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SOLAR SWIMMING POOL HEATING
FLEXIBILITY EQUALS FREEZE ABILITYFlexible solar panels are assembled from a header pipe and a tubing strip. The flexibility allows use directly on a flat roof in a freezing climate. Freezing water needs to expand so if any water is trapped inside any of the thousands of feet of small tubes that make up any solar pool heater, your collectors better be flexible, otherwise they will burst. We've learned the hard way to always use flexible collectors in climates where it freezes, even on pitched roofs. By the way, it froze in Miami last winter! Powerstrips make best use of the available space, marry seamlessly to roofs and landscapes and tolerate freezing and adverse weather with the best warranty in the business.
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Powerstrips vs other types. |
Powerstrips hidden on a pergola. |
Through extensive collaboration with universities and government we've learned to simulate the performance of a solar pool heater with remarkable accuracy. We've verified these curves repeatedly with real systems and found excellent correlation. Below is is a typical pool in San Diego, California with a little pool shade, located near the ocean where the collectors are on a south facing roof.
100% solar means a solar heater sized at 100% (same size) as the top surface of the pool. We also have compiled curves for many major cities in the US and Canada. Go to sizing for performance predictions more specific to your location and for a full discussion on sizing a solar heating system for a pool.
Low pressure is the bottom line when it comes to setting solar up for long term reliability. You can't expect a thin plastic collector to withstand extreme temperatures, thermal movement, aging etc all in combination with stress from pressure in the water. Take away the pressure and you compromise NOTHING. You simply allow the system to operate stress free the way it was intended and you've removed the source for problems. We end up solving other problems in this process and creating a harmonious smooth operating pool mechanical system. Take a look at this case study illustrating the kind of trouble we get into when we ignore pressure in solar design.
This is our most common solar design for a simple pool without a spa and without "in-floor" cleaning built in where the collectors are elevated up at least one storey. This design requires that the pressure where solar ties in is low. For much more on this visit Proper Pool Mechanical System Design
To learn about how a solar heating system works have a look through our plumbing and auto controls pages. If you are running a natural gas or propane heater or heat pump make sure to dig deep into our auto controls section and learn about our SWIM PC solar controllers that optimize solar and boiler usage along with web based monitoring and control. We have the world's leading solar controls technology. You can watch many real solar pool heating systems right now in real time. Maybe you don't need solar. Maybe what you really need is web based boiler control!
Finally you're ready to talk specifics and price. Feel free to call but first take a look through the following chapter that pertains specifically to your roof type or mounting location. This will determine the suitability of our technology vs others for your particular application and price it.
Any solar panel can go on a pitched shingle roof but only Powerstrip's roof connections can be made through the roof sheathing to the rafters. This is important in high wind areas and on any commercial project where an engineer must approve. With regular solar panels the entire collector sheet, the absorber, must move along with the headers. Not so with Powerstrip solar collectors. They just flex. No massive fragile rigid sheet shifting around on the roof. Powerstrips are fitted to the space so the end result looks like it belongs and it delivers a larger portion of that solar resource on the rooftop that would otherwise be wasted.
If there isn't too much of a snow load and the roof isn't too steep we can glue it all down sideways. Sideways configuration provides better esthetics, space utilization, and is less expensive because we've eliminated headers, stainless steel hardware and labor. For all the details including a detailed online quote right now click shingle and metal roof installations
Powerstrips were originally developed specifically for tile roofs. The flexible material follows the wave of the tiles to some extent. This allows for expansion and contraction with temperature and no stress transferred to the glued roof connections. The system is built on the roof to fit the roof making best use of available space and creating a system that adds value to the home instead of taking it away. One foot wide sections fit each row of tiles meaning that the ends of the tiles are exposed so when you look up at it from ground level you see the ends of the tiles. No roof penetrations, best use of available space and best esthetics make Powerstrip the only choice for a tile roof mounted solar pool heater. Watch the 10 minute video linked at the left to see how its done exactly. More on Powerstrips on tile roofs
A separate solar heater that doesn't involve the roof of your home has appeal but it takes up real estate and you may not want to look at it. Powerstrip solar collectors are not constrained to the normal 4x12 and 4x10 sizes. We can build a structure to fit the landscape. In fact, in many cases it makes sense to mount the solar collector system right to the earth. This option is especially attractive when the ground space is steep.
In this case we double up the headers at each end so we can eliminate the spaces between the one foot wide sections. This means the solar collector itself can act as weedcloth and we can pack more solar into less space. More or ground mounting and rack mounting including a detailed online parts and price list right now.
You can not use a regular polypropylene fixed size collector on a flat roof for 2 reasons. The water won't drain out of it so it'll freeze and burst. Secondly, you have to bolt down that rigid "sail" so it won't fly off the roof. Don't make a roof penetration on a flat roof.
Hot Sun's Powerstrip flexible solar collectors are often secured with a ballasted framework. We developed this system for commercial installations. It is fully approved for structural and seismic considerations. It can be removed easily for roof maintenance. The following seasonal municipal pool system in Canada is 3000 sq ft and is monitored online at www.powerstripsolar.com/Control/SouthArm
Take a look at these flat roof installations and get an online quote right now
Click on sizing to learn all about what to expect from a solar heater. You'll find a form you can fill in so we can help your local dealer fully specify and quote your installed solar heater. If you want to contract this out yourself or install it yourself we specialize in providing the expert support you need to go along with the right products assuring you of a successful solar experience fo the long term.
In the year 2013 solar pool heaters are no longer just plastic black rectangles strapped to the roof of your house with careless roof penetrations. Today's technology allows these systems to be fitted to the roof space. Powerstrips, manufactured by Hot Sun are the latest solar pool heating development, offering flexibility of design and application.