Choosing the right solar pool heating system for your swimming pool means that you can extend the usable season for your pool, reduce your carbon impact on the environment, and reduce the total amount you spend on heating. It is important to ensure that you choose an appropriate system to enjoy the most efficient heating solution. This includes ensuring that the collector and other elements of the system are appropriately sized and placed.
The solar collector is the area where the pool water is pumped. The water is warmed or heated by the solar heat that has been collected, and is then passed back through to the pool. A series of collectors may be used, in parallel, to increase the surface area that is offered, in some cases.
Typically, the solar collector panels will need to be roughly equivalent to around half of the total surface area of the pool. Factors such as the typical ambient temperature, the wind level, and the level of exposure to UV that the collectors will receive will directly influence the size that is required for an installation.
Location of the collector is also important. It is possible to place one or more collectors on the floor, but a tilted angle will normally provide greater exposure to the sun. Collectors can also be placed on the roof of a building adjacent to the pool itself, but you need to be careful to ensure that water flow resistance is not too great.
The most basic control system will run water through the collector at all times, while a manual or mechanical system allows for a valve to be turned to allow or prevent the pool water from flowing through the collector. Automated systems detect the temperature in the pool and the temperature of the collector, and permit water to flow through the collector in order to achieve the most desirable temperature.
Sources:
Solar Heating Systems for Your Pool, Dummies.com