Heated Pool

[Lakemountain]

Hi all,

Does anyone know if there are any heated pools (32-34 degrees) in or around Pattaya?

Thanks,

Peter

[Chang_paarp]

That is not a pool it is a spa.

[Naam]

That is not a pool it is a spa.

that depends on the individual perspective and liking. the Mrs and myself prefer 29ºC after years of favouring 32º.

[raro]

Pool temperatures below 28° are just unacceptable, I agree. To cope with the freezing temperatures in raro's pool, we are seriously contemplating to use a submersible pump and a long black garden hose exposed to the sun (on the roof maybe?) and pump the water through the hose. Anyone tried it before? Does it work?

[Naam]

Pool temperatures below 28° are just unacceptable, I agree. To cope with the freezing temperatures in raro's pool, we are seriously contemplating to use a submersible pump and a long black garden hose exposed to the sun (on the roof maybe?) and pump the water through the hose. Anyone tried it before? Does it work?

if the long black garden hose is very long then it will work especially if placed on the roof. a more efficient way would be to get together with thaivisa member Naam who is interested to import some solar panels specifically meant for pool heating. these panels are available now in Pattaya, however the company which sells and installs them are obviously adding 24 carat gold embedded with top quality diamonds to the fittings and selling them for a prohibitive high price.

i am heating my pool with the "waste" heat of a 36k btu/h aircon unit. unfortunately my [enclosed] pool area has become too cold to enjoy and neither do i enjoy my electricity bill.

therefore i'd be happy to order some of these panels but i'm not willing to deal with Thai customs. if only i had access to a good clearing company which handles all the shit² clearing and handling i'd be willing to share the imports below cost price and even provide the know-how to mount and connect the panels. experience installing pool heating in three homes existing.

but then... these companies do most probably not exist. TIT!

[raro]

coincidentally your fellow pool owner is in the shipping business...are we getting into a deal here?

[Naam]

coincidentally your fellow pool owner is in the shipping business...are we getting into a deal here?

coincidentally i am well aware of that and that's why i highlighted a part of my posting. unfortunately i'm on the verge to spend a few days abroad (starting tomorrow) but will contact you as soon as i am back.

Edited December 26, 2011 by Naam

[raro]

I did a quick google and found this interesting website: http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/PoolHeating/pool_heating.htm

They discuss the exact idea I had, black pipes on the roof and let the water circulate through it...off to HomePro

[Chang_paarp]

If you want to cool your pool you can run the solar at night. By increasing the effective surface area of the pool you can cool your pool to a good swimming temperature.

[raro]

If you want to cool your pool you can run the solar at night. By increasing the effective surface area of the pool you can cool your pool to a good swimming temperature.

you're obviously out of Thailand for too long

[george]

coincidentally your fellow pool owner is in the shipping business...are we getting into a deal here?

I'm also very interested!

[raro]

coincidentally your fellow pool owner is in the shipping business...are we getting into a deal here?

I'm also very interested!

ooooh....even the Puyai Baan is freezing his butt off in ice-cold water. Looks like we have to get into gear....

[guzzi850m2]

Pool temperatures below 28° are just unacceptable, I agree. To cope with the freezing temperatures in raro's pool, we are seriously contemplating to use a submersible pump and a long black garden hose exposed to the sun (on the roof maybe?) and pump the water through the hose. Anyone tried it before? Does it work?

Don't know if it will work, but man you got serious luxury problems

[raro]

Pool temperatures below 28° are just unacceptable, I agree. To cope with the freezing temperatures in raro's pool, we are seriously contemplating to use a submersible pump and a long black garden hose exposed to the sun (on the roof maybe?) and pump the water through the hose. Anyone tried it before? Does it work?

Don't know if it will work, but man you got serious luxury problems

as the pool is unusable with that iceberg floating on it it is rather a lack-of-luxury problem...

[gk10002000]

I think you will find it is pretty easy to make a cheap pool solar water heater. A few pieces of wood to make a box or two, a few pieces of glass, some black tubing and a small pump and you have a pretty decent collector, especially with the high solar radiation level here at this latitude

[BB1950]

One thing you need to take into consideration, Thermal Convection. Hot water rises and cold water goes to the bottom. So at night, this can also cool the pool even with the pump off. You need a way to prevent this thermal convection flow at night.

I've seen motor driven valves with a controller that stops the flow unless the heated area is more than 2 degrees above the temperature of the pool. The controller also controls the pump.

Another way to prevent the thermal convection would be by the use of a check valve at the top, open to the air. When there is no pressure against the check valve from the pump, the water would drain from the pipe drawing air in from the check valve. With no water in the pipe, there would be no thermal convection.

Something that works well for heating pools is cover made out of bubble wrap shipping material. The cover helps prevent evaporation which cools the pool. The bubble wrap helps to heat the pool by transferring the sun's heat into the water. I used to use one on my outdoor jacuzzi. It worked surprisingly well for maintaining pool temperatures.

Edited December 26, 2011 by BB1950

[Naam]

Something that works well for heating pools is cover made out of bubble wrap shipping material. The cover helps prevent evaporation which cools the pool. The bubble wrap helps to heat the pool by transferring the sun's heat into the water. I used to use one on my outdoor jacuzzi. It worked surprisingly well for maintaining pool temperatures.

acceptable for a Jacuzzi, for a pool it's a royal pain in the àss to handle.

