Are you putting in a new pool?  Or, maybe you have an older pool?  Have you done any recent research on how you can further save save energy (and $$’s) annually in the operation of your pool pump, and the entire pool system? 

As pool owners, most of us are aware that in the winter there are fewer contaminants in our pool water due to lowered usage, slower algae growth rates, and other factors.   Because of this, most of us do not need to run our systems for the same duration as in summer to achieve acceptable water quality.    Maybe you know this, but do you change the your pool timer as the seasons change?   

Well, there is a smarter solution out there, and it is called the TightWatt.  TightWatt’s are pool timers that have multiple settings, and automatically adjust for season changes. 

TightWatt timers simply replace your existing timer.  Instructions are included so that you can make the swap yourself.  During the easy set-up process you enter the present time and date.  You then decide if you want your pool to turn on once, or twice per day.  You then set the duration your pool pump runs each time it turns on in summer, and do the same for winter.  Now Save the settings, and the TightWatt automatically keeps track of the calendar year, and adjusts accordingly!  Let your Savings begin!

There are a few different TightWatt models.  Basically for Single-Speed and Dual-Speed pool pumps (dual is now becoming required by many cities).  The products range from $89-$229 (plus shipping).   TightWatts can be purchased online via the TightWatt website, or through various retailers, such as Leslie’s.  

Sample savings of switching over to a TightWatt are shown in the chart below.  The chart illustrates the number of hours your pool runs (blue boxes), and the hours you don’t run it (green $ signs).  As you can see, by running your pump fewer hours in the winter you will save considerable $’s.  

As part of the introductory process to TightWatt, we recommend checking out the TightWatt Energy Savings Calculator.  This online calculator asks your electricity cost, specifics about your pool pump, how many hours per day you run your pump in the summer, as well as in the winter.  The calculator then presents various TightWatt products, and the savings you can expect. 

In addition Allen Concepts, Inc., the company that produces TightWatt, has a very interesting document on their site that details saving energy and money while operating your pool system - and do better for our environment.  GetWithGreen.com recommends this read, as it is very informative:  Energy Savings through Automatic Seasonal Run-Time Adjustment of Pool Filter Pumps.

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- Pay attention to your pool pump, or you will pay more
- Who manufacture’s solar pool heaters?
- The first solar powered pool skimmer!

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Out of Phoenix Arizona today (where homeowners are still swimming), Solar-Breeze rolled out what they are calling the “World’s First Solar-powered Pool Skimmer.” While we haven’t gotten our hands on one of these robotic pool skimmers to test yet at GetWithGreen.com, we wanted to bring you the news because we think it is kind of cool.

The Solar-Breeze is an intelligent, solar power, robotic swimming pool surface skimmer, combined with a swimming pool Chemical Dispenser. It operates on solar power alone, and on internal storage batteries, charged by the sun during the part of the day when the sun is high in the sky. As such, there are no electrical connections required, and no power consumption!. Solar-Breeze collects debris from the pool surface, thus preventing it from sinking to the bottom. The solar aspects make this an eco-friendlier green alternative to running your pool for a longer period of time.

Most dirt, dust, bugs, pollen, and debris entering a swimming pool will first float on the water surface for a considerable time before sinking into the water. The Solar-Breeze is specifically designed to search for and scoop up these types of debris. “Bumper Wheels” on the corners of the unit, rotate the the Solar-Breeze each time it hits a pool wall. The Solar-Breeze will stop skimming, with the front paddlewheel, if it thinks it has been stuck in one place too long. Then it will reverse the Rear Paddlewheel, maneuver backwards for a minute, coast, and then resume forwards skimming.

?Your pool will be clearer than ever,? says Denis Ruzsa, President and Founder of Solar Breeze. ?The ?green? comes from reducing the use of your pool pump by two thirds and consuming far less electricity.?

?The robot skims your pool surface all day while the sun is shining, consuming no electricity. Since it keeps dust and debris for sinking to the bottom of the pool, the time require to run the pool pump is significantly reduced,? says Ruzsa. ?Our customers are telling us that their pools are cleaner and clearer, and that their pool pump usage is way down.?

