old stuff may be carcinogenic?

[@NixCM]

I wonder if you added a fresnel lens over the top if it would work better?

[@Dev255]

I think this would work, the principle is getting more light onto the solar heater's surface, where a lens would need to be larger than the panel in order to direct more light from a greater surface area than the solar heater itself. Plus you would need to take into account the loss through the lens. It may also be beneficial to fit reflectors onto the sides of the panel to direct more light in. Nice thought 👍

[@paulkazjack]

Then the added complexity of moving the lens with the earths rotation.

[@anthdci]

how did you connect the pipe to the pool or did you just put it over the side since it wasn't in when people were using it?

[@Dev255]

Hi, just in and out pipes over the side.

[@anthdci]

@@Dev255 I’ve just seen someone doing the same with a cool of copper pipe, I’m wondering if this transfers heat better or whether it’s not worth the (considerable) higher cost.

[@Dev255]

I wondered the same thing, so thought I'd do a test and compare with my other homemade one. Will be doing a video on that too now I have all the components. Worked out to be around £280 without the glass (got free from a friend)

[@jskpoulsbo1]

You provided a listing of materials in a link that doesnt work. Please list the materials needed. Thank you. Great video.

[@Dev255]

Hi, sorry these didn't work, I have put them below so you can copy and paste into your browser, they are affiliate links, where they won't cost you anything more if you decide to purchase although I may earn a commission. If you wanted to order without the affiliate link just use the product code from Amazon and search for it in another browser. I hope that helps. Clear Gorilla tape: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00EUGCT22/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=dev25503-21&linkCode=w00&linkId=e2e1e04ed0238633d5d2e13d19b6cff8&creativeASIN=B00EUGCT22 SuperFOIL: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00GUDVUXW/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=dev25503-21&linkCode=w00&linkId=492f80de3ffcad224c5be22949f5a723&creativeASIN=B00GUDVUXW Strong Gorilla Tape: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003KTLRUA/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=dev25503-21&linkCode=w00&linkId=edc6d34e5177be37be65d4e8f166e5d7&creativeASIN=B003KTLRUA Perspex Sheet: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XJ6V8QS/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=dev25503-21&linkCode=w00&linkId=6b1a9cb948a2a77c7bf7fb33fd9e3996&creativeASIN=B06XJ6V8QS Gardena Pipe: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001E3S5E/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=dev25503-21&linkCode=w00&linkId=2b8f16edf99ef95796ca5841af4ccf71&creativeASIN=B0001E3S5E Plyboard: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07P8CQXN8/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=dev25503-21&linkCode=w00&linkId=ad6cf7bc80dfabdb95736f2a372b40ba&creativeASIN=B07P8CQXN8 Cable Ties: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077TG7MSL/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=dev25503-21&linkCode=w00&linkId=c8d441b2bc0e1940169bc647a7872b77&creativeASIN=B077TG7MSL Pond Pump: www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/

[@McGowanHHS]

What power pump do you need to make this work? I have built the solar heater with 1/2 inch black tube but have tried it and failed with 2 pumps that produce 24 W / 800 GPH and 100 W / 1600 GPH. Neither was strong enough to get water to flow. As I do not want to have to buy and return more pumps, please help!!!

[@Dev255]

Hi Colin, I will try and help you, although both of those pumps should have worked, especially if you have the panel and pool at the same/similar height off the ground. If the panel is a lot higher, say 2 meters off the ground for the 24W pump (8 m ish for 100W) it would probably struggle as my 24 W pump can only push water to a height of 1.8m if pumping directly above itself (if used for a fountain), although manages over 3 litres / min through my 1/2 inch pipe. As an example, a water pump fitted to most boilers (such as a Grundfos Series 100) are only rated at around 85W and pump water around all the radiators in a house. There may be a few possibilities: - 1: The height is too much for the pumps to handle. 2: You have a blockage somewhere, try pumping water into the other end of the pipe if possible. 3: The pump is not priming with water, this could be due to a long input pipe, try submerging all the pipe first, getting rid of all the air/submerging the pump if submersible. 4: A very long &/or thin mains cable connecting the pump, where you could be getting a voltage drop over the resistance of the cable, is your cable getting warm? I hope one of the above helps. It would be great to see what the fix is. This is my pump... www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/

[@spencerwilton5831]

Neil Devonshire - Dev255 You cannot compare a pond pump to a central heating pump. A low powered central heating pump works on a three story house because the system is a complete loop. The water being pushed up by the pump is counterbalanced by the water coming back down the other side of the system, almost like a syphon. The central heating pump is only there to overcome friction and keep the water moving. With a pond pump, you're essentially lifting the water and letting it fall back. Because the system is open at one end you're not benefitting from the syphon effect to the same extent.

