Solar Pool Heating Panel Kit - Roof Kit Only

It really depends on your pool's heat loadings, your usage and your budget. For a quick size, use the quick-size calculator on our OKU replacement panels page. Alternatively, for a professional sizing try our full online sizing calculator. If you're not sure what water temperatures your system will produce during various months, use our pool water temperature simulator.

You should budget a gross panel dimension of approx. 140cm in length and 85cm in pipe to pipe width or about 1.2m² per panel.

Besides the increased efficiency in cooler weather during critical season extension months, we absolutely frown upon the industry practice of selling you a larger system. The Australian Standard 3634-1989 for sheltered pools only recommends 60% (rubber strip) coverage in southern regions, 50% for mid regions, and 40% for northern regions. Over-sizing a system will result in polymer collectors stagnating at detrimental temperatures of up to 80°C for longer periods during hot days when the controller shuts the system down. As such, over-sizing reduces collector lifetimes, requires a larger pump and higher upfront costs - all for diminishing gains in water temperature. If you require higher temperatures beyond our maximum collector recommendation we recommend a solar blanket.

Yes, but only to an extent. You should not go below our minimum 2 month extension recommendation, see our interactive sizing calculator. No, we are not trying to sell you a larger system. There are very good reasons why a system should not be dramatically undersized. Effective heating requires a minimum daily turnover, typically 50% of your pool water volume. However, there are flow limitations on panels, hence an undersized system may not handle the flow required which could over-pressurise panels, or if the flow is insufficient will result in an unmixed stratified layer of warm water which will cool excessively overnight.

No, after witnessing customers try such pumps and struggle with them our advice now is not to use them, unless they can be set to run at a constant speed without a start up surge. We find variable pumps start at full power then taper back, this puts a lot of pressure fluctuations through the panels on start up which could limit panel lifetimes. We only recommend pumps that can pump at a constant set pressure.

Generally we don't recommend this as you may have priming issues with your main filter pump during start up due to air being drawn in from the solar line tee you installed. Whether your filter pump will deprime in this case will depend on how far below the waterline you installed the solar tee. Note, a non-return on the solar line will not help here as non-returns are not generally air tight over time. If you do not have independent solar lines and can't install the tee far below the water line (minimum say 1m below) then your options are a manual system, a booster system or a motorized ball valve option, see the manual for plumbing diagrams.

Installation on tiles is more difficult and we recommend it should only be attempted by experienced DIY or tradespersons.