When it comes to a solar pool, collectors can be roughly divided into two types - glazed (with glass covering) and unglazed. The type you need depends on the climate in your region. If you will be using your pool when temperatures are above freezing (which is more likely), you need an unglazed collector system. Unglazed collectors are made of heavy-duty rubber and plastic treated with an ultraviolet (UV) light inhibitor to extend their lifespan.

Location and design

A typical unglazed collector design is shown on a graft below. It consists of sections connected to each other and each section is basically a couple of pipes with some tubing in between them. The water from the pool enters one of main pipes and starts flowing through the whole tubing, getting warmer on its way to the second pipe.

Solar collectors with glazing generally have the same principle of operating but each section is mounted inside a sealed box with a front panel made of glass and the tubing can be made of metal or glass instead of plastic.

The effectiveness of the whole solar pool system mainly depends on the tubing’s design and collector’s location. There are two main locations for the solar pool collectors - roof of your house and special ground level stand. Obviously, the latter eats up additional space while it’s easier to assemble and maintain (it is less costly as you don’t need a big engine to pump water to the roof).

The more the collector is exposed to the sunlight the higher its effectiveness for the solar pool system is. In general, the surface area of your collector should be equal to at least 50% of the pool’s surface area. However, if you live in a warm climate and use your pool during the whole year, you need a collector with a larger surface. Typically, it requires a collector that equals to 100% of the pool’s square footage to accommodate year-round use.

There are lots of solar collector designs available on the market and every manufacturer claims to have a unique “the world’s best” solution of tubing as well as a mounting system for it. Thus, it is hard to suggest a certain model. Some tubes have a round cross-section and are flexible enough so you can make them follow the profile of your roof; some have a specially designed cross section (square or round with a thread) that can be rigid. The main factors you should consider while choosing a solar pool collector are amount of solar energy it absorbs (the percentage of sun energy it’s exposed to), its lifetime and of course the price.

The price

Because of inexpensive parts and simple design, unglazed collectors are less expensive than glazed collectors. The typical price for one 5m x 1m section of a solar collector (if you buy a Do-It-Yourself kit) is $100-300. Do not forget that you need to assemble a collector with a minimum surface of 50% of your pool’s surface.

What else is important

If you live in a place where animals and/or birds can damage your solar pool collector, you should ask for a collector with a possum and cockatoo proof. In addition, if you live in a cold climate, remember that you need to “drain down” your collector and piping when the temperature drops below 5 degrees Celsius. You can do it manually or you can buy a solar pool with a special controller to do that. Just keep in mind that the controller must be produced by a very reliable manufacturer because if the water freezes, it can seriously damage your system.