Solar Pool Heating For Lake Macquarie

Solar pool heating systems are powered by the sun’s free energy, meaning you can enjoy year-round swimming. Solar pools are also a great way to reduce your electricity bills and carbon footprint. They can help you achieve the “Swim When You Want” lifestyle and extend your swimming season in warmer climates like Australia.

Solar Panels

Solar panels, also called photovoltaic (PV) modules, convert sunlight into direct current electricity. The power produced by PV modules depends on the number of PV panels connected in series and in parallel, their size, and the ambient temperature. A solar system also includes blocking diodes, bypass diodes, in-line fuses, and racking systems to hold the PV modules in place. Solar energy is a renewable resource, and with proper design and installation, it can provide clean, low-cost electricity for many applications including residential and commercial buildings, water and air conditioning, remote pumping stations, traffic controls, telecommunications equipment, oil and gas flow monitoring, and RTUs.

The most common solar collectors used to heat a pool are glazed solar panels, which are usually installed at the tail end of your pool’s filtration and pumping system. However, it’s possible to route your entire filtration and pumping system through a solar collector (with a little valve work) during the winter if you have a covered pool.

Solar Pump

Located at the tail end of your pool’s pumping and filtration system solar panels are an effective and energy efficient way to heat your pool. They work by using strips or panels of collector tubes that are positioned on your roof and have the pool water pumped through them continuously (at a slower rate).

If the sun is shining then this system is working effectively – however, there are often cloudy days where the sun’s power is less effective and your pool temperatures can drop. In this case you will still need a swimming pool heater to ensure your swimming pools is kept at its desired temperature.

Solar panel installations also generate electricity for your home at a lower cost to you. This surplus energy is exported to the grid and paid for by your chosen energy retailer under a feed in tariff. On average, Lake Macquarie solar system owners earn 5c per kWh of energy they export.

Solar Heater

Solar heaters warm a pool by absorbing the sun’s energy. They are best used in sunny climates, and can extend your swimming season, especially if paired with a solar cover. They also reduce the need to use gas or electric heating, and are more environmentally friendly than traditional heaters.

Solar collectors are made of metal tubes, or “risers”, coated in black absorber material to absorb the sun’s heat. Water enters at the bottom of the solar collector and moves up through the risers, warming up as it does so. It then returns to the pool, raising the overall water temperature.

A pump is required to push the water through the solar system and back into the pool, which can be powered by either an electric grid-connected regular pool pump or a solar pump using dedicated solar panels for power. Flow control valves allow the solar system’s input and return lines to be diverted if they are not needed, such as during winter.

Solar Pool Cover

A solar pool cover may look like a large sheet of bubble wrap, but it does more than just add to the visual aesthetic. It is designed to protect the pool from debris and to help naturally raise the water temperature. It also helps minimize the loss of chemicals by stopping evaporation.

The air bubbles on the solar blanket act like tiny magnifying glasses that transfer the sun’s heat into the pool water, which can raise it by up to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. One of the key things to remember when using a solar pool blanket is that the bubbles should face down on the water, not upwards.

A well-fitted solar blanket that is positioned properly over the pool won’t blow off in the wind. This is because there are no edges that rise above the coping of the pool, and the wind can’t lift them to blow underneath. For this reason, it is important to ensure that the solar blanket is firmly attached to the surface of the pool when not in use.

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