how much pvc

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steve0926

how much pvc

Postby steve0926 » Sun 21 Mar, 2010 18:30

i was wondering how much black pvc pipe i would need to effectively raise the temp in my pool, first let me say i live in Maine, so we do have a short swimming season without some type of heater, and 2nd i have a 20x40 in ground pool and 8 ft at the deep end, it holds around 33,000 gallons i believe, thank you. just trying to figure out if i would go broke buying enough pvc pipe to heat it at all, also which size is better to use? i have heard conflicting opinions.


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mas985
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how much pvc

Postby mas985 » Sun 21 Mar, 2010 20:26

It is all about surface area. The surface area of the water that contacts the tubing and the surface area of the panel exposed to the sun. That is why solar panels are made up of lots of small tubes usually around 1/4". Larger tubing is less efficient at heat transfer to the water.

The size of the panel (sq-ft) will determine the rate at which the pool will heat. Most people go with as large a panel that will fit on their roof or up to 80% of the pool surface but you will gain some heat gain with any size.
Mark
Hydraulics 101; Pump and Pool Spreadsheets; Pump Ed 101
18'x36' 20k gallon plaster/gunite pool, 1/2 HP 2sp pump, Aqualogic PS8 SWCG, 420 sq-ft Cartridge Filter, Solar Panels, 6 jet spa, 1 HP jet pump, 400k BTU NG Heater

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