The Solar-Breeze robotic pool skimmer is the first of its kind in the world and Ruzsa is hoping that pool owners world-wide will jump on board with the idea of having ?greener? pools. While sales have currently been limited to North America, discussions are underway with distributors in Australia and other regions.

The Solar-Breeze includes a dispenser that supports two large 3″ chlorine tablets. As far as maintenance, the robot has a filter screen and basket that will require cleaning – as your present pool skimmer does today.

?People all over the world want to take action to reduce their carbon footprint,? says Ruzsa. ?This is one small investment they can make that has a tremendous impact over time.?

The Solar-Breeze is available from the Solar Breeze Direct website. Pricing is $449 (+$24.95 shipping). The robotic unit carries a limited 1-year warranty.

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Building out your new backyard, may mean that you are adding a pool.  Or perhaps you are just looking to help our environment and save $’s at the same time by evaluating your present pool system…. 

SwimmingPoolBasics.com says…Your choice of a swimming pool pump is of great importance because of the fact that the correct selection can lead to a lot of saving on energy costs as well as in maintaining the correct temperature of the water.   By selecting a small, higher efficiency pump, you can save up to 75% in energy and maintenance bills depending upon the region you are located in.   The theory that works behind this logic that the larger the pump the greater the pumping costs and maintenance will be.

Your swimming pool pump often keeps on running much longer than necessary. For example, it is not necessary to keep the pump running under the mistaken belief that the chemicals will remain mixed only when the pump is running. Actually, as long as the pump is running when the chemicals are being mixed, they do not require any recirculation to remain mixed. Similarly you need only an occasional use of the pump for removing debris and algae. Daily removal of debris is quite effective with the use of a skimmer and a vacuum cleaner. The best way of removing algae is through scrubbing and not necessarily only by circulating water.   

The name of the trick is to reduce your filtration time by trial and error method. If the water does not appear to be clean you can increase the time in half hour slots to arrive at the correct filtration time. In one of the studies in Florida, many people were happy with the quality of water with a three hour daily filtration time. You can even install a self timer to the swimming pool pump to control its cycling and to activate it for short periods every day for debris removal.

[Article by SwimmingPoolBasics.com]

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To many of you, the “remodel” you are presently doing may be a backyard and pool makeover project – and it is highly likely that you may be evaluating the different methods for heating that swimming pool oasis. GetWithGreen.com wants to reveal a list of top manufacturers of solar heating products to you. We want to make your quest to understand your options as easy as possible. Additionally, we want to make sure you have a place to double check the information you are receiving from your pool specialist or installer.

How does a solar pool heating system work? A solar pool heating system works via black plastic panels or collectors capturing the energy from the sun and using it to heat the water in your pool. The materials used to make these systems are manufactured from high tech. plastics which have been designed to resist weather and resist the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. The materials are typically a flavor of polypropylene. Using your existing pool pump, water is circulated through the solar panels where it is heated by the sun and then returned to your pool. The collectors that sit on your roof typically come in the same sizes, no matter what manufacturer you get them from: 4ft x 8ft, 4ft x 10ft, or 4ft x 12ft.

Solar heating is not “on demand” heating. On demand heating? On demand heating is, “I feel like turning on the heater and heating my pool.” Solar pool heating systems doesn’t work that way. Solar systems heat only when water is running through those collectors, and when those collectors are being heated by sunshine – so your pool will not heat at night. But how well will solar heat your pool? FAFCO (collector manufacturer) says their systems will:

• “raise you pool temp 2 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit each time the water passes through the system, and
• raise your pool’s temperature 5 to 15 degree Fahrenheit over a period of several days of good weather.”

Do solar systems cost a lot? Solar, unlike electric or gas heaters, uses sunshine, and that sunshine is free – therefore there is no operating cost, and you are heating your oasis with a completely renewable, non-polluting, green, eco-friendly sourse. In addition, following the purchase cost ($2,500-$7,000), there are no ongoing associated utility bills. Here is some other cost and feature comparison between solar and other heaters:

• This table compares Gas, Propane Electric and Fuel Oil pool heaters and the saving you realize by going with solar instead. Estimated costs of equipment, installation and energy supply for an above ground 24ft. (7.5m) diameter pool or an in-ground pool 15 x 30ft (4.6 x 9.2m)

• The charts below give some other interesting solar comparisons. (charts from FAFCO):

Here are the the Manufacturers GetWithGreen.com researched
(in order of the ones we found most informative)

FAFCO
Claim to be the oldest and largest manufacturer of solar collectors, having started their overall business in 1969. In 1996 FAFCO installed their 1,000,000 solar panel collector. FAFCO offers three products for in ground pools: SunSaver, Revolution, and SunSaverST. Solid website with information on ideal placement of panels.

