Accurate and reliable information about the effectiveness of pool covers is hard, if not impossible to find.
It's true that the circumstances and climate obviously make a difference, and that it's difficult to find 4 or more pools of equal size and orientation that are subjected to identical sun, wind, and climate conditions.
This test is destined to do just that, to provide an accurate and reliable comparison
- an uncovered pool ; container [1]
- A pool permanently covered with a transparent solar blanket ; container [2]
- A pool covered with a Copodelo solar pool cover panel from 18:00 - 09:00 hours
- A pool permanently covered with a Copodelo solar pool cover panel.
Further details of how, when and where the test is conducted is explained below the test results, which are shown in 2 graphs ;
- Overnight temperature loss in ºC ; difference between 09:00 and 18:00 of the previous day.
- Temperature difference in ºC between the an uncovered pool and a covered pool
Real life study & experiment of how the Copodelo solar pool cover works as a free solar pool heater.
The test setting
4 open top containers are placed side-by-side. Between the containers, and all around the test site thermal insulation panels are placed, leaving only the water surface exposed.
- Container [1] is left uncovered as a reference pool.
- Container [2] is permanently covered with a transparent solar blanket
- Container [3] is covered with a Copodelo panel between 18.00 and 09.00 hours
- Container [4] is permanently covered with a Copodelo panel
Solar, wind and temperature conditions of the pool and of the 4 test containers are equal.
The test setting is placed in Altea ( Alicante province - Spain ) which has a Mediterranean climate.
Test data
The water temperature of the pool and the 4 test containers is measured 3 times per day, 7 days a week ;
- 09:00 hours
- 14:00 hours
- at 18:00 the containers topped-up to replace evaporated water, and then temperature is measured.
To avoid differences due to thermometer tolerance, only 1 thermometer is used for all measurements.
Additionally, minimum and maximum air temperatures are recorded.
The results are registered and presented in the form of 2 graphs ;
- Overnight temperature loss in ºC ; difference between 09:00 and 18:00 of the previous day.
- Temperature difference in ºC between the an uncovered pool and a covered pool
Test period
The test has started on feb, 16, 2012 and runs for 3 consecutive months until may 15, 2012
