Quote Originally Posted by rilesworld View Post
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.