Can I heat my hot tub with Solar Power in Winter?

It has been a long, hard day and soaking in a hot tub may be just the therapy you need to unwind and escape. Regular soaking in a hot tub may provide several health benefits, such as muscle relaxation, pain relief, and improved sleep.  

However, heating a hot tub during winter will reflect significantly on your electric bill as Atlantic Canadians pay among the highest retail prices in the country.   

Aztek Solar has a savvy and eco-friendly solution to this problem: Go Solar! 

By harnessing energy from free sunlight and putting it to good use, you can enjoy all the benefits of a hot tub by installing solar-powered hot tub heating without the guilt of high running costs – and as a bonus, it is much better for the environment too.

How does solar hot tub heating work during winters?

With the increased efficiency of solar vacuum tubes, heating hot tubs have become more and more popular using solar. The basic principle of a solar hot tub is to use the solar collectors during the day to heat the tub. If you intend to heat your hot tub during freezing conditions via solar then you would need a system that uses heat pipe collectors with an antifreeze mixture and a heat exchanger that integrates with the existing hot tub circulation system. The hot tub and solar heating fluid are separated by a stainless steel or titanium solar heat exchanger. 

Types of Hot Tub Solar Heating

There are two main types of solar power systems for running hot tubs. 

1. Heat Exchanging Panel

This is by far the cheaper of the two options. A heat exchanging panel is essentially a solar-powered panel attached to a series of small tubes that can be plumbed into your water flow system. Coldwater from your hot tub makes its way to the heat exchanging panel where it is piped through the tubes and heated before it returns to your hot tub. 

As long as it’s sunny, this panel will keep pumping all the hot water you need, and you can use it alongside your normal electrical heating system if you ever need to heat your tub extra fast.  

The main problem with this method is that energy is not storable in a heat exchanging panel. It is used at the moment during the sunshine then it is gone. They are also quite large units. They can end up being around 6ft long and 2 ft wide, so you must be willing to sacrifice quite a large chunk of sunny space. 

Lastly, there is no proper way to control the temperature of the water. You would need to constantly check if the water is safe to be in. Hot tubs are only designed to handle water up to a certain temperature, so this system could cause some problems there too. 

2. Solar Panels

The second and most effective option is to hook your hot tub up to solar panels. The solar panels are connected to batteries that can store energy, so you can use your solar-powered hot tub whenever is best for you.

Although this method is costlier and requires the help of a professional solar panel installer, it can result in greater ROI in the long run, while also guaranteeing backup power for your hot tub after the sun has set.

Hot tubs offer a great way to unwind, relax and chill out. A solar pool heating system from Aztek solar will help you enjoy the comforts of a hot tub at an affordable price.

Aztek Solar is here to help. Schedule a free consultation with the Aztek Solar Team today.

Thanks for Reading!

Brian McKay
(aka The Solar Guy)