[@dcfrmhb9029]

Yeah, I think I’ll just one.

[@Dev255]

Good luck with yours.

[@camilletraore]

Should you paint the whole thing in black for maximum heat captation ?

[@Dev255]

You could paint all the reflective foil black, although I have scrunched up black bin liners (refuse/garbage sacks) in the middle of the panel and found this to increase the internal air temperature by a significant amount, measuring 62ºC (air temp) at one point. Not bad for spring in the UK

[@garyjohanlon]

Sorry for sticking my beak in . think you should of used the insulated foil on the back of the board. That way Any heat escaping out the bottom of the box will be reflected back up into the box. Painted the side with the pipes black . To attract the heat And raise the sides of the box to 150mm and have them covered in the foil on the inside that way the sun will reflect the light of the walls and on to the pipes . I've been thinking about doing this for some time .I think if you did that you would see a massive improvement on what you have all ready achieved

[@martinm2074]

hi there, i am planning to build in next few weeks 2x300foot 2 solar panels.i will try to record my work, so we can learn something from it,.. by the way do you have any idea what is minimal circle of irrigation pipe 16mm? i have calculated that i should need 1m x 1.8m box for 300foot long pipe to spiral.please correct me if i am wrong.also do you think 1400litre pump will have enough power to pump it trough? it will on fence so maximum high will be aprox 1.5metre from ground.thanks, and keep up good work.

[@Dev255]

Hi Martin, sounds like a good project. Yes 16mm was the minimum radius of the pipe I used, where this could be tighter if the pipe was warmed up first, although there is a danger of it kinking beyond this. My 1400l/h can cope with my 50m (164ft) pipe, although yours will be almost 4x this, so 4x more resistance, plus the height, where my pump can cope with a height of 1.8m without restrictions. I think you will need a larger version, there is a 3000l/h version that has a head height of 3.5m. Here is everything that I bought for my project: - www.dev255.uk/what-i-bought

[@spencerwilton5831]

Neil Devonshire - Dev255 No need at all for a bigger pump. Nor is there an advantage in having an incredibly long coil- in fact, its counterproductive. Better by far to split the coil into three or four, run in parallel. Country to what everyone seems to think, you do not want to achieve very hot water. Your efficiency will improve dramatically if you allow as much water to flow through as possible without restriction. The reason is that the rate of heat transfer increases as the difference between two object increases. With a very long coil and slow moving water, you're basically trying to heat hot water, which means a loss of efficiency. Cool water moving quickly through the coil will pick up much more energy overall. It's one of the fundamental laws of thermodynamics.

[@Dev255]

Hi Spencer, totally agree with the separating of pipes into parallel feeds as the rate of heat rise reduces as the heat in the water increases. The main reason for a bigger pump is to cope with the height the water needs to be pumped to, although I think this may be helped by the weight of water coming back down to the same level in the pipe (syphon effect). But it's getting the water up there in the first place. What are your thoughts on this? 👍

[@MrRedneck1488]

1400 litre is overkill. I use this pump since 1 hour and it is going almost to fast. € 1,70 31%OFF | 800L/H 5 M Dc 12V 24V Solar Brushless Motor Watercirculatie Sproeisysteem Wassen Pomp Dompelpomp Water pomp a.aliexpress.com/_B0Urdn

[@MrRedneck1488]

I used the old car windshield frost protection. Saved 20€. No tie wraps but 16mm metal clips and screws. I think the glass makes the difference.

[@Dev255]

I will be trying the glass panel next summer to see the difference too, plus all the other suggestions on here, I'm sure a homemade panel can be very efficient just with common parts. Maybe you could solar power the defrosting element too 🤔

[@MrRedneck1488]

What pump you guys use ? The more flow the colder the water....i use 10 liters/min

[@Dev255]

@@MrRedneck1488 I use this one that's around 23 litres/min: - www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/ Although I'm getting around 3 litres/min through this tubing. It's better to have faster flow as the heat is transferred out of the pipe quicker, allowing more energy transfer. The water will feel cooler (which is counter-intuitive) although is more efficient. The hotter the pipes/water is in the system, the less energy is transferred from the sun. Hope that helps.

