Make the Most of the Sun
Pair Your Beluga Gen2 With a Solar Pool Cover
You've spent the day enjoying beautiful sunshine, and your swimming pool has warmed up nicely. But when you check the water temperature the next morning, some of that warmth is gone.
What happened?
Even during warm weather, swimming pools can lose several degrees overnight. Evaporation, cooler air temperatures, and wind all contribute to heat loss. Fortunately, there's a simple way to help retain more of that warmth.
Pairing your Beluga Gen2 solar pool heater with a solar pool cover can help you make better use of the sun's free energy. Here's why these two products work well together.
The Beluga Gen2 Helps Add Heat During the Day
The Beluga Gen2 is designed to supplement the natural heating your pool receives from the sun. It connects to your pool's existing return jet and circulates a portion of the water through a garden hose positioned in direct sunlight.
As the water passes through the sun-warmed hose, it absorbs heat before returning to the pool. On favorable sunny days, this process can contribute additional warmth without requiring a separate electric pump or fuel source.
But adding heat is only part of the equation. Keeping that heat in your pool is just as important.
A Solar Pool Cover Helps Prevent Heat Loss
One of the biggest sources of swimming pool heat loss is evaporation. When water evaporates from the surface of your pool, it carries heat away.
Wind and cool nighttime air can accelerate the process. A solar pool cover, sometimes called a solar blanket, creates a barrier between the water and the surrounding air. This helps reduce evaporation and retain heat that would otherwise escape.
Depending on the cover's design, it may also allow sunlight to contribute to pool warming during the day. The result is a pool that can retain more of the warmth it gains.
Why Use Both?
Think of the Beluga Gen2 and a solar pool cover as two parts of the same strategy. The Beluga Gen2 helps collect additional solar heat. The solar pool cover helps keep that heat from escaping. When used together, they can help improve your pool's overall heat balance.
During the day, the Beluga Gen2 circulates water through a sun-exposed garden hose. When you're finished swimming, covering the pool helps reduce the amount of heat lost to evaporation and cooler nighttime conditions. That means more of the warmth accumulated during the day may still be there when you're ready to swim again.
How Much Heat Can a Pool Lose Overnight
Depending on weather conditions, an uncovered swimming pool can lose several degrees of water temperature overnight. In some conditions, losses of approximately 2°F to 3°F are possible.
Wind, humidity, nighttime temperatures, and pool size all influence the amount of heat lost. A properly fitted pool cover can significantly reduce evaporation, helping your pool retain more of its daytime warmth. Although a solar cover won't eliminate all heat loss, it can make a meaningful difference.
Tips for Getting the Most From Your Solar Pool Heating Setup
A few simple habits can help improve your results.
Position Your Garden Hose in Direct Sunlight: Choose a location that receives plenty of sunshine throughout the day. Avoid areas shaded by trees, buildings, fences, or other structures. The more solar energy the hose can absorb, the greater its potential to warm the circulating water.
Use Your Beluga Gen2 During Sunny Hours: The Beluga Gen2 works best when the garden hose receives direct sunlight. Because it uses your pool's existing circulation system, it can operate while your pool pump is running. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for installation and operation.
Cover Your Pool When It's Not in Use: A solar pool cover is especially valuable overnight, when cooler temperatures and evaporation can cause heat loss. Using the cover consistently helps conserve the warmth your pool accumulates. Always follow the cover manufacturer's safety instructions. A solar pool cover is not a safety cover and cannot prevent drowning.
Reduce Wind Exposure: Wind increases evaporation and can accelerate heat loss. If your pool is in an especially windy location, landscaping or appropriately positioned windbreaks may help reduce exposure. Be careful not to create excessive shade that limits the sunlight reaching your pool or garden hose.
Monitor Your Pool Temperature: A simple pool thermometer can help you understand how your pool responds to different weather conditions. Check the temperature at approximately the same times each day. Over time, you'll get a better sense of how sunshine, nighttime temperatures, and pool cover use affect your swimming comfort.
An Affordable Approach to Solar Pool Heating
You don't necessarily need an expensive heating system to make your swimming pool more comfortable. The Beluga Gen2 offers a simple way to supplement pool heating using sunlight, a garden hose, and your existing circulation system. Pairing it with a solar pool cover can help conserve the warmth your pool gains throughout the day.
Together, they offer an affordable, energy-conscious approach to enjoying warmer pool water. Of course, solar heating results depend on weather, sunlight, pool size, and other conditions. Neither product can guarantee a specific water temperature. But when the sun is shining, why not make the most of it?
Discover the Beluga Gen2 Solar Pool Heater
Visit our How it Works page to learn how this simple, USA-made device can help you take advantage of the sun's free energy.
