ABOVE GROUND POOL HEATER using solar, w/out adding an additional water pump. Extend your pool season

[@Janet-rt5vq]

I sent this video to my sister and her husband and they said this helped them alot and will be using this method. Thanks for sharing.

[@SolarProjectsSweden]

Nice video filled with good tips & trix. I'm setting up a solar powered pool heater right now and my goal is 30°C / 86°F in the pool. I'm starting with 250 meters / 820 feet of 20 mm / ¾ inch PEM hose in a flat rooftop setup. A 20V rainwater barrel pump (2,000 liters - 528 gallons / hour (so the complete opposite of what you're saying. I want higher flow and lower temp to heat it up faster). The pump will be connected directly to a solar panel, so it's a completely automatic system controlled and powered by the sun. No sun = no pump = no heating. Since I'm located at 60° latitude in the northern hemisphere, I'll guess it'll be some problems and math to solve along the way, but it'll be fun. Keep up your good work

[@nextleveldiy]

Thanks!!

[@paulboudreau3754]

It absorbs more heat by throttling the flow but you're putting less hot water in the pool. I believe it would work better with greater flow. The temperature rise is less but you're turning over way more water.

[@fishy2002]

To add to this, thermal transfer is governed by temperature difference, the greater the temp difference the more energy it's going to pull from the surroundings (plastic tubing) into the media (water). we don't care about how fast / slow it goes into the rest of the water after it hits the pool, but we do care about making sure the entire loop is as much higher temp than the water that we can get it. Letting the water get that hot reduces that temperature difference and therefore becomes less efficient.

[@EstorilEm]

As others have said, at face value it would make sense to slow the water down and feel it coming out “hot” on the other end, but if you raise the temp 2 degrees instead of 1, but flow half as much water, you’re back to square one. Of course there are a ton of other variables, but it really shouldn’t matter. I’m just now messing with a setup, got a 22’ x 4’ mat on Amazon for like 120 bucks, which is a bargain from what I’ve seen (including DIY stuff). My biggest issue is controlling it. If clouds come over and the ambient air temp is below that of the pool, you’re now heating the outside air and cooling off the pool. My current pump is small enough that I can run it off an outdoor smart plug. I have a weather station that tells me temp and solar radiation, my goal is to have the plug trigger when solar radiation meets a set value (or additionally, if ambient air temp is above that of the pool, or a set value.) The home automation groups aren’t being very helpful with all of this, but I’ll figure it out. My biggest issue is that I can’t filter the water without running through the solar panels, which rules out filtering at certain times due to cooling the pool off. I added a skimmer to our pool and it has the ComfortJet box for the returns, PLUS the original two returns on the T and the control valve for the inlet - so I have two complete sets in/out. I’ll probably use the original small pump and plumb it to the solar panels, with the skimmer inlet and non-jet returns. Sand filter pump on the control valve inlet and jet returns. So skimmer and solar runs during the day, but I can turn on the sand filter to clear up the water or when I want the jets. It would be nice to use the skimmer for both, but I’d need a check valve in front of each pump and that’s kinda pushing it as I haven’t gone to PVC yet (and likely can’t as it’s gotta stay temporary.)

[@jimbocharles2428]

I use a fish pond pump to slowly pump water around my coils of black pipe, Works a treat.

[@jasonvautour4999]

Awesome idea!

[@paulformosa8408]

Great video and set-up. Is the water diverted to just the black tubing or with this set-up does it flow through the regular return pipe as well?

[@nextleveldiy]

mostly through the return pipe but some diverted to the heater.

[@Dwigt_Rortugal]

You've implemented exactly what I've been thinking of doing, and I really appreciate the time you took to share your setup with us. If you don't mind my asking, approximately many gallons are in your pool, and how far north are you? I'm trying to estimate how to scale my setup when I build it. I'm not asking you where you are specifically for obvious reasons, but maybe a rough idea of latitude or a general region? Thanks very much either way.

[@nextleveldiy]

Thanks for the comments! My pool is 16,ooo gallons and I'm in Mass.

[@scottyelizardohgtr3edxgdsz55]

About how long does it typically take for the water to fill the irrigation tubing before you see the water come out and into the pool?

[@patrickday4206]

You don't understand the speed of water flowing through your solar pipe doesn't matter. A 5 percent rise but 95 percent faster flow rate is equal to a 95 percent warmer rise and 5 percent flow rate

[@danielroper18]

Damn dude good idea

[@frankrisuglia4963]

hi i was wondering how the water flows from the return line threw the y fitting, it seems it should face the other way

[@thithamduong2223]

Solar heater mat works but needs an independent pump to work better

[@ScaesarBtech]

Hey @nextlevediy. I would like to know if how well the return line for the pool heater works when it is connected to the supply jet. Because wouldn't the stronger flow on the supply jet either backflow into the slower flow coming from the pool heater return line or at the least stop it from entering the pool and trap the hot water in the pool heater hose? Curious on how much of a temperature rise you've seen with it connected in this way?

[@nextleveldiy]

I use a tee Y which draws the water from the hose as it flows past the fitting from the supply line. I normally get a 10 degree gain on a hot sunny day.

[@ReneeZanghi]

Hi, good video.do you happen to have a list of all the adapters and parts you used to make the diverted set up hook to the hose

[@nextleveldiy]

It really all depends on your setup and the equipment you are connecting to. I took some of my pool parts to the plumbing isle at Home Depot and played around until I found things that fit. Its basically just a valve with a way to connect to the heater via a hose or whatever you have.

[@RichardBaileyrichoncode]

Any good sources for info about adapters from bestway connectors to 1/2 inch pipe?

[@nextleveldiy]

unfortunately I do not use those connectors. Maybe try a pool store as much as I hate to say it!! You could always bring a connector into a home depot and play around until you find something that works.

[@scottyelizardohgtr3edxgdsz55]

How long does it usually take for the water to flow through the tubing back into the pool

[@nextleveldiy]

depends on how fast your flow is and how long your tubing is... the slower the better so it picks up the heat!

[@davidhallowell9211]

Can you tell me where you got the diverter valve?

[@nextleveldiy]

Home depot, pvc plumbing parts.

[@kylestead6657]

Can you just siphen the water from one end of a hose to another so that you don't even need to put it into the pump?

[@nextleveldiy]

Probably not enough force to get through all the tubing without a pump.

[@jeffpozzi713]

Is your pump running on low or high speed while using the heater? Thanks.

[@nextleveldiy]

Pump is running at normal speed, i have valves that slow the flow

[@louislapensee8355]

Do you use 1/4 inch or 1/2 tubbing?

[@nextleveldiy]

I used 1/2 but lots of people use 3/4. I just happened to have lots of 1/2 on hand.

[@s0meguy09]

Used to be cheap i guess. Those tubes are expensive now

[@nextleveldiy]

unfortunately everything is expensive!!

[@imcorinne7760]

Do you have the insulation in YOUR POOL

[@nextleveldiy]

insulation?

[@imcorinne7760]

@@nextleveldiy do you have a Rhino pad on bottom

[@jujjuj7676]

Great video, but as the joke says " Why so serious!" Try to smile more.. Your not in the military talking to ur sargent.. But other then that great video..😊

[@nextleveldiy]

thanks, I'm working on it!!

[@jujjuj7676]

@@nextleveldiy well ur doing a great job, as the beast says..."making videos is more important then ur screwups. Just try to improve ONE thing each time and keep posting it will pay off. I subscribed and posted u on reddit..good luck u deserve it..👍