I’ve been working on building our above ground pool in the back yard for three years now. I officially finished phase 2 this week by turning on 160 square feet of solar pool heating panels neatly installed above our custom deck roof. Here’s a snapshot:

Detailed project description & notes:

Project History: In 2007 I ordered and installed a 12’x24’ AG (above ground) steel-sided pool in our back yard. In 2008 I built a roof over part of our deck. My original plans called for installing solar hot water panels on the roof, but after finishing the pool I decided the best option was to build a roof over part of our deck. This serves two goals: First, it provides a 10’ x 20’ south facing roof with nearly ideal solar TOF (Tilt and Orientation Factor). Second, the roof allows us to use the deck in the rain and provides shade when the weather is really hot. I’m very happy with the design. It’s great fun to sit out on the deck in the pouring rain. This year (2009) I’ve finally pulled out the Mario cap and finished installing and plumbing the pool SHW system.

Parts: Here’s the short list of items used:

• 3 solar panels totaling 160 square feet (one Fafco 4’x20’ panel, two SunHeater 2’x20’ panels, both bought on http://seattle.craigslist.org for a total of about $200)
• 5 size transitions to interconnect 4 different pipe diameters (thanks to 2” base plumbing connecting 2 panels using 1.5” fittings and 1 panel using 1” fittings, plus hand-built 3/4” vacuum release valve)
• 6 union joints (allowing me to maintain the system rather than hard pipe everything permanently then have to cut pipe on 7/12 pitch metal roof if repairs are ever needed)
• 17 2” pipe connectors including 5 45’ elbows, 2 90’ elbows, 2 straight connectors, and 8 T joints!
• 4 removable T-joint plugs inline for handy installation of fountains, water guns, or whatever I decide to cook up :-D
• 80+ feet of 2” Schedule 40 PVC pipe
• 2 cans of paint (to match brown deck wood and hunter green roof), 2 cans of PVC cement, 8 Pipe hangers, and several other miscellaneous supplies
• 1.5 years of worry that I’d fall off the roof as my shoes slowly slid down the straight metal roof toward a 12’ drop onto metal chairs and misc. planters on our deck
• ~6 days of labor split over 5 months time.

I’d rather not count the hours it took me to design and install the system. I vaguely recall about 5 trips to Lowes and Home Depot, each time thinking that I was getting the last set of PVC joints and pipes to finish this project.

Biggest setback: Realizing the z-channels used to support the solar panels had to be screwed in at an angle that exactly match how panels laid after plumbed. Chicken-and-egg problem is I needed to support the panels to get them plumbed. I managed to solve the problem by installing temporary supports, then relying on contortionism with a cordless drill in one hand and faith that 6 screws (holding two mystic roof plank holders) would prevent me from tumbling to a painful and potentially maiming conclusion.
Biggest surprise: Finding the 20’ panels actually take 23’ to support!
Neat trick #1: Gutter downspout for the deck roof actually conceals the 2” pipe supplying water to the solar panels.
Neat trick #2: T joints used on the way up and down to roof are only 2’ above and 18” away from the pool and have threaded plugs to easily add fountains, water hose guns to splash kids, or anything else I can cook up!
Neat trick #3: Parallel panel configuration heats water with least resistance and slope toward feeder pipe (plus vacuum release valve at top) allows water to automatically drain back down when pump isn’t operating (instead of being cooled at night).
Highlights of the project: Turning it on and finding the only plumbing leaks were easily fixed by tightening threaded components (no slip joint leaks!). Even better is feeling slight but noticeably warmer water at the pool return jet even with full pump speed. Best of all is knowing my design worked as initially conceived with only minor tweaks to accommodate construction reality.

Here’s some more photos of the custom pipe manifolds I made, one leak in a solar panel, and kids having fun in the pool. (Note the algae bloom has finally been conquered but photos here are still a bit green.)

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What’s next?

Of course this project hasn’t been my only activity this summer, but it was definitely a big project. Next will be a massive clean-up. The back yard has looked like a construction zone for over two years. While not my top priority, I intend to reclaim some lawn from the large pool toys, drain pipes, and construction debris that have grown like noxious weeds near the pool. Perhaps the chlorine water naturally causes these things to overtake the surrounding area. Other neglected projects will take priority for a while (garage, master bath, etc.) as does my career work.

Eventually (2010?) the final phase of the pool will be designed and executed. Phase 3 is extending the deck about 18” to the pool on one side plus wrapping the deck around one end. One ambitious variation includes designing enough room for an 8’ tall pool slide and a rope swing! WOOHOOOOoo!

Want a closer look? Give me a call or e-mail and we’ll schedule a time for a personal tour :-). Don’t forget your bathing suit! (Don’t worry, I still have the wet suits as a backup plan if there are no sunny days.)