question for solar pool heating

[sunnysidesup]

I am interested in solar pool heating and would like to know how well a home pool about 13ft x 26ft can be heated using solar collectors and how many of these I might need. My understanding is that several of these can be linked together and put them up against the wall outside.

Here are some online:

QDD Solar 30 tube collector $699:

http://www.qddsolarwaterheaters.com/solar-collectors.html

eBay Listing for 30 tube collector $1,095:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Evacuated-30-Tub...#ht_6782wt_907

[LucMan]

If you just want to heat your pool water check out these panels.

http://www.aetsolar.com/PoolHeatingPanels.html

They easily connect to your existing pool pump, no heatexchanger required to separate highly chlorinated water from the solar panels.
Using evacuated tube or flat plate collectors for pools can get more complicated and expensive than the above.

[Naptown]

Other sources for them are Aquatherm and Solar Industries. These are both the same company marketing under different brand names. I suspect the AET is just a private label version of the above.
If the pool sits in full sun you will need half of the surface area of the pool (Gallons are not considered) If in full shade 100% of pool surface area is needed in collector area. If it is shaded somewhat in between the ratio is linear EG 50% shaded = 75% collector area.
I don't know where you live but this ratio works well in the mid atlantic to give a swim season from about may 1 - sept 30

[CarrieTaylor]

advantage is that it will also make your AC unit to run more efficiently.