What tips do you have about integrating solar pool heating systems into existing pools with in-floor cleaners? With the high head pressures required by these cleaners, many existing pumps are not capable of the flow rates needed for effective solar pool heating, especially with the additional head pressure from solar panel systems.
Short of a booster pump, returning via other pool returns (if present) is an obvious choice, and can be accomplished with automation during solar heating.
Any other thoughts about this?
Jason Szumlanski
Replies
Jason,
Have you found an answer to your question?
My understanding of infloor systems, is you need 60GPM per zone. And isn't that about the flow rate needed to satisfy the solar system?
-Jeremy
Florida Leisure Pool & Spa
www.FloridaPoolSpa.com
It's not really the flow rate, but the pressure that is a requirement of in-floor cleaners - usually 20PSI. The problem is that if the pressure is already in the mid-20's, especially with added head from 1-1/2" suction plumbing, you are on the flat part of the pump curve and any additional head results in dramatically reduced flow.
I guess one question is how much head is added by the valve cleaner manifold itself? That would be easy enough to bypass. I suspect, however, that the majority of the pressure is added by the in-floor pop-up head.