" How do you dispose of a monstrosity like this when its done?? "

" And how much electricity does it use to reroute all of this water. One part of the equasion left out. "

" We made our own version many years ago. It was made of a copper tubing
"grill"attached to the fence. A "garden hose" was placed on a fitting attached to one of the return jets which pumped the water through the copper tubing. Another portion of hose at the end of the tubing put the sun heated water back into the pool. Worked great. Since the pool pump was already on, it didn't take any nore electricity to operate it. The "man" always came up with great ideas that worked!

We also used a solar cover which looked like a giant piece of bubble wrap to help keep the water temperature up overnight. He even made the device to roll and unroll the cover saving us at least $200-$300 bucks. We only used our solar heater when the temperature was a little lower. When the air temp was in the upper 80's or 90's we didn't bother with it. The perfect temperature for the pool water on hot days was 86-88 degress. Anything warmer than that felt like a lukewarm bath. The reason for getting the pool is to cool off , not take a bath! :-) "

" Ron,

You ask a great question! Since the solar panels are made out of high quality SCH 40 PVC, it can be recycled for other uses. The rest of the structure is a wood deck and can be deposed of in a variety of ways.

Medic57,

Another good question. Yes, the solar array does cause the pump to work harder and use more electricity. The amount of extra electric used is dependent on the size of the solar panel array. The savings on your pool heating bill these systems give you more than offsets the slight increase in your electric bill.

If we all started using systems like these, they would lower our need for imported energy (currently around $450 Billion per year) and enable us to live with a lighter impact on the environment. As an added bonus, over the life span of your pool, you will save Tens of thousands of dollars off of your heating bill!

"I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power!
I hope we don't have to wait 'til oil and coal run out before we tackle that."
~ Thomas Edison (18471931)

Allan Hottovy
Green Power 4 Earth, LLC
224-795-9503
www.GreenPower4Earth.com "

" Medic, it won't use any more electricity than the pump was already using. A 100gpm pump will always pump 100gpm (under normal circumstances). The only change would be the amount of water as the volume of the solar exchange tubes now have to be filled. "

" Every piece of plastic and rubber in this contraption is a petroleum product.
But more importantly- isn't it just terrible when the economy is so bad that Liberals have to scrimp on *heating their summer swimming pools*.
We must be just days away from bread lines and soup kitchens. We need another Porkulus Bill and a Cr*p-and-Trade Bill ASAP. Oh the horror of it all. "

" Thanks for sharing, Billie. Your message reminded me of something I saw several years ago while traveling through Canada and stopping at the Alexander Graham Bell home and labs.

Bell rigged up something similar on his roof top to create hot water for his shower. Another device he created was an air conditioning system that ran air ducts below ground surface and forced the cool underground air up into his home with a large fan. Bell's house was full of many similar devices, and is well worth the stop. Bell was no doubt a genius, but with a little ingenuity, all of us, as you shown can come up with ideas that work and are relatively cheap. "

" Amazing isn't it Harry what a little ingenuity can do? We had all kinds of things made by the big fella. He hated to throw anything away that might be useful. His workshop had all kinds of stuff he'd saved in it. I drew the line at storing that "junk" as I called it in the house though. LOL! I learned over the years that not only could he come up a workable solution to fix something, it always looked good too.

By the way, you know I'm not a liberal don't you Harry? We saved our money to have that pool put in. Finding ways to operate it economically just seems smart to me, not scrimping.

It was good therapy for him to swim due to the fact his mobility was diminished by the loss of his legs in Vietnam. It was a stress free way to exercise. He could lie on his back and float for hours if he chose to. He bobbed like a fishing cork in the water because his lower legs were gone and they didn't pull him down. Little kids( who had just met him) were amazed when they saw him plunge into the pool and saw him swimming like a pro!

Oops! There's another one of those boring veterans stories I was advised not to tell awhile back by "you know who" on another thread. Tough! "

" Green Power 4 Earth wrote on Jul 20, 2009 10:37 AM
==================
Thank You Allan for the answers and info. "

" Oops! There's another one of those boring veterans stories I was advised not to tell awhile back by "you know who" on another thread. Tough! "


Yeah I saw that one, I guess he figured out how to crack the name code thing. You know it's kind of funny that that name periodically pops ups after I acknowledged posting under it for a while to get him going. I don't have to do it now that I've figured out how to keep him cranked up. And as you've no doubt noticed that everyone who agrees with me or disagrees with him is automatically me now. Careful or you will accused of being me. lol. And hey I enjoy your "Toby" stories. I'm sure I'm not the only one who enjoyed hearing them. "

" Well HP, maybe I'll be safe because you know I don't always agree with you. :-) Golly! That's a novel idea actually liking someone who's political beliefs often don't see eye to eye with oneanother such as yours and mine. What's the world coming to? LOL! "

" "Oops! There's another one of those boring veterans stories I was advised not to tell awhile back by "you know who" on another thread. Tough! "
---------

If you're insinuating that I posted any such thing- you're mistaken Mrs Brant.



"By the way, you know I'm not a liberal don't you Harry? "
----------

Are you feeling the need to go after me, Mrs Brant? "

" " Yeah I saw that one, I guess he figured out how to crack the name code thing. You know it's kind of funny that that name periodically pops ups after I acknowledged posting under it for a while to get him going. "
---------

Since you're obviously trying to sell the conspiracy theory that I'm stealing names, Mr Potter- why I haven't I stolen your name yet Harry?

