Outdoor Swimming pool, looking for heating adivce?

True Romance

Not sure where to post this so if MODs feel it would be better elsewhere then please move.

So I've had a above ground pool (plastica) pool for 9 years now and its been heated off a 3kw electric heater that does the job fine heating it to 30deg. However with the cost of electric going up and up I'm looking to reduce this cost. I've been looking at solar heating (hose pipe type) as I have a large flat roof that gets the sun most of the day and would be ideal for solar panels. Think this along with my electric heater would reduce my cost, but I have no experience with solar heating?. The other thing is to get a heat pump now they seem to be getting cheaper (less than £1000) but again I've no idea if at this price point they are any good?
The pool is only use from mid May to Mid September.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Many thanks,
TR.

johntheexpat

I know a few people round here with air heat exchangers, some dedicated to the pool, others for pool and home use.  They all seem to approve of and recommend them.  I suppose it all boils down to how much electricity you use to heat the pool.

But at the moment, those people with no heating still have pools which are pushing 30C and they are complaining that that is too warm.  (The third day in a row here that we have had 35C in the shade)

SteveCritten

How big is your garden mate? You could think about ground source too. Heat your home with it too and the government pay you. Check out renewable heat incentives!! Ice energy are a good company.

True Romance

Use to pay around £300-£400 per season, now its going to be more like £500-£600  so now it might be more cost effective to look at alternative heating methods even if it means investing more money in the short term? Was hoping that solar panels at a cost of around £300 would reduce the electric bill by 40%? Just need someone who has solar heating to confirm there effectiveness in our typical British summer?

SteveCritten

A friend of mine set up a hot tub in his paddock and heated it with some copper pipe with a stainless back plate and it got it warm enough to sit in in the summer. Not sure how long the pipework was.

True Romance

lol, what with the pool and my cinema there is nowhere to start digging down

IronGiant

I've got 100m black hosepipe coiled up on a flat roof under a polycarbonate cover and it generates 3.5kW when the sun shines in this weather.  The only running costs are the 3W 12V pump that circulates the water through the pipework if the temp gets over 25 deg C under the poly sheet.  If nothing else, that's 3.5kW energy not getting into my son's bedroom and cooking him

I can only imagine how much more effective a professional installation would be

SteveCritten

Nice one mate, have you got a build thread on here for it I would be very interested in how you've done it as I have the perfect flat roof for it ;-).

True Romance

Sounds interesting,  as above more details would be most grateful.  Are you using this to heat a pool?

True Romance

anymore info IG or is it top secret