Nestled in a quiet suburb of southwest Florida, sits a renewable energy diamond.  This year, Jim and Kay decided to heat their pool using renewable energy because of rising utility costs.  If you have ever considered solar pool heating, read on.

Click photos to enlarge

     Most installations can be accomplished with a one or two man crew.  First, the roof is measured to insure precise placement of the solar pool panels. The Revolution Solar Panel made by FAFCO is available in 3 sizes; 4'x8', 4'x10', and 4'x12'.  This choice in lengths maximizes the surface area layout of the roof, flat deck, or ground rack when finding the largest, unobstructed section for pool panel array placement.

     Preinstallation assembly of the system includes attaching 2" rubber couplers with stainless steel band clamps one side of the panel's header (top) and footer (bottom).  The rubber couplers connect the panels together and provide a means to attach pipe fittings and vacuum relief valves.  Cordless drills eliminate the need for bulky extension cords.

     The installers carefully position the panels on the roof.  The panels are then joined together and secured to the roof.  Function and aesthetics are given equal importance in the design concept.  The pool owner has the choice of black or white piping on the roof as well as the wall and pump manifold.   The panels come in one color, black, for a reason.  The color black absorbs all wavelengths of light, the color white reflects all wavelengths of light.

     An 1 1/2" stainless steel lag is pushed through the bottom of a threaded cleat and is coated with a polyurethane roof sealant.  The lag is driven into the shingle-plywood roofing.  A dacron strap is laid through a notch in the cleat and a threaded cap is attached and tightened.  CPVC pipe fittings are added to the top and bottom of the panel to connect to the piping.  A vacuum relief valve is fastened to the top, opposite side and a rubber end cap is placed on the bottom, opposite side of the array.  When the pool pump turns on, the vacuum relief valve closes and water circulates throughout the panels.  When the pump turns off, the vacuum relief valve opens and allows all the water to drain from the panels back into the pool.

     Friction pads are placed beneath the couplers to reduce any vibrational wear.  Stainless steel pipe clamps are secured to the roof using the polyurethane sealant.  Great care is exercised when mounting the array to the roof.

     The western and southern arrays are complete.  The attention to detail makes this a welcome addition to any roof.  Designed to last fifteen years or more, these pool solar panels offer an incredible energy savings, make no noise and are environmentally safe.

     Black 2" PVC piping is run from the top and bottom of the lead panels to the point where they tie into the wall piping.  All piping is two inch for this system and most one story structures.  Two or more story systems may use inch and a half piping on the return line to sustain adequate back pressure.

     With the panel installation almost complete, tools are passed down to begin the manifold and wall piping.  Since the manifold (the pump, filter, chloronator and piping) is approximately eight yards from the wall, a trench was previously dug to house the connecting pipes.  The two piping stub outs coming out of the ground near the wall are the feed and return piping from the manifold.  PVC cutters are used to cut the pipe to exact lengths and ninety and forty-five degree pipe fittings adjust for any angle encountered.

     Starting at the ground, the pipe is laid flush against the wall and run up to the bottom edge of the soffit.  Coming off the top of the pipes at a ninety degree angle, a length of pipe is measured and cut to just clear the soffit face or gutter.  It is here that the wall piping is joined with the roof piping.  The pipe is mounted to the wall by using stainless steel clamps, screws and masonry anchors.  The clamps hold the pipe snug against the wall.

     This complicated looking pump manifold is actually quite a simple set up.  With the manual two-way valve in the Solar On position, the pool pump takes water from the pool, through the filter, then up to the bottom of the panels.  The water flows from the bottom to the top of the panels, then returns to the manifold, through the chloronator, and back into the pool.  With the valve in the Solar Off position, water bypasses the the solar panels and goes directly to the pool.  Solar on, solar off (Mr. Miagi would be proud).  Total system pressure, including the filter and solar panel back pressure, is only 7 psi.  The electric heat pump (the Grey box in the right, center of the first picture below) was replaced by the solar pool array, further lessening the dependency of fossil fuel.

    I'd like to thank Dan Morrissey (Fafco Solar) for his kindness, generosity, and genuine care for the environment.

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