Guidelines on the performance of solar water heating for swimming pools

Solar water collectors for heating swimming pools are increasingly being used in New Zealand. Typically these collectors are unglazed rubber or plastic mats / panels that work best at low temperature differentials between the ambient air temperature and the pool water temperature. Computer simulation of pools in Auckland and Dunedin has shown that these solar collectors are effective at raising the temperature of pool water, particularly where a pool cover is also used. However, in windy locations, or towards the lower South Island greater consideration should be given to using glazed collectors for heating pools that are maintained at a constant temperature during the pool heating season. Whilst these systems may cost significantly more, this cost can be offset by integrating the domestic water heating with the pool heating system.