[@MrRedneck1488]

I have seen other videos where no insulation /reflecting material was used. But everything was painted black. Black attrackts heat. Silver reflects.... This is a nice discussion. Who wins the most heat?

[@MrRedneck1488]

I buy my pumps on aliexpress. Takes a bit of time but quality is good. And save 50% costs.

[@lentner3]

Those submersible pumps are not designed to be run for long periods. How did it hold up and what spec was it? Making one at the moment but my pump is a bit weak so looking at an alternative

[@Dev255]

Hi, the pump we have was running around 7 hours of the day for over 6 months last year and is still running well this year, even running out of the pool. I'm really impressed by its reliability. This is our one: www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/

[@lentner3]

@@Dev255 that’s really good to know. I’ll give that one a try

[@danielroden9424]

you want to spray paint everything black. the backing insulation is a good idea but reflective is less efficient.

[@Dev255]

Hi, I agree, where I ended up putting scrunched up black bin bags in to capture more energy. This years design has a sealed glass unit, matt black paint, copper minibore, an aluminium plate and thermal insulation for the back. Stay tuned, I have most of the components and will be making it within the next month. Also, I will be comparing it with this one.

[@kirstypink7932]

Guys im so confused!!!!!! So many knowledgable comments on here in reaching out for help. Ive followed your video and made my own version (used 100mm insulation board as a backing. I used 60 meters of 1/2" black pipe. I have a 250ltr per hour submersible pump. My problem is that my pump is pushing the water through when i recline the panel and lay the out pipe on the ground but when i lift it up and put it in the pool the flow stops. Any advice would be amazing.

[@Dev255]

Hi Kirsty, It may be your pump, as I was using a 12l/min (720l/hr), so that's almost 3 times the flow rate, or it could be a kink in the pipe somewhere. I am now using a £25 1400l/hr mains powered pond pump from here www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/ where this is only 24W, so will only cost around 0.38 pence per hour (£0.00384/h), so very cheap to run. It may also be air in the system somewhere, I would try pumping it from and back into a 10l bucket that is on the same level, then turning the pump off, blocking the end of the hose up and then transferring it to the pool, this way you should be able to eliminate air in the system. I hope that helps.

[@johnnz4375]

Kirsty Pink , submersible pumps have normally a low head rating ( that is the distance it can pump water up) and using 1/2” hose adds a lot of resistance to the water what equals to loss of head . Possible solutions are use a booster pump in series with your submersible or increase the size of your hose to 3/4” or even 1” this will give less resistance. Look at the specs of your pump and see how high it can pump (head) or look for output pressure 1Bar or 100 KPa = 10 Metres then google the pressure loss in 1/2” hose/ M. If the pressure loss is equal or higher than the pressure of the pump you have no flow. If the pump head rating is 3Mtr then the output pressure is 0.3 Bar or 30KPa. Hope this helps.

[@Dev255]

@@johnnz4375 What he said ;-D

[@martinm2074]

@@johnnz4375 i could not found any thicker hose which is safe drinking water, than 1/2" .if you have link when can i buy thicker drinking water safe hose please share it i would be grateful.thanks

[@christophermarino322]

how come your bucket never filled with water after 9 minutes?

[@Dev255]

The bucket has a hole in it, directly opposite the bottom surface of said bucket that has a conveyor of water attached to the inlet of the solar panel, this removing almost the exact amount of water from the bucket that is trying to fill it up. Hope that answers it ;-D

[@dennisjaron1644]

Cool let me know how it works out

[@Dev255]

No worries, I intend to make a new video for the next solar panel project.

[@jamespearcy7541]

Hey, I have made my own solar heater but used thicker 25mm pipe and the 1400l/h pump does not have enough pressure when the solar heater is upright. Any suggestions on an alternative pump? Was thinking about high pressure 12v submersible (for safety), any suggestions on that too?

[@Dev255]

Hi, I believe most standard pumps would struggle to force the water around against gravity, is there any way of laying your solar heater down below the water height? Or, the other thing to try is have the input to the pump fed from the bottom of the pool, there is sometimes a drain connection, this would help as pump it has the weight of all that water pushing on it.

[@jamespearcy7541]

@@Dev255 for anyone out there, this pump works amazingly well. 8m head hight, so plenty of pressure. Hooked it up directly to 20w solar panel, works a treat!!! 👏👏👏💪

[@Dev255]

@@jamespearcy7541 Glad you found one that works, have you got a link?

