Moving Solar Pool heater

[csriram45]

I recently moved into a new home which has a pool and also has solar heating for the pool. I am looking at getting solar panels for my home. The issue is that I have solar pool panel on both west and south facing roof. i would like to move the south facing one to east which would give me the roof to put solar panels for electricity. is moving the panels easy enough? Does any one recommend any one in the NorCal area?

How much would it cost to move and what should i be concerned about? thx.

[J.P.M.]

I recently moved into a new home which has a pool and also has solar heating for the pool. I am looking at getting solar panels for my home. The issue is that I have solar pool panel on both west and south facing roof. i would like to move the south facing one to east which would give me the roof to put solar panels for electricity. is moving the panels easy enough? Does any one recommend any one in the NorCal area?

How much would it cost to move and what should i be concerned about? thx.

1.) Depending on how big your pool panel array is, it's likely that moving pool heating panels is probably easier than moving other types of solar equipment. Sometimes it can be a DIY type proj. depending on your inclination. However, that doesn't make it a cake walk. FWIW, plumbing changes and appearance are often overlooked when considering such additions/changes.

2.) I'd ask pool service people for names of reliable pool heater installers. They often seem knowledgeable in such matters, or may do such things as part of their service. Get quotes from several pool heater installers. While you're about it, get the roof under the proposed proposed new location inspected and serviced if necessary. It's cheap insurance.

3.) I'd also respectfully suggest considering supporting the pool heaters on racks slightly above the roof surface. That may (probably) cost a bit in terms of performance and $$'s, but will make the (assumed) inevitable leaks easier to spot when they do happen and help prevent mold growth and roof deterioration from trapped/puddled/ponded rainwater/dew/leaks/etc. More cheap insurance.

4) A related subject perhaps worth considering before moving a portion of the pool heater: they may be inconvenient and unsightly to some, but a solar pool cover is likely more cost effective than solar pool water heaters. I had a really slick one in Albuquerque that eliminated using a gas fired pool heater from about 05/01 until about 10/15 or so. It came w/ the pool & the house when I bought it and was part of the inground pool and motorized. It probably cost a lot when new, and thus probably not very cost effective, but it was completely integrated into the pool and was almost unseen when retracted. The cover itself was opaque and was very dark brown. The pool H2O temp. was consistently above 80 deg. F. and pushed 90 deg. or so in high summer if the cover was left in place during times of non use, and eliminated just about all need for aux. heat for the pool.

J.P.M.

[Mike90250]

you may find that if you move the heaters, the fittings may be frozen in place, and uncoupling the plumbing may destroy the connectors.

Also, east facing is not as likely to harvest as much heat as west or south, may want to check local conditions beforehand.

[csriram45]

Thank you

Thank you for the info. I will consider the inputs and make few calls. In regards to east facing compared to West or South. I am in Northern California and I agree that east is not as efficient as the west or south but i do need the west or south for my solar panels for electricity and worse case if the solar water heater does not heat enough, I am hoping my solar panels produce enough electricity so i can use my heater...

[J.P.M.]

Thank you for the info. I will consider the inputs and make few calls. In regards to east facing compared to West or South. I am in Northern California and I agree that east is not as efficient as the west or south but i do need the west or south for my solar panels for electricity and worse case if the solar water heater does not heat enough, I am hoping my solar panels produce enough electricity so i can use my heater...

South, +/- some is, almost without exception, the best orientation to get the most production from any solar device. I'd put the solar electric there for sure. Your backup pool heater is gas fired I hope ? Heating pool water with electricity is like cutting butter with a chain saw. Quite expensive as well I'd estimate.

[csriram45]

South, +/- some is, almost without exception, the best orientation to get the most production from any solar device. I'd put the solar electric there for sure. Your backup pool heater is gas fired I hope ? Heating pool water with electricity is like cutting butter with a chain saw. Quite expensive as well I'd estimate.

You are right, it is probably gas fired. Thx for the inputs