[raro]

Something that works well for heating pools is cover made out of bubble wrap shipping material. The cover helps prevent evaporation which cools the pool. The bubble wrap helps to heat the pool by transferring the sun's heat into the water. I used to use one on my outdoor jacuzzi. It worked surprisingly well for maintaining pool temperatures.

acceptable for a Jacuzzi, for a pool it's a royal pain in the àss to handle.

He doesn't now of what sized pools we are talking

Valid point with the thermal convection! I am actually very tempted to take a trip to Home Pro and get me a pump and a black garden hose. Total investment how much? 2,000? Will report back!

[pauljones]

The bubble wrap type pool covers do work well but as Naam says, a pain to handle.

Still, it could be the way to go if you cannot use the pool due to cold temps.

I did make a small solar panel with black hose a long time ago. Worked well enough to heat a bathtub size vessel.

Wonder how much effect it will have on a pool?

[raro]

All we need here is 2 or 3 degrees more than we have right now. Should not be that much of problem.....I am VERY tempted to give it a go....

[Naam]

I did make a small solar panel with black hose a long time ago. Worked well enough to heat a bathtub size vessel.

Wonder how much effect it will have on a pool?

none

[Naam]

The bubble wrap type pool covers do work well but as Naam says, a pain to handle.

Still, it could be the way to go if you cannot use the pool due to cold temps.

they reduce heat loss due to less evaporation but cannot compensate for two consecutive weeks of cool nights. a long black hose on the roof with forced circulation would indeed work. the question is how long would the hose last when exposed continously to Thailand's sun. the solar panels for pool heating have a completely different molecular structure which seems to last. whatever i installed on roofs of three homes built in Florida is still intact. the solar panels for pool heating of the first home were installed in 1989. the manufacturer of "Heliocol™" gave at that time an unconditional warranty of 30 years. when i think of the average lifetime of a normal garden hose which is not much exposed to UV radiation then...

[raro]

ok...let's see...pool is 5 x 10 m, average depth 1.30 m - this makes about 65 cbm of water. Water temperature this morning 10 am is 26° (brrrrr....) So we need to raise this temperature by some 3 or 4 degrees to make it bearable.

A garden hose has an inner diameter of 12 mm. On a length of 50 m this corresponds to 0.023 cbm. So the water has to pass 2,800 times through the hose if the hose is able to heat the water by 4 degrees. 1,400 times if the hose heats by 8 degrees and so on...

Would it actually matter how fast the water passes through the hose? I don't think so, slow flow heats up the water to higher temperatures but less water gets warmed up.

[Naam]

Would it actually matter how fast the water passes through the hose? I don't think so, slow flow heats up the water to higher temperatures but less water gets warmed up.

basically a correct assumption. however, a minimum flow is required for optimal heat absorption. that's why gravity flow does not work if the diameter of the hose is too small or the length too short. in any case a pump should be used but not necessarily a high-powered pool pump. diverting a part of the flow of an existing pool pump is ok during filtering hours. extending these filtering hours to achieve heating is a pure waste of energy.

[craigt3365]

Great topic. I've discussed this with Naam before. But after his quote from the local supplier, I gave up. I did some research on just what you are thinking of doing, Raro. Seems to be pretty easy to do, but more like 3k Baht. I priced the hose and pumps last week at HomeWorks. I think Global House would be a better place, but it's a bit far. If we get serious, I highly suggest a run there.

I just checked our temp. 23!!! A few days ago it was 26....still too cold!!!

Check this out:

https://www.google.com/search?q=homemade+pool+heat+solar&hl=en&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=UUj5To-fMcS4rAeazo3iDw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=537

Lots of images and info on DIY.

This is a great video:

One other thought. What about using a solar water heater like they use for the home? Put it on the roof and tap it into the pump with a valve for on/off. Don't want it too hot in the summer!!!!!

P.S. If you do get this import thing together, I'm in for sure. Naam: Can you post a pic of that heating element? It was pretty cool.

[Naam]

A garden hose has an inner diameter of 12 mm. On a length of 50 m this corresponds to 0.023 cbm. So the water has to pass 2,800 times through the hose if the hose is able to heat the water by 4 degrees. 1,400 times if the hose heats by 8 degrees and so on...

the heating capacity of a 50m hose will perhaps suffice for a hot shower but is useless to raise the temperature of a 65m³ pool.

[Naam]

One other thought. What about using a solar water heater like they use for the home? Put it on the roof and tap it into the pump with a valve for on/off.

Mrs Naam's driver (my handyman) is presently collecting prices for these panels. he just called telling me that two shops he contacted refuse to sell panels only. they insist on complete installation with storage tank and circulation pump for a fancy price. more info perhaps later, my flight leaves in the evening.

caveat: these panels are not fit to be used for heating up normal rather corrosive pool water! my case is different because my pool is not exposed to sunlight and therefore i use only a fraction of chemicals.

[Naam]

If you do get this import thing together, I'm in for sure. Naam: Can you post a pic of that heating element? It was pretty cool.

picture of a solar panel and roof of my last home:

[raro]

Yeah, that is pretty much what I am thinking of! Will probably use an aquarium pump. They are cheaper and have not that much power = medium flow rate.

[craigt3365]

Yeah, that is pretty much what I am thinking of! Will probably use an aquarium pump. They are cheaper and have not that much power = medium flow rate.

How would you hook it in? Just dump it in the pool or connect it via one of the pipes?

I thought about putting the solar panel on the roof and just hook it into the distribution pipes with an on/off valve. Should be relatively easy to do???? Just need to get that dang panel!