Question 1

Hi can i use this with a bestway pump? Thanks :)

Accepted Answer

I am. Works fine don’t expect miracles. When I checked I was getting an increase of 1-2 degrees between inlet and outlet temperatures but that depends on flow rate, it takes a few hours to cycle the 4500 litres in a 10ft pool. That said our pool was around 30-35 deg C last summer.

Question 2

Could you improve the efficiency of these by covering them in glass to make a greenhouse.

Accepted Answer

No.

The greenhouse effect is only going to work in an enclosed system. Your proposal has no walls and therefore will not work or will have negligible impact. It is enclosed heated gases (that are unable to escape and thus continually heated) that heat a greenhouse not some kind of magnified solar radiation principle.

A more likely result of placing a pane of glass on top of this product is the weight of the glass will compress the mat and impede the flow of water thus making this product less efficient.

There are a number of factors you'll need to consider to get the desired efficiency from this product because otherwise it'll be a waste of money:

1) you WILL need a pool water pump/filter pump. **This product requires something to mechanically push the water through it.**
  2) the ground you sit the mat on is important. You'll get different results if it is sat on a lawn or patio. I would suggest that you sit the product on a wooden pallet with a foam mat inbetween to prevent punctures and to stop the ground acting as a heat sink and sucking the heat from it. If the product is used on a scorching hot day and you could get third degree burns if you were to step on your patio in bare feet then by all means sit the mats temporarily on the patio for an added initial heat boost. But as the mat shades the patio this boost will diminish and the patio will eventually start sucking the heat from the mat.
  3) the outdoor ambient temperature. This product relies upon its black surface absorbing solar radiation so works best in direct sunlight. Given the right set-up you could boost the pool temperature 3 or 4 degrees centigrade above the temperature of ambient standing water temperature. I would therefore suggest that you check the temperature of your pool as you would usually use it with a baby's bath thermometer, and then check in a bath what your minimum desired temperature is. If it's more that 4°C or 5°C apart don't bother with the mats.
  4) the temperature of the water you fill the pool with or how long you leave the pool filled outside. This product will take at least an hour when sat in intense sunshine (with a sufficiently strong water pump, but not strongerthan 2500 gal/hour as it is likely to burst the mat) to make a marginal difference to the pool temperature. You'll probably need a minimum of two hours to see 3°C or 4°C difference with the water pump running. If you fill your pool with water nowhere near your desired temperature it will take all day to get almost comfortable if you live in the UK. If the pool is filled and left over night and you live in the UK, do not anticipate the pool being a comfortable or the desirable temperature significantly earlier than midday if you turn the pump on early morning, again, if in continuous direct sunlight. This product is probably best utilised for *maintaining* your pool's temperature if you fill it initially with the desired temperature water (or top the pool up with warm water in the mornings), or preventing a pool from cooling quite as fast as it would without solar assistance.

If you don't already own a water pump and don't want to spend as much as £100 to get the desired results (results that you'll only get on the sunniest days) then don't bother with this product.

If you're willing to spend a little more than £200 I would suggest buying a second hand or stand-alone spa pump/heater for the inflatable type of spa. You can probably get somebody to install it into the pool via patching the pipework permanently into your pool's wall. It will still take a while to heat the water, but still faster than the solar mat, but it's a pump and heater in one. Admittedly you'll be paying to electrically heat the water rather than the cost effectiveness of solar powered heating, but it'll be faster and not ruined by a cloudy afternoon.

Question 3

can it be connected to electric heater to boost temperature or at least warm up faster ?

Accepted Answer

Dont see why not if the circuit is complete it would just get heated quicker! I would use the heater after the solar mat so it is heating up warmer water and use less power. Might want to try the bypass valve on half so it passes through the mat slower also

Question 4

What difference did you notice with a pool of around 800l?

Accepted Answer

Last year, with one mat during summer the water was around 32.  Which is about right for a pool.  The mats make a difference when the sun is out, if you put your hand in the pool and then near the outlet you will notice water coming out of the outlet is a little warmer.  Don’t expect a hot hub, don’t expect solar energy to work effectively when there is little solar energy and these are a great alternative to expensive electric heating.

Asin	B00MS3963Y
Best Sellers Rank	49,608 in Garden (See Top 100 in Garden) 6 in Pool Heaters
Brand	Intex
Connector Type	MC4
Customer Reviews	3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars (11,003) 3.7 out of 5 stars
Efficiency	A++
Folded Knife Size	10 centimeters (l) x 10 centimeters (w) x 5 centimeters (h)
Global Trade Identification Number	00078257286850, 06941057402031
Included Components	Solar mat and fixing kit
Item Dimensions L X W X H	120L x 120W x 7.1H centimetres
Item Type Name	ntex Eco-Friendly Solar Heating Mat for Swimming Pools
Item Weight	2.43 Kilograms
Manufacturer	Intex
Manufacturer Warranty Description	Manufacturer.
Material	Solar Panel Material
Maximum Power	0.33 Horsepower
Model Number	28685
Number Of Items	1
Number Of Packs	1
Part Number	28685
Special Features	Portable
Unit Count	1 solar mat
Upc	782572868508 787551995831 078257286850
Upper Temperature Rating	26 Degrees Celsius

Intex Eco-Friendly Solar Heating Mat for Swimming Pools #28685

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