ecoSAVER 20 foot Solar Heating Panel System

We have an Intex above-ground 10 x 20 rectangular pool, and last year the water was so cold that this year we decided to try adding a heating system of some sort. This product got some good reviews (and some not so good), but the price was right so we decided to take a chance.First, be aware that this product is NOT something you'll just pull out of the box, hook up to your pool, and be using in a matter of minutes. The 20' long panels (four of them joined together on side baffles) are long and twisty, and if you don't have a rack ready to go, you won't be able to just prop the panels up against the pool as it looks like in the picture. You'll have to build some kind of rack, unless you are comfortable just laying it on the ground (which is where ours currently is, though we plan to build some kind of rack soon). The company needs to start manufacturing and selling racks that are specifically designed to support these heating systems...Next, this product comes with a couple hose adapters, but you'll need one extra hose that you don't typically need for the operation of your pool (you will need one hose for pool to pump; one for pump to filter [if you have a separate filter], one for filter to heater inlet, and one for heater outlet to pool inlet). We needed a 12 foot length of standard above-ground pool hose to reach from the outlet of the heater to the inlet of the pool, plus we had to slide the pump/filter over so the filter outlet hose could reach the heater inlet adapter. The 20-foot long system hooks up on the end, so if your pool filter/pump hooks up in the middle of the pool, you'll need to shift things over and get extra hoses to reach it all (unless you don't mind that your heating coils reach 10 feet beyond the length of your pool.Also, be aware that one of the two hose adapter parts that come in the box might actually be screwed upside down inside one of the adapters...I spent about an hour thinking that we were missing a part before I figured out that it was actually there...maybe that's just me being already a little frustrated and not looking hard enough the first few times...You will also need adapters to connect the hose from the filter to the hose inlet on the heater (a 1 1/4" size opening) (we went to our local pool supply company and purchased something that worked) as well as a second adapter to connect the hose leading from the heater back to the pool inlet. In our case, our standard hoses are 1 1/2" diameter, and the inlet/outlet on the heater are 1 1/4" in diameter, so there were some adjustments to be made. There is an optional "Intex Adapter Kit" that you can buy along with the pool; we ended up jimmy-rigging something with the help of the pool supply company, but I am thinking that the Intex Adapter Kit would have saved us a whole lot of trouble. I don't know for sure, because nowhere could I find a description of what is included in the Intex Adapter Kit and it was out of stock when I ordered our solar heater, but I'm assuming it was designed to solve some of the problems we faced. So, doing it again, I would get that Adapter Kit. You can always return it if you don't end up needing it. And don't forget to order the 12 or so feet of extra hose that you'll need (we used 1 1/2" hose that matched the existing hoses on the pool system, but if the adapter kit changes the diameter to 1 1/4", you'll need that instead...I just don't know). Basically, it takes some trial and error, some patience, and some extra dollars to get the system actually up and running.SO...the setup is a pain. But now that it's running properly, it seems to work GREAT! We only had it running for a couple hours this afternoon, the outside temp only reached about 85 degrees (it's only June 1), and in that short time the pool temp rose 3 degrees. I'm feeling pretty confident that after a couple more hot days of running the system for several hours, we're going to see a significant increase in pool water temperature. Especially if you have a pool supply company nearby to help you with the hookup issues, I recommend this product. If you don't have a supply company nearby, get the adapter parts and extra hose when you order the system and you should still be good to go.

We live in Florida and have an in ground about 15k gallon pool. We purchased 2 sets of these panels (each individual set is split into 2 smaller panels). We wanted so badly for this to work, but it truly is a piece of crap, the connection pieces are really cheap and not PVC material. There are twist connect pipes that come along with each panel set, mine of course came broken and trying to find something to fit these not your average type of pipes was not easy.Let me start by saying my husband is extremely handy and we have been messing with this for 5-days now. After mounting them on our roof, followed the ridiculous instructions given, had to purchase a couple of cans of flex-hold to spray on all the fixed pipes that came with the panels, the darn thing is STILL LEAKING. Don't think this is something that will last in the FL heat or in any other weather for that matter.We contacted the company letting them know if our troubles and the broken pieces, they asked for pictures, which I sent and haven't heard anything since. I have filed a claim with Amazon and will remove these horrible and extremely crappy panels from my roof.If considering, read all the reviews, it is NOT EASY to install and it will most likely not last (If you manage to get it to work). Will not be buying from this company ever again.

We are in Virginia with a 27' x 65" (extra deep) round above ground pool. We purchased two of these and my husband was able to install them with a diverter valve. I am able to roll them up when we want to mow and so far we haven't had any leaks or breaks. Having them in the grass isn't ideal and we may do a platform next year. We also have a solar blanket which I think is absolutely necessary to keep the temp up. They definitely raise the temperature of the water as it comes out of the hose, but I don't think they helped extend our swimming season, as the cooler days were also cloudy.Update: We have had some leaking and have patched and replumbed all of the joints and mounted on a platform (see picture). Luckily my husband is handy. We have been able to swim up until Sept 20, however expecting highs in the 70's next week so this will probably be our last weekend.

Based on the reviews I purchased this to try out. I was going to build a passive solar heater myself but couldn't find any black PVC pipes or hoses. When I found this at the price I thought it's worth a shot. Very easy to install (really, pick a spot 20ft x 4ft or so, unroll and hook up). I had to buy all the fittings but I used 1 1/2" PVC pipe for everything from the hardware store. Everything was installed in about 45 mins (installed in 10 mins, 30 mins or so to wait for the glue to dry). Tested it. I really expected more, thinking maybe the design of it would allow for better heating. But the difference between the water going in and coming out is about 1 degree at best. My pool is large but I didn't care for it to heat the entire pool, I just wanted the water coming out of the heater to be warm enough to the touch. On a hot day (I live in a tropical country so every day is basically a hot day), water coming out from the water pipes are warmer than water from the panels. Maybe the flow is too great through the pipes not allowing the water to heat up. At any rate my plan is to get some black pipes and hoses and make my own. It'll cost much cheaper and I'm sure work better. Still not bad for the price for someone who doesn't want to build their own