Heliocol
Been in business since 1977. 12 year warranty. Claim to be the largest manufacturer with 200,000+ installations. Distributed all over the United States. Helicol manufacturers their panels out of polypropylene w/ “special” ultraviolet inhibitors, which Helicol claims won’t discolor your pool water. Heliocol has a fairly informative website, and claims several patents on their technology.

Aquatherm Industries
Solar collector manufacturer. Claim 125,000+ installations of their solar collectors The collector systems are called Ecosun Solar Pool Heating Systems, and designed into systems by a nationwide distribution network. The website is semi-informative.

Techno-Solis
Established in 1976. Techno-Solis has created a sizing calculator to estimate the number of panels you would need. Solar panel sizing calculator for pool. Semi-informative website. (We also found two other calculators: solar pool panel calculator, solarenergy.com pool calculator).

Suntrek
Established in 1991, and their products carry a 15 year warranty. Manufacture complete systems and those systems are sold by dealers in the US. Unclear if Suntrek is a manufacturer of their own collectors. Semi-informative website.

Enersol Solar Products, Inc.
Family owned and operated since 1979. 15 year warranty (pro-rated toward replacement). 

Solar Attic
Solar Attic manufacturers a completely different type of pool heating system that uses the sun. Their product runs piping through your attic where it collects and extracts the heat and deposits into your pool. This is a very innovative approach as it elimates the need for panels and positioning of panels. We had some interaction with the team at Solar Attic and we found them to be very responsive to our inquiries. Definitely we would recommend at least reading about their offering.

Sunfence
There is minimal US information about SunFence, as the products are designed and manufactured overseas, but we wanted to bring them to your attention. They manufacturer solar pool heating systems that are built into fencing.

More…

Finally, we want to note a couple must read websites before you make your purchase:

Solar Energy Specialists
This is a must read page on solar pool heaters. Great background and overview of solar pool heating.

BuilditSolar.com
This site also gives great overview information. Warning: the BuilditSolar team website has many links that will keep your researching mind busy for hours!!

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This is the first post of many that focuses on solar heating for your pool.  We wanted to start you out with an article that offers you two simple reasons why you should think seriously about it!

Why Solar Heating for your Swimming Pool?

 

Check back soon and GetWithGreen because we will be providing a comprehensive list of solar pool heating products. Leave a Comment if you think solar is the way to go or not!

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This article from San Diego Gas & Electric discusses a number of things that each of us can do with our existing pools and spas to save money and the environment.  The article also discusses at a high-level the costs of heating gas vs. electric spas. 

San Diego Gas & Electric Swimming Pool and Spa – Go Green

While you are there, make sure you check out the pool and spa REBATES!!

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As you are remodeling your backyard and putting in that eco-friendly pool, make sure you check you local gas and electric company for swimming pool REBATES.  Most of them have rebates on POOL PUMPS (if only I had known!), POOL FILTERS (If only I had known!!), and POOL TIMERS.  

Go to your local utility website and search “rebates”, or “pool efficiency.”     I find on average that the rebates range from $30-150!

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Solar pool heaters? Salt water? Energy efficient filtration systems? Cost savings? All are discussed in this Texas article, which also discusses a new Pentair IntelliFlo pump which uses a permanent magnetic motor like those found in hybrids… SWIMMING POOL: Pool owners are going green

(NOTE: You may be asked to answer a couple registration questions to read this informative article.)

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www.GetWithGreen.com is the source for making your home remodel project a “green home makover.”

Here you will soon find information on green products available for your home. GetWithGreen.com will serve as your starting point to help you find information and sources for the newest and latest environmentally friendly products for your home remodel project.

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