efficiency, color of pipe for coils?

[Wade1]

will painting (polyB) grey pipe with flat black give the same heat absortion as regular (solid black) poly pipe?

what sort of % would the non-painted grey pipe absorb compared to black?

[russ]

Take a short section of each - say 1 foot (300mm) - and leave the two lay side by side in the sun. When you pick them up after they have soaked up sunlight for an hour you will have a real good idea.

[FunGas]

If you want efficiency, use copper tubing and spray it flat black, that's what all the hot water heaters are made from here, enclosed in an aluminium box, again, sprayed flat black - the water comes out near boiling.

[skeeter_ca]

Black would be the perfered color by far. If you do paint it use very light coats. A heavy coat will impede the heat transfer. Avoid metal entirely. While metals would tranfer heat better the chemicals in the pool can attack the metals and you end up with corrosion or erosion problems.

skeeter

[Naptown]

Black would be the perfered color by far. If you do paint it use very light coats. A heavy coat will impede the heat transfer. Avoid metal entirely. While metals would tranfer heat better the chemicals in the pool can attack the metals and you end up with corrosion or erosion problems.

skeeter

Exactly what in the OP makes you think this is for a pool? Although I agree with your assessment regarding pool chemicals.

[skeeter_ca]

Uh......maybe the fact that it is listed in the "Solar pool heating" section.


skeeter

[skeeter_ca]

Btw, wade,

What is the size and wall thickness of this grey pipe you have?

skeeter

[Naptown]

uh......maybe the fact that it is listed in the "solar pool heating" section.


Skeeter

duh

[skeeter_ca]

[inetdog]

Exactly what in the OP makes you think this is for a pool? Although I agree with your assessment regarding pool chemicals.

How about the fact that the post is in the Solar pool heating sub-forum?
(I don't always look at the location when I look at new posts either....)

[Naptown]

How about the fact that the post is in the Solar pool heating sub-forum?
(I don't always look at the location when I look at new posts either....)

Which is what got me comfusicated

[Wade1]

i am not 100% sure the wall thickness on the pipe, but it's just the stand 1/2" polyB piping used for residentail plumbing (not so much anymore with all the problems they had with it). I have about 20,000 feet of it at work (free) but i think i'll just spring the $$$ for a 400' coil of black poly.

[skeeter_ca]

Down here in califorina they sell the rolls of 1/2" irrigation tubing in 100', 500' and 1000' rolls. The 1000' roll is only $82 at home depot. Even though it is listed as 1/2" it is actually .600" ID.

skeeter

[marmelada]

Take a short section of each - say 1 foot (300mm) - and leave the two lay side by side in the sun. When you pick them up after they have soaked up sunlight for an hour you will have a real good idea.

DO we have the results of this experiment? Would be really nice to know.

Mod note - forget the links