Frequently Asked Questions
How do Solar Sun Rings work?
The Solar Sun Ring is a passive solar swimming pool heating device made from two sheets of heavyweight U.V. resistant vinyl. The upper clear layer holds insulating air and focuses sunlight on the blue colored lower layer. The blue layer absorbs about 50% of the sunlight and converts it to heat. The balance of the sunlight is allowed to pass through for deep water heating. At night the contained air acts as an insulating blanket to retain heat gained during daylight. Solar Sun Rings® are equipped with six magnets to improve clarity and decrease hardness of the water in your pool. The magnets are positioned to facilitate rafting. The strength of the magnets will permit single position removal but will easily separate to prevent entrapment in accidental falls. Solar Sun Rings® were designed to be compatible with automatic pool cleaners. In the event the suction hose catches on a ring, the ring will separate from the raft to allow the pool cleaner to continue. Neither water nor pool chemicals can evaporate through the Solar Sun Rings® two layers of heavyweight vinyl. You will save water and chemicals about equal to the percentage of the surface covered. Once the water in your pool has reached adequate temperature, Solar Sun Rings may be turned over to conserve water by limiting evaporation without significantly heating the water.
What are Solar Sun Rings made of?
Once the design for the Solar Sun Ring was established the material selection began. Polyethylene plastic, which is used for all bubble pack covers, was rejected because of it's intolerance to and degradation in direct sunlight and inability to retain air. High quality ultra violet resistant vinyl (polyvinyl chloride) is used exclusively for durability that cannot be achieved by the inferior plastic used in bubble pack covers. Vinyl will normally outlast polyethylene 3 to 1. The vinyl used to manufacture Solar Sun Rings is not destroyed by pH fluctuation, higher than normal chlorine concentration or salt water systems. Furthermore, vinyl is easily repaired if punctured.
What is Water Anchor?
Solar Sun Rings, Inc. recently introduced a new model from our Australian market to the United States, the Australian (water anchor) Solar Sun Rings which are designed for high wind areas. The water anchor is an additional segmented overlapping channel of vinyl below the outer ring. This channel is self filling when the Solar Sun Ring is placed on the pool. It is also self emptying when manually removed from the pool. However, in strong winds the horizontal lifting closes the overlapping segments retaining the water for weight and stability. This feature is optional on Solar Sun Rings with Palm Tree and Plain Blue designs, however not available on Solar Spa Cover at this time.
How many Solar Sun Rings does my pool need?
We recommend enough Solar Sun Rings be purchased to cover up to 70% to 80% of your pools surface, ignoring the small triangles between the rings. You can determine the quantity needed by using our coverage calculator here.
How much heat does one Solar Sun Ring put out?
In an ongoing test at the National Pool Industry Research Center in California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo and during the summer months of 2005, Solar Sun Rings proves a total heat input to test pools of 21,000 BTU (or 84,000 Heat Joules) per day for each unit. This result was validated by repeatedly heating 10' x 19' test pools to a maximum of 8 degrees fahrenheit in 4 days and reached plateau after that. Approximately 67% of the pool was covered with Solar Sun Rings.
Are Solar Sun Rings compatible with my pool?
Solar Sun Rings may be used on all chlorine or salt water system pools, whether in ground or above ground. Common accessories such as pool cleaners and leaf catchers are able to operate normally with Solar Sun Rings on the pool. The many features that give Solar Sun Rings greater safety at the same time allow them to be used with automatic pool cleaners. Solar Sun Rings are also compatible with solar panel systems giving a pool a double shot of the sun's energy during the day and great nighttime insulation.
Can one person apply and remove Solar Sun Rings by themselves?
Each Solar Sun Ring is 60 inches (5 Feet) wide, which is the size that most adults can hold individually. With the rafting magnets attached, each Solar Sun Ring can be applied one by one, side by side in a matter of minutes, minimizing the need for multiple people for application and reducing trouble overall. No bulky reel or tools are required for application
What if a person or animal falls onto the Solar Sun Rings while in the pool?
