Which is the best method?

I'm currently looking at these chaps www.zane.com.au

I think they all work that way, black plastic pipes on the roof.

Some are better than others apparently. For example, some have pipes encased in glass just off the roof, whereas others are pads that actually sit on your tiles.

Ours just looks like black pipe, seems to work well though

Can't comment on the product, but I know the bloke who runs Zane. Top man who is the President of my son's Footy club.

So if a personal reference is worth anything, the man behind the product is OK.

Jules x

We have the black pipework on the roof. Not that its doing much down here in Adelaide.
We've been told that its good to have but a good solar blanket is better as it will keep your pool at a good temp rather than trying to keep adding warm water. I'll let you know when its warm enough to get in.

It would be great if the pool would get above 14c in the day at the moment. Sure the kids would be in if it was a few degrees more. Appears to gain 2c during the day.

Do blankets keep the heat in enough to allow it to build over a few days ?

I believe so Datamile. It should hold the heat in and warm it up abit aswell.We only had our pool put in 2 months ago so haven't got our cover on yet.Just finished our pool fencing now i have to start paving.:curse:By then it will be time for the summer and the cover can go on as the fun begins!!!

Thanks Jules.

Don't suppose you could PM me his details?

Well we have GAS (pha na pha na ) and it's just fabulous! If the sun is shining the children are in the pool, even in the 'winter'. They do wear wetsuits for when they get out and are running about though. You just have to think slightly in advance and remember to turn the heater on.

A big vote if you have children that will use the pool regularly.

But do they make it warm enough to swim this time of year?

Gas is ridiculously expensive. And if your kids wear wetsuits in there, you may as well have the pool solar heated, and save a few thousand dollars a year.

From what I can see, a good solar system will comfortably give around 7 1/2 months a year swimming (in Perth). So this is good enough for me.

A gas system will Ann because you just set the pool to the temperature you want.

Well depends how warm you like the water We use it till about the end of May on a good year, but my OH won't go into the water if it falls below 28.

So it will adds a few months swimming each year, I think you can swim longer if you have a thermal cover because most of the heat is lost over night.

But I did see someone swimming in an unheated pool on Saturday, I think they where from NZ though

We briefly thought about gas but decided it was too expensive and too much phaff. Just out of interest, how long does it take to heat up when the outside temp is in the 18 - 22 degree span and how much gas do you use in a year.

We haven't put any heating in yet although the pipes are there, we just can't decide what would be best. Our hot water is solar powered and we have to put the electric pump on quite a few night in winter because the low angle of the sun hasn't done it's job. Haven't got a blanket either, I like looking at the water too much

I did see something at a house and garden show but I didn't get the details. I think it was some sort of turbine thing that used the air temp to make the water in pipes hotter but as you can tell I am fairly brainless about such stuff and the OH was bored by that point and wanted to go home