[Shop-talk] solar pool heater

[Doug Braun]

I don't have a pool, but I am wondering:  Isn't a pool already getting good solar heating from the sun simply shining on it?  Even if a pool is light-colored, it probably absorbs about 50% if the light hitting it.  So adding a separate collector with something like 15% of the pool's area wouldn't make a huge difference int he water temperature.

I would think that a dark-colored pool cover would be far more effective, since it would absorb a lot more sunlight, and prevent evaporative cooling (and water loss).

Doug


--- On Sat, 6/27/09, old dirtbeard <dirtbeard at pacbell.net> wrote:

> From: old dirtbeard <dirtbeard at pacbell.net>
> Subject: [Shop-talk] solar pool heater
> To: shop-talk at autox.team.net
> Date: Saturday, June 27, 2009, 7:17 PM
> Hi guys,
> 
> This is off-topic and I apologize, but I trust the wisdom
> of this group.
> 
> I have a ~20K gallon swimming pool here in the Los Angeles
> area and would like
> to build a solar pool heater.