Because of their relatively small size and the easy detachment of the rafting magnets, Solar Sun Rings pose little or no harm of entrapment against an object, person, or animal in case of falling in. In any such case, the fallen person or animal can easily remove the Solar Sun Ring and swim to safety. No other floating solar cover matches Solar Sun Rings design for safety. Countless pets and many people have died because of entrapment with the one piece bubble pack covers. The primary design criteria of the Solar Sun Ring was to prevent entrapment.
How do I clean my Solar Sun Rings?
After removal from the swimming pool Solar Sun Rings can be easily cleaned with a sponge and white vinegar solution.
Will I lose heat through the empty spaces between the rings?
Your pool requires some direct sunlight and open water to stay healthy. The open water around the raft of Solar Sun Rings and the triangle caused by the convergence of three Solar Sun Rings is by design. These open areas allow your pool to receive some direct sunlight. This sunlight will greatly reduce the incidence of mustard algae. On the other hand, the 100% coverage and inefficient solar effect of bubble pack covers doesn't allow this effect. By blocking all direct sunlight, mustard algae will form within a very short time. This negates the continuous use of the bubble pack covers. The Solar Sun Ring with its increased solar efficiency is designed for continuous use without culturing a pool full of mustard algae.
Will I lose heat through the empty spaces between the rings?
Your pool requires some direct sunlight and open water to stay healthy. The open water around the raft of Solar Sun Rings and the triangle caused by the convergence of three Solar Sun Rings is by design. These open areas allow your pool to receive some direct sunlight. This sunlight will greatly reduce the incidence of mustard algae. On the other hand, the 100% coverage and inefficient solar effect of bubble pack covers doesn't allow this effect. By blocking all direct sunlight, mustard algae will form within a very short time. This negates the continuous use of the bubble pack covers. The Solar Sun Ring with its increased solar efficiency is designed for continuous use without culturing a pool full of mustard algae.
How can I store Solar Sun Rings when not in the pool?
Because the solar thermal genesis and insulation properties of Solar Sun Rings is so great, when they are removed from the pool, it is strongly recommended that they be stored under a shade and out of direct sunlight to prevent overheating. Solar Sun Rings include a built in Hanger with Grommet to allow free hanging from a hook or pole. Additional information can be found in the Storage Guide located in our Resources page.
Are Solar Sun Rings better than bubble pack covers?
By using the high quality polished vinyl for the top layer and a 50% density lightly frosted lower layer, we achieved a solar efficiency that greatly surpasses bubble pack covers. The milky translucent inferior plastic used in bubble pack covers reflects much of the sun's energy and fails to allow adequate deep water heating. Solar Sun Rings design and materials allow greater solar efficiency with greater nighttime insulation due to greater captive air thickness. Solar Sun Rings were designed to safely heat swimming pools, not cushion packages. The effect is that Solar Sun Rings with 70% to 80% coverage outperform bubble pack covers with 100% coverage.
Have you thought of making black Solar Sun Rings?
Although it is found that any object in black will absorb the most heat compared to that same object in any other color, we found through vigorous testing that a black object is not ideal to transfer this same heat that is absorbed. This is why Solar Sun Rings are made in a dark blue shade of material which can absorb AND transfer heat onto water better than any other color available. This was also found through vigorous testing.
What is the difference between a Solar Sun Ring and a Solar Spa Cover?
he technical function between both products are identical. All Solar Sun Rings products, including the Solar Spa Cover are designed to absorb sunlight than convert and transfer it into heat for your pool. The Solar Spa Cover is especially designed with thicker vinyl and have larger air chambers to sustain itself over the varying temperatures commonly found in spas. This design is also intended to withstand the jets from most spas in order to avoid swamping or sinking. The Solar Spa Cover is also designed around the dimensions of most spas for the best fit possible.