SunHeater WS220P S220P Aboveground Pool Heating System, Includes One 2’ x 20’ Panel (40 sq. ft.) – Solar Heater Made of Durable Polypropylene, Raises Temperature Up to 15°F, Black

I purchased one of the 2' x 20' SunHeaters for my 15' diameter x 48" tall Intex Metal-Frame above-ground pool.I filled my pool on Memorial Day weekend. The pool water temperature was in the upper 50s when it was first filled. We've had high temperatures in the mid 80s and lows in the 60s every day since then. It took two days for the water temperature to come up to 70º. Last year, our pool was set up only in July and August and the water temperature was typically in the mid-70s, peaking at 78º.Yesterday, I ran the water through the solar heater for 1-1/2 hours and the temperature rose 2º. Today, the solar heater was in the sun from 8:30 until 2:30, and the water temperature rose 6º, making it a comfortable 76º. I am very pleased with these results!The heater was easy to set up. I followed the instructions in the box, unrolling it and laying it directly on the ground where it will get direct sun in the morning until the mid-afternoon.I also purchased two 8' hoses (1-1/4" diameter) and hose clamps to run from my pool to where I have the heater positioned. I also purchased and installed the "Smartpool SK35 Manual Diverter Valve Replacement Kit for SunHeater Aboveground Pools", which allows me to only run water through the heater when the sun is out; at other times, I can run the filter pump without pumping water through the heater.It has only been set up for two days, so its durability remains to be seen.

Defective Solar Pool Heater Leaks from Coils on First UseI purchased this solar pool heater last year and stored it, unopened, in my garage until installation yesterday. Despite being brand new and never used, the unit began leaking immediately after installation not from the fittings, but from the coils themselves in three separate areas.This is unacceptable for a product that has never been used and indicates a manufacturing defect. I would request a return or, replacement, or full refund if it were available and would appreciate instructions on how to proceed. contacting.

I have owned this product (Sunheater/solar collector) for approximately 5 years (give or take... long enough to be uncertain what year I bought it). The conditions: I have a 4' deep 18' round above ground pool (with a perfect fitted solar blanket) and I live in the northeast. Let me start off by saying it works amazingly well. Take this spring: I opened the pool in mid-May, and pool water temperature in one day (with direct sun-light on this product) raised the pool temperature from 69 degrees f, to 79 degrees f in one day. My neighbor down the street with only the solar blanket has just reached 78 degrees f and their pool had been open for 2 weeks prior. Same weather conditions, pool size is roughly equivalent, and my pool caught up to and surpassed theirs temperature-wise. By the following day the pool was at 82 degrees.How it works: Familiar with a radiator on a car? It's like that, but the reverse process. Clean water from the pool filter with pumped into one end of this "solar collector". The water is then sent through half the tiny black (black absorbs light and thereby heat) tubes on one side, hits the end, then comes back through the other half of the tiny black tubes. The idea is, you expose more surface area to the water, than if the tubes were bigger. Since the water is cooler than the solar heat being absorbed, the heat is being transfer to the water, and then returned back to the pool.Construction: these things are built to last. My first one I owned lasted up to this season, and was damaged by a lawn mower (I'm cheap and I just lay in on the grass; I've since built a ramp for it, like in the picture). The lawnmower caught the side of it and chewed through 4 of the tubes. HOWEVER, I was able to repair it. If you look at the manual([...] it instructs you to cut off the damaged tubes on both ends (where they meet the larger pipe) and drive in #10 sheet metal screws between 1/2" and 3/4" long. Worked great! I learned this after I had already purchased another one, so now have 2 solar collectors.Maximum heat threshold: Well that depends greatly on the temperature during the day and night. I used the example of when I opened the pool and the temperature shot up 10 degrees in one day. The next day it only went up a few more degrees. There is a peak it reaches, and it is directly dependent on the temperature during the day. On consistent 75 degree days, my pool will in the mid-80's. One year when we had three 92 degree days, my pool hit 102 degrees (yes, it was disgusting, but I wanted to see how high it would go, haha). I now used my pool up until October where before it, we closed it beginning of September. I think the closing temperature was 69 degrees this year... which is not back for the late September weather we had).Issues to watch out for: There are two. 1. Definitely rig up a diverter valve to bypass the solar collector. This should be included, but it is not. Everyone has a "too hot" and "too cold" temperature they prefer.... most just don't know they have a "too hot" temperature for a pool...at least not up here in the northeast. I know I do now. More importantly, when the temperature on the pool is elevated, it requires a more vigilant eye on the pool chems. Once a week treatments are not enough with temps in 85+ degrees. I ended up with a green pool twice this summer (went away for a few days). Keeping the pool temp down helps this.2. Use a solar cover/blanket on the pool at night. Without it, because the water is warmer than it normally would be, you'll fight a significant amount of evaporation. Adding water means diluting your pools chemical content, which means adding more chems.Problems with design: As I mentioned, there probably should be a diverter valve incorporated into this design, but there is now. The other issue I have (with the one I just bought, the older one doesn't have this problem) is with the end pieces that connect to the hoses. I use high quality pool hose, and I have to use 2 hose clamps on both to prevent it from leaking. Two hose clamps on both side (4 total) does fix the issue, but it's kind of annoying.Summary (tl;dr): I do wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone with a pool that wants it warmer, or squeeze out another month or two of usage...with the caveat that you build in a bypass to control the temperature from getting too hot (if you want), and use a solar blanket/cover to keep evaporation from being a problem (also stabilizes the temperature of the pool...evaporation = loss of heat = pool temperature going down at night).

you must get a smaller pond pump for this or you will cause it to start leaking. When working with anything to do with water you have to know that water will find a way to get through your barriers. That behavior is in it's nature. This solar heater is delicate. You can't force water through it as fast as the pool pump goes. You have to get a smaller pond pump and it works very well. I was not able to get it to work with both hoses on the same side. I know every one says that how its supposed to work but all that happened for me is water went in and came right back out. It did not travel down the heater and back so I ended up putting a hose at each diagonal end and it worked fine. I have it laying flat on some cinder blocks and 1 x 4s. On a sunny day it will raise the temperature in my 6500 gallon pool by 2 or 3 degrees. I have it running from like 9am to 4pm (I pit a timer on the plug.) But you have to treat this thing with care it is delicate. It also works great!

I know it's difficult to look @ a review and take it objectively. If someone had a bad experience it's one star and don't buy. I have to say that this is not the best product I've purchased. Does it work? Sort of. Not sure it was worth the price I paid for it though; about $125, it's worth about $60 in my opinion. I dare say if you really want it to work, you need to get a solar cover to help keep the heat in. The two work together fairly well. However; I have a friend who has just the solar cover and it seems to do the job by itself. Not sure if a second one would do the trick. I've a15' round and according to their chart 1 should be enough, but I'm not willing to spend another $125 to find out