Using solar pool rings is a cheaper alternative to heating your pool and reducing energy loss caused by evaporation. Solar pool rings are light and clear inflatable disks that are placed on the pool as a cover. Basically, they work like solar pool covers, but they can be disassembled for easier usage and storage. Solar pool rings, in fact, are known to be more effective than bubble pool blankets.

Solar rings are just as effective as solar pool covers. A single ring can save up to 21,000 BTU of heat on a daily basis. Some brands offers rings that have magnetized edges that allow them to connect to one another; this also means they are easy to disassemble and remove. Unlike solar pool covers, solar rings do not require the setup of complicated mechanisms such as a reel system.

If you have recently gotten yourself a set of solar pool rings, the first thing you have to do is to unpack them and lay them out under the sun for around half an hour. Solar rings are often packed tight in boxes, so when you first unpack them, they will be pressed tight and may have lines.

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Shop for Deals on Solar Sun Rings

How to Make Solar Pool Rings

Then take the outer ring and start inflating. You don’t have to fully inflate them; just put in enough air to hold the shape of the ring. Around four or five breaths would be enough. Once you’re done with the outer ring, move on to the inner rings, but lightly than the outer rings. Some users also inflate the outer ring fully, then keep the inner rings very lightly inflated. Two breaths will do.

To ensure the effectiveness of the solar rings, make sure that the air is evenly distributed inside them. Once you’re done inflating the rings, scrunch them together tightly to even out the air distribution within. Examine the rings after doing so. You can let out some air through the deflation tube if there is excess air inside the ring. After that, your rings are now ready for action.

Solar rings are easier to use because you can just place them onto the water. The blue sides should be placed facing down when heating the pool. If you want to cool up the water a bit, just turn the rings over. While floating around, the rings will attach together on their own due to the magnet in the edges. Leave the rings for a couple of days to allow them to settle; just make sure to check on them every once in a while. If you see any problems, such as when the rings are not lying flat, take the rings and scrunch them together. This usually happens when the air inside is not evenly distributed.

The number of solar sun rings you need will depend on the size of your pool. Most solar pool rings are around 59 inches in diameter. Buy enough rings to cover around 80% of your pool for best results.

Solar pool rings are also easier to store than solar pool covers. When you place them on top of one another, they take up less space, and some brands even have eyelets so you can hang them up. Hanging them is a more preferable way to store them but make sure not to put them in the range of direct sunlight because they will continue to generate heat and will be prone to overheating.

From time to time, wash the solar rings with mild soap to keep it clean. Just make sure to avoid grazing them against abrasive surfaces, and do not walk on the rings. If you take care of your solar pool rings properly, they can last for around 5 years.

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Shop for Deals on Solar Sun Rings

If your pool is not staying warm then you might be thinking, how do you know if the pool solar heater is broken? The first and only indicator that your pools solar heater is not working is by the temperature of the water. If it’s not getting warm or staying warm, then something is wrong. There are a few ways to be able to know that your solar heater is getting ready to potentially break down, though. These problems are discussed below.

The first problem would be that the system is off but the pump is working. If the system cannot be overridden by manual operation, then there could be some damage in the wiring or the sensor could be bad. This would have to be taken care of by going into the control box and finding the bad wiring or sensors and replacing them.

If your pump is working but there is no pressure, you could just need to clean out the filter. This is the most common problem with decreases in pressure. If this does not work, you might have to check the seal that is in the strainer.

So if you are asking, how do you know if the pool solar heater is broken, then you now know that if it is not getting warm it needs some work. Whether it is because of the wiring, filter or sensors, fixing the problem will get your pool warmed up in no time.

Yes you should. You should always turn off the solar while starting your pool pump. You may be wondering – why? Well, this is to simply make sure no damage is caused to the solar and just because it doesn’t need to be on when you are starting the pool pump.

Extra and important information: Remember the pool pump needs to run long enough each day to filter all of the water in the pool at least once a day. Twice is even better to remove all the dirt and etc.

Three times or more is simply just wasting electricity. Be sure that you are keeping up with the care of the pool and be sure if there is something wrong to check it out immediately as it can be something serious and end up costing you a lot of money.

If you feel that the pool pump is not running properly and it’s just not working you need to check everything. From the heater, the breaks, the switches, everything. You can turn on the solar after you are done pumping the pool but until then just turn it off as a extra precaution.

