confused about solar panels (or mats)

[farmgirl]

Setting up pool today, some of u might remember last year's arguments with DH about two panels staying hot (ie, no water flow thru them). to prove his point today, he had me look into each header pipe of each panel, to show me the center baffle, or diverter, where the water pressure should force flow up into the panel. i could see that the diverters are NOT solid, but have smaller holes in order to send part of the water up thru the panel, and not create immense back pressure. (Sort of like a washer placed in the center of the header pipe) is this right? or should the baffles CLOSE off water flow through the header pipe COMPLETELY until it makes a u turn and comes back through the panel? One of our panels has NO baffle AT ALL????? Could this have been last year's problem? i read that solar panels made for in ground pools have no baffles at all. i heardthat sometimes they can fall out and get lost. does that mean the panel is now useless? If not, can this panel still be used in conjunction with the others? should i replace it? is there any way to repair it? guess i need a class on "solar pool heat 101".

[farmgirl]

Since no one has replied to my question, perhaps i should assume that i did not make myself clear. Oh well, it is easier for me to "show" than to "tell. To simplify my question pertaining to the flow restrictors in each header pipe of the solar panels.....has anyone ever put a new flow restrictor on a solar panel? Would it be ok to just use the panel WITHOUT the flow restrictor? I understand that in ground pools require panels WITHOUT flow restrictors. Why???? I just need to know A: how to fix the panel, or B: can i go ahead and incorporate this panel into the system along with the others? ANY help will be appreciated. Thanks!

[chem geek]

There are different kinds of solar panels for use with pools. Even with an above-ground pool, the panel design may be similar as with an in-ground pool except that they are usually longer (in-ground pool panels are usually roof mounted so are typically sized at 4 feet by 8, 10 or 12 feet while in-ground panels are typically mounted at ground-level and are frequently 4 feet by 20 feet. This link shows in-ground [EDIT] I mean above-ground [END-EDIT] pool solar panels from FAFCO. These are the "many small tubes" kind of panels and are the same, except for size, as their in-ground panels. The flow rates for each panel are the same as for their in-ground pool panels, namely a minimum of 3 GPM, recommended 4 GPM, maximum 8 GPM. So clearly if only two panels are used then there must be a diverter since the flow rates from typical pumps are much higher than 6-16 GPM (assuming two panels are used in parallel).

Do you know what brand of solar panel you are using? Perhaps we can find its specs on the web and figure this out. Also, when you were running water through your panels, if they were hot from the sun before the pump went on and then stayed hot, then water wasn't flowing through them with enough volume. If they cooled off (to ambient air temperature) when the pump went on, then they are working at least somewhat properly.

Richard

[farmgirl]

We have a total of four 2x20 panels, including the one that is missing the diverter in the header pipe. If we go ahead and hook it up, will it work ok? We were thinking of trying to following configuration:


return====||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>l l
||<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<||
l l
||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>||
||<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<====pump


According to everyting I have read, the more water flow you get going thru solar panels, the better. So why do they put in those diverters in the first place? Would you not get better water flow without them, if the panels were set up and plumbed correctly? As u can tell, science was NOT my best subject.....LOL!

[farmgirl]

well, my diagram screwed up when I sent it to the forum....let's see if i can try again:


pump=====ll>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ll
ll<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<ll
ll
ll
ll>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ll
ll<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<ll
ll
ll
ll>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ll
ll<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<ll
ll
ll
ll>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>ll
return====ll<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<ll

We figure that this way, if we cap off the ends with the diverters, water will be forced to path of "least resistance", and just flow one way through each panel individually. What do you think?

[farmgirl]

i still cannot seem to get the diagram lined up correctly, but maybe you'll get the idea