Solar pool pumps: varieties, prices and savings

If you’re a solar power enthusiast, a pool provides unique opportunities to pursue your passion. Most pool owners are already utilizing solar cells, covers and heating systems – and not only for their wow factor, but because they provide great savings. Although it is not very practical, a solar pool pumps is another option for persons who want to indulge their passion for innovative gadgets or decrease their environmental impact.

Whether a solar pool pump can really help you save is a subject of debate. Because the high price of a new system, it may be impossible to recover your investment within a reasonable time frame (i.e. unless you obtain some great government discounts). On the other side, assembling with the help of kit or doing it on your own may reduce the start-up cost enough to make it cost-efficient.

Solar pool pump: types

What is solar pool pump? There are many various setups possible, and which one you’re talking about can have a big impact on any discussion of prices and savings. Below are several options:

• Conventional pool pump. In such a case, the pool pump operates the old-fashioned way, but gets its power from solar batteries instead of the power grid. This doesn’t mean the pump isn’t intended to engage solar – just that it works similarly to a traditional pump. SunRay is a company that produces this kind of solar pump.
• Independent system. Some solar pump systems float on the water. They are compatible with spas and spools. For bigger pools, they can act as an aid system for your main pool pump.
• Secondary pump for water feature. Some water features work via your main pump, while the rest of them (particularly waterfalls) require its own system. These extra pumps can be excellent candidates for solar energy, since it’s not necessary that they work all the time.

Apart from the price, one of the causes many pool owners are definitely reluctant to use a solar pump is that filtering is essential for maintaining a pool clean. Such things as heating and lighting are non-mandatory– in the worst-case scenario, you just won’t use your pool. On the other side, if you don’t have sufficient energy to filter your pool, that could lead to an algae problem that’s difficult to correct.

On the other hand, solar power works best just at the time you require to run a pool pump – during the day. Moreover, in this time, when many energy companies ask more money for electricity. Therefore, there is a change to save, if you can find a system that satisfies your requirements at a reasonable cost.

DIY Solar pool pumps

Many persons who got obsessed with solar power are also fanatic DIYs. If that’s your case, you may be interested in assembling the parts with your own hands and installing your own solar pool pump. This calls for a bit of knowhow, but it’s a much more cost-effective than purchasing a new system.