To first answer this question, you would need to know if the leak in the panel or the lines to the panel. If it is in the lines of the panel – it’s a quick and easy fix. Simply cut the line and remove any of the sharp edges. be careful as they can be very sharp. After you remove all the sharp edges you simply replace it. The lining of the panel is easy to purchase at any hardware stores. Be sure to look and see if it is made of PVC or Rubber. If it is one of those two you can simply replace it.

If the panel is leaking this is a little bit more difficult to fix and requires a little bit more work then just fixing the lines. If the panel is torn or removed you need to secure it as soon as possible. If one end is loose simply just secure the end. If both ends are secure then clean the repair with a fine wire or steel wool, then drill a small hole, and finally – fill it with a two part epoxy made for metal. The products can all be found at a local hardware store.

Finding the right winter pool cover for your pool is an essential step in preparing your pool for the winter months. What should you look for in a winter pool cover, and what types of winter pool covers are available? Here’s a look at some of the various pool covers currently on the market.

Technical Details
Winter pool covers are designed to protect your pool from excessive evaporation, prevent debris from accumulating in your pool while it’s not in use, and thereby prevent damage to the pool’s filtration system. If you live in a climate where leaves fall, snow is likely, or your pool needs to be winterized in any way, then you definitely need a winter pool cover.

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As an example of winter pool covers, Inyo Pool’s Arctic Armor pool covers are warrantied for eight to twenty years and are woven so tightly that light cannot pass through. This means that your pool will not breed algae during the winter, making getting the pool ready for summertime a cinch.


Installation and Maintenance
Pool covers need to be properly sized to your pool. If they are too small or too large, they may not work very efficiently to protect your pool.

Furthermore, while the pool cover maintains your pool, you must maintain the pool cover. If it snows or ices on top of the cover, you’ll need to pump off the meltwater to prevent the pool cover from sagging into the pool. Don’t try to remove ice while it’s still frozen; if you drop it, it might gash the cover. Nevertheless, if you live in a windy area, you’ll want to keep about an inch of water on top of the cover to prevent wind damage.

Available Models
The pool equipment reseller Inyo Pools provides Bronze, Silver, and Gold Arctic Armor models. The Bronze comes with an eight year warranty; the Silver with a fifteen year warranty; and the Gold has a twenty year warranty.

Pros and Cons
Don’t be fooled into buying a winter pool cover that you don’t need. Different climates call for different types of pool covers, so investigate the various pool covers available and which climate they are built for before deciding which winter pool cover to purchase.

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Here’s a question for you – do you have your calculator handy? How much energy does it take to raise 10,000 gallons of water 40 degrees Fahrenheit? If you didn’t get an answer, here’s a rough estimate: A whole lot. If you want your pool to be warm enough to use in the winter, you’re looking at raising the temperature of quite a bit of water by at least 40 degrees just to make it usable. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Here are some tips.

Technical Details
Don’t count on using just a solar pool cover to provide enough heat for your pool to swim comfortably in mid-winter. A solar pool cover is designed to raise the water temperature between five to fifteen degrees, but if your overnight low is 40 degrees, your pool water would only get up to about 55 degrees at most with a solar pool cover.

What a solar pool cover is good for is to extend your pool season. Depending upon where you live, the overnight low might still be 60 – 70 degrees Fahrenheit in September or even October, and might warm up to that by April. A solar pool cover during those times will make your pool warm enough to enjoy a few months longer.

If you want to heat the pool during the dead of winter, though, you’ll need a pool cover and a gas heater – and a pretty powerful gas heater at that, at least 400,000 BTU. A heat pump is also a good option.

Even with a powerful heater and a solar pool cover, you should still plan on it taking at least six to eight hours to heat the pool temperature to something bearable.

Models Available
Which heater you get depends upon the size of your pool. Remember that if your pool is shallow or small, you won’t need as big of a heater. Here are some reliable brands to consider:

• Hayward
• Aqua Pro
• AquaCal
• SmartPool

Pros and Cons
Although it’s nice to be able to use your pool in the winter, you should consider if the cost and energy consumption is really worth it. If you want to heat your pool all winter long, you’ll be looking at a very high bill; you could probably purchase a gym membership and swim indoors during the winter for less.

However, it’s nice to have the capacity to heat your pool during the winter so that on special occasions, such as Thanksgiving, you can heat the pool up and still enjoy it with your friends and family.

Like the SmartPool SunHeater in-ground solar pool heater, the SunHeater above-ground solar heater is a panel-based solar heater system designed to raise the water temperature of your outdoor pool by up to ten degrees. Just as with other solar pool heaters, the SunHeater above-ground solar heater is a relatively inexpensive way to increase the length of your swimming season, and to warm the water in unseasonably cool weather.

