Extend my swim season into October with only a Solar Cover? - Am I delusional??

[geohec]

I’m a new AGP owner (1 month) and I’m trying to figure out if I should only get a solar cover as I head into October (or do I need to think more seriously about solar water heating system). Also, which color should I get clear cover or blue cover. My schedule in October will consist of having a solar cover on 5 days (during the work week) and the cover off the other 2 days. Since we just spent a bunch of money on the pool, I’m leaning toward saving the solar water heating for next season (unless you guys convince me otherwise), and only getting the solar cover for right now.

I live in the Sacramento, California region where summer high temps typically hover around the 90s (with avg. hum low 80% morning, low 30’s in afternoon), so the uncovered AGP has been great. As we go into October temps will be dropping 10 degrees, so I'm hoping the solar cover will help extend the season and hopefully I can get back most of the lost 10 degrees back in the pool.

I’ve scanned the forum and read a few things about leaving a cover off during the day but putting back on at night, but that sounds like more work than I’m looking for. If I can't get the 5-10 degrees out of the cover, then I may need to start looking at a solar water heating system. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[Spensar]

70% of heat loss is from evaporation, which is why the cover works. The point of covering at night is that is when there is the greatest difference between the water temperature and the pool water and the most evaporation. For the two days you are swimming, you should cover it up at night to keep the heat in. I leave the cover on my inground pool all day during the summer if we aren't swimming so I don't see a problem with that, as long as you aren't shocking. I have had blue and clear covers and I think the clear helps a bit more to generate heat, but it may be in my head!

If you do this, it wil be an interesting experiment and let us know how it goes, particularly with an AGP with the side exposed to the air and less water volume than an inground with a deep end for diving.

[Watermom]

A solar cover will certainly help keep the heat in the pool instead of losing it over the cool nights, but pairing it with a solar heater is a better bet.

[CarlD]

A solar cover can warm the pool, but you have you to leave it on pretty much any time you are NOT swimming. It not only prevents evaporation-cooling loss, but insulates as well. In sunlight it acts like a greenhouse to warm the water.
But it's real value is more as insulator than heater, and solar panels are better for heating.

[geohec]

If you do this, it wil be an interesting experiment and let us know how it goes, particularly with an AGP with the side exposed to the air and less water volume than an inground with a deep end for diving.

Thanks for the info. I'll probably get the clear cover. As for the experiment, I need to buy a water thermometer but that sounds interesting. I'll measure a few days before I get it and put it on and then check it out a few days after. I'll share if I do it. Thanks again.

A solar cover can warm the pool, but you have you to leave it on pretty much any time you are NOT swimming. It not only prevents evaporation-cooling loss, but insulates as well. In sunlight it acts like a greenhouse to warm the water.
But it's real value is more as insulator than heater, and solar panels are better for heating.

Thanks for the info. All that makes sense. I'll keep and eye on the temps the next few weeks. I'll start with the cover first and if needed bump up to the additional solar heater. Thanks for all the help.


(Edit by moderator: Several posts in the queue were merged.)

[St8kout]

I was surprised by how cold my pool gets when the sun starts goes down here in Vegas (fairly new pool owner) so I bought one of those big blue bubble wrap type covers. When you stick your hand in, the top few inches are almost steaming hot, but after pulling the cover back and jumping in the rest of the pool is still way too cold. Somehow I was thinking it would heat up more of the pool. As soon as it's dark outside all the heat is gone. The ground must be quickly sucking out all the heat.

Some of the neighbors with pools have these ugly black homemade pvc pipes all over their back roof for solar heating. I would have thought the HOA would have banned them because they look terrible, but now I can see why they have them. The back of my house faces north so that part of the roof doesn't get much sun this time of the year, so that's no good for me.

At least it's lowered my water bill by reducing evaporation and the pool is cleaner by catching all the leaves and bugs. The previous owner left a spa cover but he cut it little too small, so every afternoon all the birds come by for a spa after a hard day pooping on clean new cars. Is it good or bad that they like drinking my pool water? They certainly love walking around on the cover for some reason.