two-speed with solar panels

[mas985]

I have been trying to learn a little more about solar options and have a couple of basic questions.

Can you use PV solar panels to heat your pool? I guess I thought that you either had a PV system that generates electricity that can create units that can be sold or you have a "water heating" system that just creates hot water. Is that accurtate?

You could use them to generate electricity and then run an electric heater but that would be very inefficienct. The better bet is to use the electricity to run the pump and then use passive solar for heating.

It seems like having solar for heating the pool is beneficial early and late in the year to extend the swim season, but does anybody use their system for anything during all those other months? I know during peak summer it seems like you can use it to cool your pool, but what about all that sun during the summer and winter months? Just curious.

Really depends on where you are. Most of the year, I use the solar to keep the pool between 85-90 degrees. There is onlyabout three weeks in the summer where I don't need it. Also, you need to add more heat if you don't use a solar cover. Although our days here in CA can get quite hot, the nights seem to be fairly cool and that is when you lose a lot of heat.

Some of you that have a PV system. What size system do you have and how much energy are you able to generate over the year?

Thanks,

Riles

Some thoughts.

[cleancloths]

A PV system generates electricity, what you do with that electricity is up to you. CA like NJ has some very good incentives to install PV. PV provides electricity year-round - so I find it a much better use of my roof space. My 54 panel system generates over 12,000 kwh per year.

[tphaggerty]

I second mas985. My controller stays on all summer. After it rains or we have a few cold nights, it will kick on, even in July & August.

Extending the season isn't anything to sneeze at, though. We opened about 3 weeks ago, the water in now 85+. We will swim until almost the end of October in 80+ water. No one else, and I mean no one, will do that around us (unless they get solar!!)

[cleancloths]

I second mas985. My controller stays on all summer. After it rains or we have a few cold nights, it will kick on, even in July & August.

Extending the season isn't anything to sneeze at, though. We opened about 3 weeks ago, the water in now 85+. We will swim until almost the end of October in 80+ water. No one else, and I mean no one, will do that around us (unless they get solar!!)

I've done it for years in Northern NJ with my heatpump. The key issue is more of using a solar cover then how you heat. The heat loss in April/May and Sept/Oct at night is HUGE if you don't use a cover.

[tphaggerty]

I've done it for years in Northern NJ with my heatpump. The key issue is more of using a solar cover then how you heat. The heat loss in April/May and Sept/Oct at night is HUGE if you don't use a cover.

True enough. We also use a "solar" cover religiously. When we first got the pool, we bought a very expensive, very ugly commerical reel. We were going to return it because it is very big, but after getting used to it (we can roll it over the diving board with no problem and can reel the cover up without bending over), we decided to keep it.

Many people we talked to about their pools complained about the price of heating, but didn't bother to use the cover. Sort of like heating a house and leaving all the windows open at night when it's still getting down into the 40s.