The SunHeater above-ground solar pool heater uses a series of tubes and solar panels, connected to your existing pool pump, to warm the pool water using the power of the sun. The water is pumped into a series of tubes warmed by “solar panels”, then pumped back into the pool. These are not true solar panels in that they are not solar photovoltaic panels; rather, as most solar pool heaters do, they use carbon black to absorb the sunlight. In this sense, the solar panels used both by SunHeater and other solar pool heaters could be considered more of a passive solar system.

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Shop for Deals on SmartPool SunHeater for Above Ground Pools

Installation and Specifications

Both the SunHeater in-ground and above-ground solar pool heaters are designed to by DIY installation, but user reviews state that the installation is trickier than it first appears. Once the system is installed, however, most customers are generally happy with the value the solar pool heater provides. To heat a pool of up to 40 square feet, most SunHeater above-ground solar heaters cost around $110, depending upon the retailer.

To heat pools from 40 to 80 square feet, expect to pay closer to $200 or even as high as $250. The solar heater quickly pays for itself; solar pool heaters cost an average of $30 – $75 per month, depending upon the size of the pool. Traditional pool heaters cost more than double that because of the cost of powering the heat pump or paying for natural gas or propane.

The solar panels themselves take up a fair bit of room. These can be installed on your roof, or on your pool house roof. Some users install the panels right on the ground near the pool, but other users complain that this method tends to burn their lawn. One clever user had a fence with southern exposure, and hung the solar panels from the fence.

The Bottom Line

Like the SunHeater for in-ground pools, many users complain of cheap tubing and panels that tend to degrade over time. The other problem of all solar panel-based solar heaters is the sheer amount of space that the panels take up, and the rather unaesthetic look this leaves the owner with. Besides these two complaints, though, the SunHeater is generally appreciated by most customers.

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Shop for Deals on SmartPool SunHeater for Above Ground Pools

In business continuously since 1969, FAFCO Solar Water Heating has been making solar heating systems for pools longer than anyone else in the United States. As such, it should come as no surprise that the FAFCO solar heaters for in-ground and above-ground pools are of excellent quality.

For above-ground pools, FAFCO’s product is called the Solar Bear system. There are three levels to the Solar Bear system: Solar Bear Plus System, Solar Bear Economy System, and the Solar Bear “Jr.” Disc. According to FAFCO, all the Solar Bear systems can be installed by the user in 30 minutes or less.

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Solar Bear Plus System

Designed to raise the temperature of an 18′ to 24′ round pool by about 10 degrees Fahrenheit, the Solar Bear Plus System comes with a 4′ x 20′ pre-plumbed panel, two 6′ flexible hoses, and an installation tool. If your pool is larger than 24′ in any direction, you will need more than one Solar Bear panel to heat the pool; contact the manufacturer or a pool equipment retailer to help you size your system.

Unlike some other solar heating systems, the Solar Bear systems include a bypass valve that allows you to turn off the system when the pool reaches its desired level of heat. With other products, such as the EZ Heat Basic solar pool heater, the system always runs as long as the pool pump runs – there is no way to turn off the system without turning off the pump.

The Solar Bear Plus also uses a FlexFlo Valve that automatically determines the water flow, allowing the maximum sunlight exposure.

Solar Bear Economy

The Solar Bear Economy system is exactly what it sounds like: a less expensive, less extensive version of their standard Solar Bear panels. It still has the manual bypass allowing the system to be turned on and off, but the hoses and clamps are sold separately by the retailer. The economy version also lacks the FlexFlo Valve, meaning that your pool will take longer to heat with this model.

Solar Bear “Jr.” Disc

The Solar Bear “Jr.” is a small system designed for smaller pools. It will not be able to heat a pool in the 18′ range and over, but is a great option for someone with a small above-ground pool who doesn’t have space for large solar panels.

All three of these systems are backed by a ten year warranty, but in the case of the economy version, this is a pro-rated warranty – be sure to read the fine print.

The Bottom Line

FAFCO makes good products. Even though the Solar Bear systems are a little more expensive than their competitors’ products (the Solar Bear Plus starts at around $250), the extra money provides you with extra peace of mind and the value you can expect from an industry leader.