[@maodiwang8758]

Ge t also the ratio of cold and warm water to the volume of the pool relative to time.

[@Dev255]

That's in the next video, shown on a graph over time 👍

[@Dev255]

Here is the new video with the calculations on kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3OahICootymkKc

[@eliyanongusa3880]

Will this work during the winter?

[@Dev255]

I wouldn't of thought it would work too well in the winter with reduced daylight hours and colder outside temperatures. You would have to have your pool insulated and indoors, plus a well insulated solar panel too. Probably just something to look forward to in the summer at this level.

[@michaeldose2041]

Looks like you found a way to heat a bucket of water, amazing. You aren't saying anything about what effect it has on the pool.

[@Dev255]

Try Part 3 Here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kKXCg5yDnLiAe9U Hop that helps 😉

[@PoolLapse]

How much more heat would transfer if you used musuo Blacks. I know that black spray paint only absorbs about 80% of light where as Musuo black absorbs up to 99% of light. Would that make the water heat up higher?

[@Dev255]

Quite possibly, if it adds another 10% then it's definitely worth it. I may have to give it a try when the summer reappears

[@PoolLapse]

@@Dev255 I would love to see that!!!

[@jaimeignaciosolisgrant2562]

Hola, para una piscina de 32 m3 cuantos metros de manguera requiero ?

[@Dev255]

Hola, mi piscina mide alrededor de 7 m3, por lo que es razonablemente pequeña en comparación. Diría que unas 5 veces la longitud que tengo la mía si vivieras en el Reino Unido, aunque si vives en España (mi suposición), es posible que necesites menos, posiblemente 300 metros. Podrías intentar 100 metros y ver cómo te va; es fácil aumentar el sistema si no es de su agrado. Espero que eso ayude. Answer: Hi, my pool is around 7 m3, so reasonably small in comparison. I would say around 5 times the length I have mine if you lived in the UK, although if living in Spain (my assumption), you may need less, possibly 300 meters. You could try 100 meters and see how you get on; it's easy to increase the system if it's not to your liking. I hope that helps.

[@hankmtl7244]

Not to be negative but please let us know if the tape lasts through rain and high winds.

[@Dev255]

Hi Henry, it lasted all through 3 months or so use last year, has now moved with us to our new house and will be used this year on another comparison. And, I'm happy to report, the tape is still attached firmly with no signs of unsticking, yellowing or loosing it's waterproof capability. I'm definitely impressed by the tape 👍

[@pawelpapierz5413]

Hi mate. I done heater but I used 90m hose 1/2" and plan is to install solar heater on shed roof about 2.2met hight. I don't have clue witch pump I need to use can you help me pleas 😁

[@Dev255]

Hi, I used a pond pump on my system, where I have 13mm (just over 1/2") tubing, my one is here: www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/ Although the pumping height is only 1.8m if just pumping straight up, it should be ok once all the water is flowing in the system, but would struggle to get all the water up to that height initially. I recommend the next one up or similar pump (from other shops depending on budget) that has a pumping height greater than 2.2m. Here is the next one up: www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/3000lh/. This has a 3.5m pumping height. Both have a 25mm output and 20mm input (behind the black circular cover), I used a garden hose and a couple of layers of heat shrink to make adaptors for the outputs (this was temporary, but holds up very well and is cheap), although you should be able to find adaptors online. I hope this helps.

[@martinko10]

you need pump at least 4000l/h for system like that.

[@Louieinoz]

how big is tthe pool and how long would it take to change the temperature?

[@Dev255]

Hi, the pool is 3m in diameter and around 0.75m deep, so around 4600 litres of water. At max 900W from the panel it takes a good hour to go up by 1ºC from recollection; therefore takes a good while to heat the pool. The trick is to keep the heat in the pool that you made in the day, I put reflective foil around the pool and bubble wrap on the top of the water too.

[@kentcaravan6586]

Can I use normal garden hose and spray it black.?

[@Dev255]

Hi, this may work, although the structure of the hose (depending on the hose type) could act as insulation. The heat gained may dissipate away from the water. I believe (and am testing soon) that for home systems, copper pipe sprayed black could be the best option.

[@bensimon821]

what type of pump do you recommend to power 3 domes?

