new diy solar water heating project for above ground pool - advice please?

[barnsley]

I know I could have done things differently, such as the hose material;
I used PVC hose (oops), but in the UK rubber hose is 3 times more expensive and would have cost me almost £100 for 100 feet (30m) that's well over $100.
I did a test today, and ran the solar system with 2 hoses in parallel and it actually seems to flow nicely - not too fast to be useless and and not too slow to be a major proble to the pump (I hope). - This was on the ground though, and not on the shed roof where I'd like it to be, so I think I'll still upgrade my pump to a 800w Clarke's one with 60PSI and 40m max head:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252456666463?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I could just use the upgraded pump on sunny days and my old less powerful pump at night, on cloudy days and when pool is not going to be used (as it would be more efficient then).

[barnsley]

i think these manifolds are not readily available in the UK.
when i search on ebay - it just returns US results. But we do have available splitters like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380870719730?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648&var=650228227640&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

and 3 way flow taps like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-Way-Flow-Tap-Regulator-Flexi-Hose-Pipe-Control-Valve-Adjuster-Pond-Fitting-/191911006994?var=&hash=item2caec99312:m:mNCATqX2_elXbokrqth3s0A

Same idea in principle (so i suppose i could use something like these)

[Logan5]

pl10439200-2_street_x_2_slip_x_4_3_4_barb_style_plastic_water_manifold_for_home_spas.jpg maybe this.

[barnsley]

What's the difference between a manifold and a t connector? As long as it adds up to the same width as the input?
Like 20mm & 12mm outlets from 32mm pool pipe

[Logan5]

yes that particular manifold may be a lil large, but it is similar to what you need to prevent wasted energy due to restricted water flow.

[barnsley]

Thanks. I could understand that for a bigger and better pool but this is just a 12ft (3.6m) above ground pool which is just seasonal. But yes I should learn more and I'm trying to

[Logan5]

This is a good solar project, but unless you take your time, study fluid and thermodynamics, already posses some understanding of engineering and build planning, you are going to waste a lot of money and make a mess of your yard.

[Logan5]

000bx9984x-490x490.jpg
something like this, I have also worked with brass models

[barnsley]

Maybe I could use a regular 32mm hose pipe splitter?
(- with a 20mm off shoot and my 13mm solar hose contraption) or would that just send most of the water down the path of least resistance?

[barnsley]

you should probably plan this using a manifold, restricting water flow is not good for pumping energy efficiency, a manifold will allow you to split the large hose into smaller tubing for radiant collection, another manifold at the other end to combine back to common size pipe.

do you mean use something like a bypass valve into another pipe? And could this just go straight back into the pool?

[Logan5]

you should probably plan this using a manifold, restricting water flow is not good for pumping energy efficiency, a manifold will allow you to split the large hose into smaller tubing for radiant collection, another manifold at the other end to combine back to common size pipe.

[barnsley]

you have to look at the pump specs, flow & head.

thanks I found a .75 hp pool pump with 8.5m max head. So that should do the trick.

I probably had low flow because of back pressure from going from 32mm to 13mm pipes.
Maybe I should have tried using just the same size hosing throughout, but I thought it would be cheaper and more efficient to use smaller hosing.
I just hope that any back pressure created from reducing pipe sizes can't damage the pump..?

[Mike90250]

you have to look at the pump specs, flow & head.

[barnsley]

Thanks

finally, after some proper sun I can feel warm water coming out of my 200ft (60m) length of black hose pipe.
however, my flow rate is seriously reduced to a trickle.

my pump is 0.5hp and should be 300 gallon (about 12 litres) per hour, but I'd estimate that I'm only getting 1/10 (one tenth) of this when its connected my diy solar heater contraption.

I have it on the ground at the moment, but i want to put it on the shed roof. I did a test and put 100 feet on the roof ) conencted 32mm outlet from filter pump to a 13mm (half inch) hose and got zero water coming out! - it does not have the strength to pump up to my shed which is 7feet high.

Anyone know how much power i need to pump more than a trickle of water up a 13mm hose 7 or 8 feet high please?

[barnsley]

Well I've got my diy solar kit set up and even when the sun shines it hardly lukewarm inside. I'd be better off putting my 200ft of hose in the shed cos it's warmer in there. 
I can't see any advantage yet of using polycarbonate. But maybe it's because I've not fixed it down yet and there are gaps around the edges. It just seems that the polycarbonate sheet offers more shade than harnessing the sun.
I think I would have been better just putting the hose directly on the shed roof, as when autumn comes I only have to take it out of the frame to extract the water for winter storage.