- 1). Cut the tubing into equal lengths that will fit onto the panel. Lay or mount the lengths along the panel in parallel and link them together using the T-joiners. Leave a length of tubing to connect to the pump.
- 2). Determine where you will locate the panel. It should be positioned close to the pool on ground level to avoid using additional electricity to pump the water through it. Lay or mount it flat or at an angle of up to 30 degrees facing the sun, in an unshaded area that gets direct sunlight for at least five hours a day.
- 3). Connect the pump and the flow control valve to the tubing. Set the valve so that the pool water pumps through the tubing in short bursts, remaining in the tubes for 30 minutes at a time. This will warm the water in the tubes before circulating it back into the pool and refilling the tubes with cooler water.
- 4). Place the box with the glass lid over the panel. There should be a cushion of air between the tubes and the lid of approximately five inches. This will trap the warmth generated by the black surface of the panel around the tubes, helping to insulate and warm the water in them.
- 5). Cover the pool during times when it is not in use. The solar pool cover has bubbles similar to plastic packing material and ultraviolet inhibitors. A pool cover raises the temperature of the pool by up to 5 F for every 12 hours that it remains covered and also helps to prevent water evaporation.
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