Best Material for pool cover

[ewmfcc]

I have a small portable pool I installed for the kids. I would like to heat it with the

help of the cover I use. I have tried black plastic sheeting (deteriorated quickly).

Tried black bubble wrap ( same problem ).

What about the material they use for towable water toys?

 

What material would be the best ? The most resistant to the elements, chlorine, abuse,

and be the best for absorbing and transferring the suns heat to the water, when laid on

top of the water.

 

What would the top 3 choices be ?

 

Thanks, Erick

[modest]

Opaque would be bad, so if you mean "black" in the sense that you can't see through it then that probably shaded the water and made it cooler.

 

I've seen people use clear bubble wrap. I've seen it sold at pool supply stores for heating pools. So, that's probably best.

 

~modest

[ewmfcc]

On the other hand. I thought BLACK is the best for heat absorbtion.

 

The black leather seats in my car will fry me on a hot day, while the white seats

in my wifes car stay cooler. No ?

[modest]

On the other hand. I thought BLACK is the best for heat absorbtion.

 

The black leather seats in my car will fry me on a hot day, while the white seats

in my wifes car stay cooler. No ?

 

Don't get me wrong, a black pool cover will get hotter than a clear pool cover. But, if your intention is to heat the pool (not the pool cover) then clear would be better.

 

Here is a clear-bubble-wrap-type-thing:

 

Solar Heat Pool Cover Sheet 12’ x 24’ New - eBay (item 190321757533 end time Aug-09-10 07:18:16 PDT)

 

~modest

[modest]

The reason why clear works best is explained: Greenhouse effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Shading a source of visible light is the opposite of what you want to do. You want to let as much visible light hit your pool as possible. You want to block infrared light (which clear plastic usually does).

 

~modest