[@Dev255]

For compatibility with most pools with 32mm piping and a fast flow rate, I would recommend this one :www.amazon.co.uk/Bestway-Flowclear-Filter-Pumps-Grey/dp/B014FHCUBK/ref=asc_df_B07G9GJDWN/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=265064983195&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6576270328939231956&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007249&hvtargid=pla-711278987706&th=1

[@justinl5182]

@@Dev255 any chance this more powerful pump could negate the need to have 2 pumps? 🤔

[@Dev255]

@@justinl5182 Hi Justin, I would recommend 2 pumps if one is used for the filtration system, where this could greatly reduce the flow and with it, the efficiency of the filter if going through a solar heater also. Some solar heaters are ok if the pipe diameter matches, although there is still more resistance on the filter pump, plus the filter pump has more work to do pushing/pulling water through the filter and may also make the solar heater less efficient with a reduced flow through rate. The pool needs a certain turnaround of water to be filtered and adequate movement in the pool to mix it up. Hope that helps

[@aimbot8912]

so what was the change degree before and after on pool water not from bucket??

[@Dev255]

Hi, on sunny days with both purchased and homemade heaters plugged into the pool there was an increase of between 3.9 C and 6 C, this is a fair bit considering there is 4600 litres in the pool, we are in the UK and still in Spring. I will reveal the comparison between Purchased and Homemade in Part 2 out Friday 12th June, so please subscribe to be notified ;-). Hope that answers your question

[@aimbot8912]

@@Dev255 3 degrees for a pool is huge difference I want to do something like that for my 10000 gallon pool but I'm wondering at such a slow rate and soo much water it would be like spitting in the wind for me

[@Dev255]

Here is the new video answering your question kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3OahICootymkKc

[@andrewsmith9491]

What pump are you using from the pool.

[@Dev255]

Hi Andrew, it's a 1400l/h pump from all pond solutions, all the items used for this project are listed here: www.dev255.uk/what-i-bought

[@55davani]

What kind of pump are you using please?

[@Dev255]

Hi, it's this one www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/

[@RifqiAlRasyid]

This is with pump or not? Please schematic

[@Jhutchinson2006]

wont the tape's glue fail in the heat?

[@Dev255]

Hi, the tape has lasted really well over the last 2 years both in the sun and stored away in a garage. I've only just replaced the edge tape over the top of the old tape as I took the cover off to spray everything blak.

[@dennisjaron1644]

I see alot of these on u tube but have yet to see one fir an ungrounded pool that dosen't break the bank any interesting ones on that

[@Dev255]

Hi, my initial thoughts are that an in-ground pool would benefit more from these types of heater as the ground offers insulation to the walls of the pool. The other bonus is that you could permanently bury the pipe from the panel to insulate that too. I'm going to make a copper version (sprayed black) this year behind a sealed glass unit and will compare it with last years version. I did all the maths in Part 3 of this video if you want to see more in depth. Here kzbin.info/www/bejne/kKXCg5yDnLiAe9U

[@natureofthebeast2075]

How safe is the water for the kids to swim in? I figured after yhe water is heater in the plastic it's the same as leaving a water bottle in a car and then drinking the now contaminated water?? Meaning once plastic heats up to a certain point it releases cancerous quemicals...

[@Dev255]

Hi, this is something I'm trying to look into, where the heat is being taken away from the plastic by the water so it doesn't get to heat up in the sun at all really as the heat is transferred to the pool. The other question is chemicals in the pool reacting to the plastic, where I believe from doing a fair bit of research is safe with most plastics. The pool manufacturers supply plastic hoses for use with the pool pump too. Also, the water is deemed non potable so not for drinking, similar to swimming in streams and rivers, plus you could always periodically change the water out if worried. Hope that helps

[@relevant.c5411]

i like the cold water its more refreshing. on hot humid days i need to cool the pool cuz it can be like bathing in soup....not refreshing at all.

[@Dev255]

Hmmmm, good point, maybe have both, a small pool to warm up for the evenings and a larger one to keep cool. You could have a compression heat exchange system running from one pool to the other, one would get cold, the other hot, sorted ;-)

[@4747aaron]

Can you just put an enormous coil of black pipe at the bottom of your pool? One end open at the bottom to allow cold water in and elevate the other end towards the top of the pool. Convection will suck cold water in at the bottom and eject warmer water at the top.

[@Dev255]

I think it could work if the coil was on top of the water with a sealed reservoir above the pool, output from reservoir back into pool and input to coil from the bottom cold part of the pool. There is around 9.4 ish meters squared of pool area on top of a 3m diameter pool, so potential of around 8kW or more on a good day. I think the coil on the bottom would not get all the energy from the sun. Good thought though 👍😀

[@justinl5182]

@@Dev255 I like this idea. Would love to see you have a go at that!

