Build a Solar Pool Heater

Your Pool consumes lots of energy, depending on where you live. So it makes sense to build a solar pool heater for your home.

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If you live in a very hot area, you can even use your Solar Pool Heater to actually cool your pool in the nights.

And since a Solar Pool Heater is a passive use of Solar Power, it is highly efficient and cheap to build.

Probably you already own the most expensive part you need if you build a Solar Pool Heater- the pump?

If so, this is gonna be pretty cheap for you.

Build a Solar Pool Heater - The Overview

The idea about How to build a Solar Pool Heater is very simple.

All we have to do is expose as much water to the sun as possible, thereby collecting and storing the sun’s heat.

Therefore we pump the pool water directly through a solar collector, let the sun heat it up in that collector, and put the now hot water back into the pool.

That’s all. The whole process consists of pumping your pool water through one (or more) highly sun exposed collector, let it heat up and exchange the water in the collector with more water to heat up.

Btw.: Because water is such an excellent heat absorber and since we do not have to waste energy by converting the sun’s power into electricity (see "How is Solar Energy Used Active"), we have a high efficiency and low cost rate.

Much more efficient than using solar panels

And so your pool in a way is the storage tank for the solar heat.

Easy, isn’t it?

One caveat: It makes no sense to build a Solar Pool Heater when there is not enough solar energy. So even if you own a canopied pool, the solar power potential on your site may not be enough. But I assume then you wouldn’t have a pool in the first place?

I personally never heard of a pool in Antarctica ;).

Build a Solar Pool Heater - The Solar Collector Sizing

And even there, with enough Solar Collectors (enough sqft or m²) you would be able to heat a pool, at least for the summer (=direct and diffuse solar radiation).

As a rule of thumb: You need about 50%-100% of the surface of your pool as the surface for your collectors.

If your pool has a surface of 5m*10m(16.4ft*32.8ft)[=50m²/538 square feet], depending on where you live, you will need probably between 25-50m² of collector surface.

Does your house or garden provide enough non-covered space for this? And is this space directed to the equator? (ie. North in Australia, South in Europe and North America?)

You want to make sure you do not invest time and money in vain, or that the panels you planned with are not sufficient.

So do ask yourself if you have enough solar radiation and/or space.

Make sure you cover your pool if you Build a Solar Pool Heater

By the way, I assume that you cover your pool? This alone saves about 2/3 of the needed energy.

If you do not use a cover, the size you will need for the collector will increase up to threefold.

So make sure that you use Solar Pool Covers or Solar Pool Rings.

It is a must.

How many months of the year you run the Pool?

It also plays a role how many months per year you want to use the pool? 9? 11? 12 months?

Does it freeze in your area? Freezing here means having temperatures below 6°C/42°F, and if only for a few hours per year.

Because if so, we have to make certain that the cold does not destroy the Solar Pool Heater.

Since freezing water expands, but does not flow anymore. That means that the water -now-turned-ice in your collector and piping breaks everything apart because the force of the freezing and expanding water is so powerful.

So if you are planning to have water in the piping and collector even in the time of the year with freezing temperatures, you have to make sure that the water cannot freeze.

In freezing climates, your collector(s) will need to be glazed, meaning being glass covered.

And adding antifreeze is dangerous, since you tend to swim in the antifreeze then. Don’t do that.

And do not rely on the insulation to prevent freezing. It probably won’t.

For using the collector in freezing temperatures, also the tubing within should be made from (much more expensive) copper, not simply from cheap heavy-duty rubber.

So it may be cheaper to just drain the pool collector and piping in winter, so no freezing is possible.

We will focus on building an unglazed solar pool heater on this page.

Build a Solar Pool Heater with Premade Materials

If you want something predone which comes with a 15-year guarantee, I suggest you have a look at my recommended supplier poolcenter.com.

This actually is the way I prefer it. It safes a lot of time, comes with instructions and an impressive guarantee... And includes all I need.

No gluing together rubber pipes from Home Depot. No scratching your head how to fix the collector on your roof.

If you live in a warmer area and get along with 50% of the pool surface for the collector’s surface, you can get a ready-to-install professional system for about 600 USD (or more, depending on your pool’s size).

Far cheaper than the officially suggested 3.000-4.000 USD.

I do suggest this company, because they take care not to use toxic materials. Normally, the solar power will dilute toxic substances within the plastic into water you swim in...no good idea.

I am not sure if the pipe producers at your local DIY store build the material for being non toxic under solar radiation (there is a difference if solar power directly weakens the plastic, or if the pipe is dug into the safe earth...the sun is a catalyst for chemical reactions.

So again I would prefer this premade solution, although it may be a bit more expensive than doing alll myself (which I am not very good at). And if I calculate the time this would take me, I am better of buying a predone-with-guarantee-and-manual collector installation.

I also suggest you have look at the description of the optional control system. This automated valve let’s you regulate the pool’s temperature by opening and closing the valve leading to the collectors.

So: This is my way of doing it. My suggestion for you also.

Still want to build a Solar Pool Heater the lone-wolf way??

What if you really want to do it all by yourself?

No problem. Here is my How-to suggestion:

I suggest that you get yourself a professionally written manual. Check this great $10 "Build a Solar Pool Heater for under $100 manual at http://www.gaprojects.com/poolheater/ from someone who "has been there, done that" in Australia.

Let’s call it the "Crocodile Dundee way.

They promise:

Panel construction does not require machining, welding or precision work of any kind. No special tools or skills are required to complete this project. We supply plans and a 14 page comprehensive set of clearly illustrated instructions to guide you every step of the way. All materials are available from hardware stores and garden shops. Solar pool heater panels can be mounted vertically on a fence or horizontally on a roof It’s as easy as ABC so give it a go.

And also:

[We] specialise in designing low cost projects that any practical individual with basic handyman tools and ability can build. We avoid the need for special machinery or skills (e.g. welding) and ensure all our projects are made from readily available parts and materials. All projects are easy to build and are carefully scrutinised for quality and safety. We supply comprehensive, illustrated plans and construction manuals to guide you every step of the way.

So let’s have a look at what’s needed for our little DIY project. If we take into consideration that a professional system usually costs around $3.000 to $4.000 I think doing this completely yourself for under $100 will only add to your enjoyment.

They also come with a 60 day no-questions-asked money back guarantee. I told you, I like guarantees.