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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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.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
no they do not work, i have them and they do is collect flies round them
Can You tell me what types You’ve purchased?
Thanks for Your comment
Though I cannot comment on Sun Rings, there is another product you may be interested in if you have not had luck with pool covers so far. Liquid Solar Pool Covers by Flexible Solutions have been on the market for over 15 years, and they are proven to be safe and effective. More importantly, they are ridiculously easy to use! Check out their website or my squidoo lens for further information.
Thx for the links Monique.
Please feel free to send us Your experiences.
Save your money and avoid these things. I have them in my pool, water properly maintained, covering about 80% of the surface for about a year. A few of them are already water logged. I really believe there is a product defect with these things. Since they have to meld little connecting areas between the 2 layers, it is also create a condition for leaks. They’re just like those floating toys in the pool, but about $20 more! Total rip off. Sorry, I had to speak up so others don’t spend hundreds of dollars and be disappointed.
Terrible product. They’re already water logged after a season of use. Waste of money.
Thanks for the suggestions, i agree with You (that’s why this blog is focused on solar pool heaters
someone should invent a floating solar heater that can run by the suns’ rays that you could just leave in the pool !
I’ve had very good luck with these. Our pool is not too big and we get intense sun during a few hours of the day and in just one week our pool is warm enough for me to swim (I hate cold water). The rings do keep them water warmer overnight (we’ve tried it when we have been too lazy to put the rings back in). The best part is the my 10 y.o daughter can take them off and put them back in all by herself. BTW, this is our third year using them and we’ve only had to replace one.
These rings do NOT work! [I have a 24 foot above ground round pool and bought the "Solar Petals"] I could kick myself for spending all that money – they ended up at the dump. I could not believe there was an EMagazine article suggesting them as an alternative to a solar blanket. Clearly the author never tested them. I didn’t notice any significant change in the temperature of the water during the season I used them and my pool is in full sunlight all day.
I bought these and were very happy with them. The ONLY problem we had is our lab thought they were a big chew toy. As for heating the water, we often found the water felt too warm. I am contemplating getting them again as the lab is not using the pool as much as the last couple of summers.
come on people if you say they work you own the company or something because they are not worth the trouble to put them on
Anyone know who makes a “plug and play” 110-120V portable pool heater for Canadian use???
Peter have a look here: http://www.bizrate.com/swimming-pools-jacuzzis/intex-110-120-volts-swimming-pool/
I really believe there is a product defect with these things. Since they have to meld little connecting areas between the 2 layers, it is also create a condition for leaks. I am contemplating getting them again as the lab is not using the pool as much as the last couple of summers.
How many would be needed for a 22′ x 44′ pool ? 35,000 gallons
Can you clarify “what you mean by water logged” Does that mean that the ring around the edge is filled with water, which could easily be fixed by a design change by adding styrofoam to the outer ring instead of inflating. If you mean the air pocket between the two layers, then making them out of blue/gold diamond bubble material would compartmentalize them, so they would last longer, and help prevent heat reflection. As for a dog in the pool, yeah they are chew toys and would be especially susceptible to damage if inflated or a common air pocket in the center.
Question: Why does it say only cover to 80% vice 100%. Most covers work best as heat retainers, if they are 100% covered, and most covers are sold for 100% coverage? It would seem to me that square would give most people nearly 100% coverage on rectangular pools.
This is the 2nd year I am using the solar rings & I LOVE them! Its nice to be able to leave some in the pool if I am only lounging on a float. Overall, they are so much easier than a solar cover and way easier to store during the winter.
I was investigating the solar rings because the solid cover doesn’t work for me since I don’t have room for a reel and the dog likes to jump in on her own to cool off and the solid cover would be dangerous. I like hexagonal solar sun discs better in concept because they cover more area than the circular solar sun rings, are made of bubble wrap that won’t deflate the whole thing if you get one hole (or the dog gets a hold of it), the bubbles insulate better than partial coverage single region flat partially inflated balloon, they are clear (i know they look white in the picture) so they let the light get into the deeper water for more even water heating to prevent algae growth in the over warm water under the darker rings (dark does not capture more heat, it just captures it near the surface where it can be removed by the air better), and the velcro should have a more positive hold than magnets. See the following link for more of a comparison. http://www.poolsupplyworld.com/blog/article/Solarsunringsvssolarsundiscscomparison/
Note: I did not get to try these because when I suggested we try them my family refused to take the time to remove and replace anything on the pool to swim, so I am stuck with the liquid solar pool covers that you can get in any pool store or on the internet. I hate adding chemicals to my pool at all but these are easy, not noticable, and do not interfere with access to the pool.