[@Dev255]

@@justinl5182 Would love to give it a go, although it would take a lot of pipe, 9.4m for the first loop around the circumference, reducing slightly as it moves inwards, could be hard to shift around, although I have though of it sitting just above the pool and pivoting out so you can use the pool and have it still heat 🤔hmmmm

[@sundiepmahabeer5030]

how long did it take to heat the entire pool ?

[@Dev255]

Hi, the pool of 4600 litres heats up by around 3 to 5ºC per day on a sunny day, so you need a good few days for it to warm up. It's a lot of water to heat and from my recent calculations both the panel and dome solar heaters generate about 25% of that heat, it looks like most of the heat is generated from the sun directly heating the water via the black cover and surrounding air. I think the panel is still worth it as 25% extra heat ensures the pool heats from day to day. The foil wrap around the pool helps too, where I only lose a couple of degrees overnight, where the pool is currently sitting at 28.12ºC at 08:47 in the UK. You can see the foil wrap in part 2's video and my intro video.

[@bryonparffrey5680]

How many gallons will come out hot water in other words does coll water coming in hear up as coiled heated wAter goes out ? If i leave incoming water coming in does it heAt all day while runs ? Thanks mice video set up

[@Dev255]

@@bryonparffrey5680 Hi, the water will heat up throughout the day as long as there is enough direct sunlight getting to the panel. It may be worth watching part 3 as it is a lot more in depth. Here is the link kzbin.info/www/bejne/kKXCg5yDnLiAe9U

[@AhcMeUk]

Can you link to the pump please

[@Dev255]

Here you go: www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/

[@AhcMeUk]

Thanks but would I need a stronger pump for 100m of pipe

[@Dev255]

Will be absolutely fine if you don't exceed the head height of the pump

[@Accumulator1]

Only 89 deg F not very hot but I guess it would go higher if the flow rate decreased through the panel.

[@Dev255]

Hi, the flow rate hardly made a difference to the tests, although found that if the flow was too slow the temperature increase slowed exponentially as it reached higher temperatures. We used the pool for nearly 2 hours a day after it reached nearly 86ºC (30ºC) and was comfortable, although 35 would be better ;-). I'm sure this will get a lot warmer in the summer. I may do a more in-depth look at this.

[@spuds6423]

@@Dev255 86°C. Wow!! That's a tad bit hot!!!!😃😃😃😃😃

[@EuProprio-un5ek]

Interesting idea but... You are looking for a solar heater so, one would imagine that you´d want to capture the heat... Instead, you´re using a reflective cover??? Interesting approach but, probably you´d get a better (and even more inexpensive) result without the reflective liner... And just painting everything black!!!

[@Dev255]

Hi, yeah I realised this after doing the first couple of video's, where I now have black plastic rubbish bags scrunched up inside the center part, although this would be better with heat conductive material painted black. The plastic bags are cheap and have a lot of surface area to absorb the heat. The center of the panel now reaches 68ºC in the mid-day sun and heats the water a little more. Take a look at my Channel Into Video and you will see what I did. Thank you.

[@StarG8Runner]

i would imagine that painting plywood with matte black paint would yield better results

[@Dev255]

@@StarG8Runner I agree, the whole surface behind the pipe would be best off black, although the reflective foil has a function in that it stops the heat convecting out the back of the panel, painting the foil black or having a black thin plate in front of the foil would be more effective.

[@diamond4829]

Is that a 4x 8 sheet of plywood or 4 x 6 ... you cant really tell

[@Dev255]

Hi, it's more like 3.3 x 5, so I would have started with a 4 x 6.

[@piotrinpost9614]

what for is this silver foil?

[@Dev255]

Hi, the silver foil is to reduce the amount of heat that escapes through the back of the panel, if also sprayed black it absorbs a little more light

[@nikosbyron]

Can use it for a shower?

[@Dev255]

Hi, not directly as the heat difference from input to output is around 2.5ºC with full direct sunlight, although indirectly heating a tank of water for an hour would raise a 50 litre tank of water by around 10ºC with full direct sun, so roughly 30ºC in 3 hours. I hope that helps.. Calculations = 600W (panel in direct sunlight average) } 600 Joules enegrey. } 600 x 3600 = 2160000 Joules in 1 hour. } 2160000 (Joules) / 4200 (specific heat capacity of water) / 50 (kg/litres of water) = 10.28 ºC increase per hour.

