How to make your own pool water heating

There are several ways to heat pool water. Installation of some of them is quite possible to master yourself. In this article, we will tell you how to make your own pool water heating using solar energy..

Among the various solutions to the problem of heating water in the pool on our own, one of the best options is the use of solar thermal energy. The main element of such a heating system is a solar collector, the construction process of which we will consider in more detail, using the example of a specific pool.

The pool, in which we will make the water heating system, is a tank with a volume of 10 m³, already equipped with a filtration system. Above it, a polycarbonate dome was made (an ordinary greenhouse of suitable size was installed). The indoor pool cools less at night, and the water in it is cleaner – leaves, insects and other debris do not enter. Given the presence of a submersible pump, it was decided to organize water heating without changing the current system.

How the system works

An electric pump submerged to the bottom of the pool draws in cold water. It is fed through a hose to a metal-plastic coil. The coolant, passing through the pipes, heats up from the sun’s rays and then through another corrugated hose is fed back to the bottom of the pool, but from the opposite edge.

The diagram shows the connections between the collector and the pool. An air valve is provided for air release. From the tees of the collector to the pump, corrugated hoses of the shortest possible length are pulled – to reduce heat losses.

1 – outlet valve; 2 – tee; 3 – collector; 4 – tee; 5 – drain valve; 6 – tap for the supply hose; 7 – check valve; 8 – submersible pump; 9 – pool

The following tools are required to install the heating system:

No.	Material name	amount
1	Wooden beam 50×50 mm	38 m
2	Plywood 12-15 mm	5 sq. m
3	Is it a metal-plastic pipe? inch	110 m
4	Plastic pipe fasteners	160 pcs
five	Angle (dad-mom) for metal-plastic	60 pcs
6	Angle (mother-mother) for metal-plastic	62 pc
7	Transition to fitting? inch	105 pc
8	Air release valve	1 PC
nine	Tee? inch	3 pcs
ten	Drain valve? inch	2 pcs
eleven	Check valve	1 PC
12	Submersible pump with a capacity of 3-4 m3/hour	1 PC
13	2 corrugated hoses
fourteen	Metal sheet	5 sq. m
15	Aluminum profile 1200 mm	4 things
sixteen	Galvanized steel corner 50×100 mm	64 pcs
17	Glass 4 mm	4 pieces
18	Black nitro paint	5-7 l
nineteen	Board 30×100	9 m
20	Roll waterproofing	5 sq. m
21	Paving slabs with a thickness of at least 40 mm	4sq. m
22	Self-tapping screws
23	Sanitary sealing tape
27	sand
28	Sealant

Work order

1. A place is selected for installing the collector according to the following parameters:

• minimum distance to the pool;
• the collector plane must face south.

The sod layer is removed on the marked site. A sand-and-gravel pad with compulsory tamping is performed. Then a layer of waterproofing is laid and paving slabs are laid.

2. A frame is made of a bar, the parts are connected to each other through the corners.

3. A shield frame is prepared on the ground and sheathed with plywood. Then the shield rises and is fixed on the frame.

4. Along the perimeter (with the help of corners) board boards with grooves for glass are mounted. Sheets of metal are attached to the plywood plane. The shield is now painted with black paint.

Places of installation of metal-plastic fasteners are marked on the plane of the collector – the distance between the pipes is about 45 mm. After installing the fasteners, cut metal-plastic pipes are mounted in them. With the help of corners and fittings, the coil is assembled.

In the sides, two holes are drilled for the exit of pipes, at the ends of which tees are installed. The rest of the pipeline is assembled and a hydraulic test is carried out. Then the entire coil is covered with black paint.

5. In the center of the shield, a support bar is attached and the frame is assembled from aluminum profiles. Now glasses of the required size are cut, their perimeter is coated with sealant, and they are placed in the grooves of the profile and wooden sidewalls. A fixing pad is installed at the junction of four sheets of glass, and pieces of corners on the sides.

6. A waterproof socket is installed inside to power the pump. Everything is ready, it remains to turn on the pump and carry out practical tests.

The completed system is not equipped with any automation, therefore, it must be started and disabled manually. Before visiting the pool, for safety reasons, it is assumed that the electrical part is completely disconnected..

On a sunny day, the water temperature at the outlet of the collector reaches 70–75 ° C. When the pump runs for 4–7 hours a day, the pool water heats up to 25–30 ° C. If you remove the check valve from the circuit, then a less weak pump can be installed. But then you have to manually turn the tap on the supply hose.

The manufactured installation, of course, requires improvements. For example, after the pump, you can put a solenoid valve controlled by a timer or photo relay. But the main conclusion of this project is that heating the pool with the help of the sun is a completely self-realized idea..