Shop for Deals on 4`x 20` Solar Pool Heater Above Ground Panels

As one of the products manufactured by FAFCO, the nation’s oldest manufacturer of solar heat collectors, the SunGrabber system comes with a credible background. Unlike other solar pool heaters in its class, which promise to raise pool temperatures up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, the SunGrabber system claims that it will raise water temperature by at least 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

A SunGrabber system can significantly reduce the costs associated with heating your pool, reducing fossil fuel usage by as much as 50%. This is a pretty good bargain, when you consider the total system costs only about $150. While this is more expensive than some products, it’s still less expensive than others.

However, at this low price, don’t expect the SunGrabber to be able to heat a pool more than 16′ round pool. For owners of small pools, this is a great product. For owners of larger pools, you should consult the SunGrabber sizing chart on their website before making a purchase, or consider a different solar pool heating system.

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Economy and Deluxe Versions

Not unlike the SunHeater and EZ Heat systems, the SunGrabber uses “solar panels” to collect heat from the sun, using your pool’s water pump to pump cold water into the system and warm water back into the pool.

The economy system has a 2′ x 20′ solar collector designed for above-ground pools looking for a little bit of extra heat and extended swimming season. The deluxe system includes two or more of these 2′ x 20′ collectors. In both cases, a diverter valve is not included – these must be purchased separately, meaning that the system runs whenever the pool pump operates.

The Bottom Line

There’s nothing unique or special about the SunGrabber solar heater system – it operates in virtually the exact same way as SunHeater, EZ Heat, and other systems of comparable price and results. It provides a good service for a good price, and comes with the FAFCO name attached, a respected industry leader in solar water heating and solar pool heating.

Like other solar pool heaters, SunGrabber will definitely be a less expensive way to extend your pool’s swimming season than an electric-powered or gas-powered pool heating system. Typically, the cost of a solar pool heating system is only the cost of the pool pump itself, which hovers between $30 and $75 per month to run. However, the SunGrabber is not particularly better than other products: generally it is no better and no worse than similar products in its class.

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In the Swim is a pool supply company that sells its items primarily online, through its own website and places such as Amazon.com. In addition to selling pool chemicals, pool lines, and pool equipment, In the Swim produces a line of solar pool covers that are generally well-received by its customers. Here’s a closer look.

Technical Details

In the Swim solar blankets come in a variety of thicknesses and sizes. The thinnest solar blanket is a 5-mil blanket, which ranges in size from a 12′ round pool to 30′ x 60′ rectangular pool. The thickest solar blanket is a 16-mil blanket, which also fits anything from a 12′ round pool to a 30′ x 60′ rectangular pool.

Shop for Deals on In The Swim 16 Mil Ultra Clear Pool Solar Cover 20×40

Shop for Deals on In The Swim 16 Mil Ultra Clear Pool Solar Cover 24 ft. Round

Each solar pool cover is designed to raise the water temperature of the pool by both capturing natural light and by insulating the pool, preventing existing heat from escaping. Unfortunately, In the Swim’s website doesn’t provide specific temperature-raising facts for each pool blanket. Despite the significant difference in thickness between a 5-mil cover and a 16-mil cover, both products’ pages claim a 10 to 15 degree temperature increase.

Installation and Sizing

One benefit of the In the Swim solar pool cover products is the wide range of sizes. Regardless of the size or shape of your pool, you should be able to find a pool cover that matches. Reels must be purchased separately.

Maintenance

The only complaint from owners of In the Swim solar pool covers is that the solar bubbles tend to shed after a few years of use. This is a fairly normal complaint about solar pool covers in general. Although they are built to absorb sunlight, the sun also wears them out over time. Some customers report that the thinner solar pool covers are more likely to tear and wear out more rapidly than the thicker covers.

Models

As previously mentioned, the solar pool covers by In the Swim differ mostly only in size and thickness. Thicknesses available include: 5-mil, 8-mil, 12-mil, and 16-mil. The two thinner blankets come with a three-year warranty; the two thicker blankets come with a 7-year warranty.

The Bottom Line

Overall, In the Swim’s solar pool covers are well-received by their customers. Most online reviews for the products are positive. The pros listed by users include the relatively inexpensive price, along with the effectiveness of the product to raise pool temperature.

The negative reviews generally center around two complaints: the longevity of the pool cover and the ease of use. For longevity, more than one customer complained that the pool cover began to break down after a few years of use. As for ease of use, several customers report handling the cover to be awkward.

Shop for Deals on In The Swim 16 Mil Ultra Clear Pool Solar Cover 20×40

Shop for Deals on In The Swim 16 Mil Ultra Clear Pool Solar Cover 24 ft. Round