[@lepil00]

The silver reflector is useless. Try a black metal surface instead. Thank me later.

[@Dev255]

I'll give it a go, the reflector was just to stop the heat escaping out the back, where I may pop a black panel in the centre space to get that heating the panel also, 👍 shall let you know 😀

[@lepil00]

@@Dev255 The goal should always be to collect as much energy as possible. In this case this translates to as big surface as possible. Try dark background with some gaps between the spirals (aka: homogeneous heat transfer per metre of tube). PS: With those silver sheets u just reflected heat back through the front instead of the back side. PS2: Ideal would be black metallic sheet with copper tube circuit welded on it, stonewool as insulation in the back n all that in a glass-aluminium housing

[@Dev255]

@@lepil00 Hmm, good to know, although how much would this cost? as the items I've used were chosen to keep to a budget of around £200, the price of copper is fairly high, plus this is my first attempt. How about an old radiator painted black in a glass box? I think the aluminium box would transfer too much heat out as it's a good heat conductor. Also, I'm using the SuperFOIL radiator backing around the pool, where I only lose around 2.5 to 3.5ºC overnight, even with an outside ambient temperature of 1ºC; this is working really well. Today the pool is reading 23.7ºC where this morning it was 20ºC.

[@lepil00]

Solar heaters are extremely popular here (Greece). You can get an idea in such sites: calpak.gr/products/ or www.helioakmi.com/en/

[@KevinCoop1]

It's all about square area and efficiency. The suns energy is 1000 watts at sea level per M2 on a clear day with the sun directly above. You can not get more than that. You will always get less than that. Your pool must be slightly bigger than a garden bath tub. You stated to have 4500 liters or 1189 gallons. My 30' round pool is 24,000 gallons for comparison.

[@shabirahmed8663]

Hi do you think, 30 metres will be ok for a 10feet pool?

[@Dev255]

Hi Shabir, I have a 10 foot pool also and have this homemade one and a purchased one attached to the pool, where this works well, although 30 meters is 40% less than I have in my homemade panel. So if you are using the same setup (same materials) I would expect a 30 meter one to generate roughly 360 Watts average on a good day, where mine is averaging around 600 Watts on a good day. You may wish to look through some other reviews to get a feel, as this is only my experience so far. I hope that helps

[@shabirahmed8663]

Neil Devonshire - Dev255 Thanks Niel, for the sake of extra £20 I’ll just get the 50m, children get really cold and cannot seem to heat water up through the hozelock tap adapter, put water on full heat for nearly hour and half and still no joy, if this does not work, i will work hard to make enough money to buy a house with indoor outdoor pool. Lol. Thanks for you quick response. Your a star

[@Dev255]

@@shabirahmed8663 No worries, happy to help. I'm sitting at the computer working from home anyway 😎

[@Dev255]

@@shabirahmed8663 Also, I think it's worth getting the bubble wrap heat cover to sit on the pool also, as this reduces algae growth and has some heating effect also.

[@shabirahmed8663]

Neil Devonshire - Dev255 hi Neil just emptied the entire pool today, I am a bit of novice. Left water for 2 months with just cover, but cover that came with bestway has 6 little holes in the middle and this let a lot Debris, also the algae was disgusting it was green water, I would love some advice on Genaro maintenance and keeping water clean during the last few months of summer.. much appreciated

[@craiged5071]

@Neil Devonshire, i built a solar heater with my son using 52m Pex Pipe sprayed matt black etc. I have attached hosepipe to both ends and trying to find a suitable pump to make this application work. Not wanting a bilge or similar, i’d like to have a pump that takes hosepipe and is out the water. As the kids may forget to turn it off if i’m at work etc and the idea of having it remote seems better and safer. It is on my shed roof which is 2m above ground level of pool. Would you be kind enough to give me a pointer on this. UK also. Great video and nice results.

[@Dev255]

Hi Craig, thank you. I am using this one www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/pond/pumps/full-range/1400lh/, although it has a head height of only 1.8m, and that is if it were to pump directly up, so you may need something with a little more omph. This one is 4500l/h, can pump up to 4m and should directly connect with the garden hose on both input and output: -www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/aquaeco-4500lh/ This one is the same, but 6000l/h:- www.allpondsolutions.co.uk/aquaeco-6000lh/ Hope that helps.

