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The Case against 2 HP Pumps

31.03.22 03:50 AM By Solar Swim - Comment(s)
The Case against 2 HP Pumps
In our business, we constantly come across homeowners shopping a new pool and deciding which company to use. Let’s have a look at some hypothetical proposals for your new pool installation and the variables that might drive your decision making.


Company A is offering a 1 hp standard duty pump, cartri...

What Size Pump Do I Need for My Pool?

30.03.22 12:48 PM By Solar Swim - Comment(s)
What Size Pump Do I Need for My Pool?
For instance, if you have a 560 square foot pool holding about 20k gallons, your pump (and filter) must be able to turn over 20,000 gallons in 8 hours or 2500 gallons per hour or about 42 gallons per minute as the absolute permitted minimum. Ignoring published minimums it has become common practice ...

How to calculate pressure drop and friction losses in a pipe

30.03.22 12:47 PM By Solar Swim - Comment(s)
How to calculate pressure drop and friction losses in a pipe

In short, gravitational lift and length of pipe are of primary importance in the estimate of head pressure loss with fittings, valves and individual water features being less significant to the overall equation. We see so many filters and pump combinations in the field thrown together seemingly will...

We cannot continue to run our pools the way our daddy did

30.03.22 12:46 PM By Solar Swim - Comment(s)
We cannot continue to run our pools the way our daddy did

Now that energy has become an ever-increasing part of our household expenses, we cannot continue to run our pools the way our daddy did. If you are reading this, then I think you have realized that you need to change a few things, within reason, of course about how you view your pool.

Efficient Pool Pump Designs

30.03.22 12:46 PM By Solar Swim - Comment(s)
Efficient Pool Pump Designs

Pump speeds are pre-set for solar/on and solar/off. During periods of solar/off such as cloudy mornings, rainy days or times when the pool is holding temperature, these pumps speeds must be manually set based upon a physical observation of the skimmer weirs. (The weir is the one way gate that floats...

Running An Efficient Pool

30.03.22 12:32 PM By Solar Swim - Comment(s)
Running An Efficient Pool

You can edit texAn in-depth discussion as to the structural and practical elements that contribute to the most efficient overall pool designs possible such as shapes and contours, insulated sidewalls, full sun exposure, windbreaks, choice of materials for the shell of the pool and efficient plumbing...

Swimming Pool Energy Consumption (SPEC)

30.03.22 12:31 PM By Solar Swim - Comment(s)
Swimming Pool Energy Consumption (SPEC)
Let’s have a look at energy efficiency and consumption from the swimming pool standpoint, referred to simply as SPEC. throughout this discussion (S. P. E. C. – Swimming Pool Energy Consumption).


Such considerations may seem silly to some, an oxymoron of sorts to others. Who in their right mind, consc...

Inexpensive Solar Heating Pool Upgrades

30.03.22 12:29 PM By Solar Swim - Comment(s)
Inexpensive Solar Heating Pool Upgrades
  1. Replacement of inline chlorinators with similar offline designs.
  2. Upgrade filter interconnect piping to all 2 inches and replace ‘hard’ 90 elbows with ‘soft’ 2 in sweep elbow designs.
  3. Incorporate 2 in full flow ball valve, multiport valve and check valve designs and eliminate unnecessary bends.
  4. Install ...

So how much pump do you really need for your pool?

30.03.22 12:26 PM By Solar Swim - Comment(s)
So how much pump do you really need for your pool?
  • To calculate pool gallonage: one should multiply the surface area of the pool by average depth by 7.5 or 5.9 depending upon the shape of your pool.
  • Rectangle pools simply multiply length x width x average depth x 7.5
  • Example 16 x 32. 16×32 = 512 x 4.5’ (avg of 3-8 feet) x 7.5 = 17,280 gallons
  • Example 1...

The Stand Alone, Optimized Swimming Pool Pump

30.03.22 12:20 PM By Solar Swim - Comment(s)
The Stand Alone, Optimized Swimming Pool Pump
As the rest of this web site is devoted to Solar and other alternative heating systems for the pool, we recognize that not everyone needs or desires to heat their pool, and not everyone can have an automatic pool cover. In fact less than 10% of pools built today would allow the use of an automatic c...

Ground Mounted Solar Rack Systems

30.03.22 12:09 PM By Solar Swim - Comment(s)
Ground Mounted Solar Rack Systems
An alternative to a rooftop solar panel system is a ground-mounted solar racking system. The decision to use a ground-mounted solar rack usually has to do with aesthetics and space.  Often electric solar panels and pool panels will compete for the same optimum roof space, but it can also b...