Can we expect you to start claiming that next? "

" I meant to say:

why haven't I stolen your name yet Harry? "

" Nope 7X! I don't feel the need to go after you. Why should I? Frankly, your little games bore me to tears.

Go ahead and chase your own tail like the pup you are. The alpha male you "ain't". "

" PVC = Polyvinyl Chloride

Such an innocent sounding 3 letters and 2 words.



PVC - The Poison Plastic

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic, commonly referred to as vinyl, is one of the most hazardous consumer products ever created. PVC is dangerous to human health and the environment throughout its entire life cycle, at the factory, in our homes, and in the trash. Our bodies are contaminated with poisonous chemicals released during the PVC lifecycle, such as mercury, dioxins, and phthalates, which may pose irreversible life-long health threats. When produced or burned, PVC plastic releases dioxins, a group of the most potent synthetic chemicals ever tested, which can cause cancer and harm the immune and reproductive systems.

New Car or Shower Curtain Smell? The Smell of PVC

PVC is useless without the addition of a plethora of toxic additives, which can make the PVC product itself harmful to consumers. These chemicals can evaporate or leach out of PVC, posing risks to children and consumers. New car smell? New shower curtain smell? Thats the smell of poisonous chemicals off-gassing from the PVC. One of the most common toxic additives is DEHP, a phthalate that is a suspected carcinogen and reproductive toxicant readily found in numerous PVC products. Children can be exposed to phthalates by chewing on vinyl toys. While it is still legal for US retailers to sell PVC childrens and baby toys containing dangerous phthalates, the European Parliament voted in July, 2005 to permanently ban the use of certain toxic phthalates in toys. One EPA study found that vinyl shower curtains can cause elevated levels of dangerous air toxins, which can persist for more than a month.



Such nice stuff to be running our water through. "

" " Nope 7X! I don't feel the need to go after you. Why should I? Frankly, your little games bore me to tears.

Go ahead and chase your own tail like the pup you are. The alpha male you "ain't". "
-----------

What does that mean Mrs Brant? "

" " Nope 7X! I don't feel the need to go after you. Why should I? "
-----------

So you're not going after me Mrs Brant?



" Frankly, your little games bore me to tears."
Go ahead and chase your own tail like the pup you are. The alpha male you "ain't". "
----------

And then you go after me. "

" So they took up 14x24 area of their yard, to erect this one purpose, one limited use "cost savings" system with a 15 year life span.

Wonder what the county tax mans opinion of this permanent structure using up 336 sq. feet?

Above ground or in ground pool, how big?

How much is this specific example, lots of projections, and estimates, but no mention of what this cost.

They make solar pumps, that will do decent gph and capable of 18 or so feet of lift. Could have built a shed, put this on the roof, and actually made use of 14x24 all year.

Array material, looks like hail and high wind, would do a number on it. especially if its essentially just black plastic over plumbing. I know its so many mil thick fancy black plastic. It looks like backyard pond liner.

If this is what someone wants, it and better can be a do it yourself project and actually be more functional, efficient, and green. Lots of solar ideas and plans are free through various sources. Could include a solar oven and grill, in the system, pretty easily, I would think.

Killing 336 sq feet of grass, for the sole purpose of swimming an extra month on each end of the swim season, isn't exactly green.

Now this thing is radiating excess heat down around the ground, out in the yard somewhere. All done so dragging the solar cover on and off can be avoided. Solar covers keep heat in at night, and impact evaporation loss, when the pool isn't being used.

They need to track how much more water and chemicals they use after installing this. Lots of waste, hiding behind the green energy collection, and the marketers aren't proud enough of it to give a ballpark price. Or show a picture of the pool and how it compares to the 1000 Sq ft example they provide.

How many folks have a 1000 sq ft pool. Thats around 31.63 x 31.63. Most pools are usually compared by cubic measurements or gallons of water to capacity, aren't they? Square feet, only indicates the footprint needed, to place it somewhere. Without the depth or total gallons of water, it is a poor and vague refference to base anything on.

Who heats their pools with natural gas in the first place?

Pools are already natural solar heat collectors, unless they get built in the shade, then they tend to be leaf and limb collectors. Their lining is colored light colors, to keep them from getting too hot. Most of the summer, I would want a geothermal pool cooler option.

They probably could have built a shed instead of the deck, in a way that sliding or removable panels, and ventilation, could have enclosed the pool, giving 365 days in their pool season. A green house or some other use of the space under the array deck, with collection of the water it will collect and trench the yard around it, if not dealt with. Lots more water, diverted to whatever is below this things slope. Deffinately not a design many people who value their yard or usable space in it, would rush out and buy, for who knows how much it even costs. An easier to use solar cover, system, could have done a lot of this, in alot less wase of space and resources.

It has an automatic temperature control they like to set at 88. Most of the summer, it usually would be on divert, with that system. Sure this week has been rare for July weather, but what is going on with the system, when heat index of 100+ and high humidity is going on for months around this thing, besides being a heat sinkover the fence from the pool? How much treated lumber went into this "green" investment? I suppose the lattice is pvc, to prevent rot from the heat and moisture collected.

This is the worst report I have seen from this usually more on the ball than others reporter. It really is more of a straight off the hand out of sales pitches by this company, than any community interest or informative value. "

" I recently watched a news report about a man in Buffalo NY on how he's using a new type of solar pool heater. It heats the pool and cools the home by recycling the solar energy inside the attic. There are no solar panels so you don't have to dedicate the entire yard or your roof top to accommodate a massive installation. "