[@craiged5071]

Neil Devonshire - Dev255 Many thanks for your reply. I have had the heater converting mains supply to pool this afternoon and down south the weather has been nice. It is such a good feeling having solar hot water. The pump you have pointed me too is the same i spotted a few days back so thats a win for me. The higher flow rate shouldn’t be an issue as it will be circulating 23-25degC pool water through a smaller diameter over a longer distance so i’m expecting some good results. All the best.

[@petertr2000]

I'm doing a similar project, and just bought a "solar pond feature" which is just a solar panel that drives a small submersible pump. It says it can drive a 1m head of water, so lets hope that's enough!

[@Dev255]

@@craiged5071 Good luck with yours, you can feel the temperature difference by putting your hand in the pool then feeling the output.

[@Dev255]

@@petertr2000 this should be ok as long as the pipe is at the same level, the solar power for the pump makes yours even more efficient 👍

[@SqNStyleR1]

Whats the pipe diameter? 1/2 inch?

[@Dev255]

Yes, just over (13mm I/D, 16mm O/D).

[@SqNStyleR1]

@@Dev255 thanks!

[@nazarrabi1585]

What sort of glass did you used

[@Dev255]

Hi, it's just 2mm thick perspex, although if you can get hold of a double glazed panel, that would hold the heat more.

[@nazarrabi1585]

@@Dev255 thanks

[@trevorshao]

what kind of tube is that

[@Dev255]

Hi, it's Gardena Micro-Drip system tubing that is designed to be outdoors. Here is the link on Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/Gardena-1347-20-Micro-Drip-System-Connecting/dp/B0001E3S5E/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2929KZ9OIRBGG&keywords=%E2%80%8EB0001E3S5E&qid=1645557123&sprefix=b0001e3s5e%2Caps%2C44&sr=8-1

[@spuds6423]

The heat didn't have any affect in the adhesive of the tape???🤔🤔🤔

[@Dev255]

Hi, good question, the tape is still holding strong with no signs of yellowing, I'll be using it this year too 👍

[@spuds6423]

@@Dev255 Thanks for the feedback!!👍👍

[@HuDz1966]

Whats securing those hose as you wind it in on ply?

[@Dev255]

Hi, it's 4.5mm wide cable ties.

[@HuDz1966]

@@Dev255 gotcha so just kept toe wrapping to the next loop? Im getting the stuff to build this 2mora ;-)

[@Dev255]

@@HuDz1966 That's the one, good luck with yours, I am still using my panel now, where our pool is currently up to 21.44ºC where this panel is generating 125W with overcast conditions.

[@HuDz1966]

@@Dev255 nice, i Just need it to take the edge off the cold really. Kids are quite tolerante to cold ;-)

[@Dev255]

@@HuDz1966 This should do the job nicely, how many litres (or size) do you have in your pool? Ours is 3 meters and has 4600 Litres of water roughly, it took 1 week to get from 14ºC up to 21ºC in on and off sun conditions, so with a smaller pool and more sun you should see some good heating

[@gwenielongviewtravels9219]

Whats the purpose of the plexiglass

[@Dev255]

Hi, the plexiglass traps the heat in the unit, creating a greenhouse effect. I am currently looking at the temperatures of this system, where the outside shade temperature is 19.9ºC and the center of the panel is at 44.3ºC. among other things, it stops the wind carrying the heat away. Hope that helps

[@stephendarlington431]

@@Dev255 would be great to see your stats on how much benefit the plexiglass brings. Economically without the plexiglass you could probably make 100m version you spoke out about which might bring more benefit than 50m version with plexiglass. Thinking of building one so any insight would we awesome

[@Dev255]

@@stephendarlington431 Hi Stephen, the plexiglass definitely makes a difference, where the temperature in the center of the panel reaches up to 68ºC on a good day, if you could transfer this heat from the center of the panel to the water it would help; so, if you could get 100m of pipe to cover the whole panel without too much overlap, this would help greatly. You wouldn't get 68ºC water coming out as the water would transfer the heat away from the pipe into your pool, although it may be almost double the heat output. I would try different designs of pipe layout to cover it all. Effectively, with the most efficient panel, I believe the maximum Wattage you could hope to get is 1000W from 1m squared, my panel is achieving maximum 900W during mid-day and around 600W average over the sunny part of a good day, so from my 1.5m squared panel I'm getting 600W max/400W average per square meter. I will be putting out another video with all the logged temperatures in a couple of weeks, where I am impressed by the panel so far, although I'm sure there are many improvements you could make :-D. Good luck with yours.