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Solar pool heating panels are unglazed collectors that your pool pump feeds with filtered water, as our solar pool heating guide explains. Few makers publish full spec tables, but every collector on this list carries an OG-100 certificate from ICC-SRCC, which reports size and seasonal efficiency the same way for every brand. That makes the certificates the fairest way to line these panels up.
Every specification on this page comes from each collector’s ICC-SRCC OG-100 certificate, plus the maker’s own page where it publishes details, checked on 27 October 2026. We have not used these products ourselves, so the picks are based on published specifications only.
For background on collector types, see solar collectors explained and solar pool heating and solar water pumps.
How we chose these
- A current ICC-SRCC OG-100 certificate for an unglazed solar pool heating collector.
- Certified seasonal efficiency for spring, summer and fall conditions.
- Wind derating factor, since a breeze over an unglazed panel carries heat away.
- Sizes and header diameter that suit home pools.
The efficiency figures are peak instantaneous values under SRCC’s standard seasonal conditions, and the wind derating factor is SRCC’s figure for a 1.34 m/s (about 3 mph) breeze; a factor closer to 1.00 means less of the efficiency is lost in that breeze. Use them to compare panels, not to predict your pool temperature.
Comparison table
| Collector | Size shown | Header | Efficiency spring / summer / fall | Wind factor spring / summer / fall | Certificate valid to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquatherm Ultraswim 4 x 12 | 48 x 144 in, 48 sq ft | 2 in | 80% / 93% / 80% | 0.84 / 0.93 / 0.83 | June 1, 2027 |
| Heliocol HC-50 | 47 x 152 in, 49.6 sq ft | 2 in | 81% / 91% / 81% | 0.75 / 0.94 / 0.74 | December 1, 2026 |
| Hot Sun Powerstrip | 11.25 in wide strip, 6 to 88 ft long | 1.5 in | 69% / 84% / 68% | 0.85 / 0.90 / 0.84 | June 1, 2027 |
| EnerWorks Enersol UPC | 13.75 in wide, 72 to 240 in long | 1.5 in | 73% / 85% / 73% | 0.83 / 0.93 / 0.83 | September 1, 2027 |
| Techno-Solis Swimmaster C20TS12 | 47.6 x 144.1 in, 47.6 sq ft | 2 in | 58% / 73% / 58% | 0.90 / 0.97 / 0.90 | June 1, 2027 |
Figures are from each OG-100 certificate for the size shown. Certificates are renewed each year; confirm a collector’s current status at solar-rating.org.
1. Aquatherm Ultraswim 16050 (4 x 12): highest certified summer efficiency
Aquatherm Industries’ Ultraswim 16050 is an unglazed flat plate collector certified in 4 x 8, 4 x 10 and 4 x 12 ft sizes, all with a 2 inch header. Its certificate lists 93% efficiency in summer, the highest on this page, and 80% in spring and fall, one point behind the Heliocol.
- Certified sizes: 4 x 8 (32 sq ft), 4 x 10 (40 sq ft) and 4 x 12 (48 sq ft) (ICC-SRCC certificate 10002119).
- Aquatherm is based in Lakewood, New Jersey.
Pros: top summer efficiency; near the top in spring and fall; standard 4 ft widths.
Cons: loses a little more in a spring or fall breeze than the Swimmaster.
Check the Aquatherm Ultraswim 16050 (4 x 12) on Amazon
2. Heliocol HC-50: for the best spring and fall efficiency
Heliocol panels, from Magen eco-Energy, use individual round tubes with a header overmolded over each tube. Magen says the open design resists lift in high winds, lets moisture under the panel evaporate quickly, and lets every tube open into the header to cut back pressure on the pool pump. The HC-50 is the largest certified size. Its 81% spring and fall efficiency is the highest here, and its 91% summer figure is second only to the Ultraswim.
- Full-width sizes HC-30, HC-38, HC-40 and HC-50 (47 in wide), plus 12 in wide HC-8 to HC-12.5 sections (ICC-SRCC certificate 10001884).
- 12-year limited warranty, according to Magen.
Pros: high efficiency; open tube design for wind; narrow sections to fill gaps.
Cons: lowest spring and fall wind factor here; certificate runs to December 1, 2026, so confirm it was renewed.
Check the Heliocol HC-50 on Amazon
3. Hot Sun Powerstrip PSG135: for odd roof shapes and freezing winters
Hot Sun Industries’ Powerstrip is flexible fin tubing joined into 11.25 inch wide strips on a 1.5 inch manifold. Hot Sun says the vinyl-based tubing can run horizontally, is fully repairable, and can freeze solid full of water without damage. Strips are sold preassembled from 6 to 18 ft in 1 ft steps and in 22, 30, 44 and 88 ft lengths, and site-assembled runs of any length from 6 to 88 ft are covered by the certificate.
- Certificate 2011120A for the Powerstrip brand.
- Hot Sun also offers a ballasted framework for mounting the system.
Pros: flexible lengths for awkward roofs; freeze-tolerant tubing per Hot Sun; repairable.
Cons: lower efficiency than the Ultraswim and Heliocol; narrow strips mean more of them.
Check the Hot Sun Powerstrip PSG135 on Amazon
4. EnerWorks Enersol UPC-ESOL-110: for building an array in small steps
EnerWorks makes the Enersol collector in Canada as a narrow 13.75 inch module in 15 lengths, from the UPC-106 at 72 inches (6.9 sq ft) to the UPC-120 at 240 inches (23.0 sq ft). Its certified summer efficiency of 85% is third on this list, behind only the Ultraswim and Heliocol.
- Lengths step up by 12 inches; all models use a 1.5 inch header (ICC-SRCC certificate 10002037).
Pros: many lengths to fit a roof section; good summer efficiency.
Cons: narrow modules need more connections than 4 ft panels; 1.5 in header.
Check the EnerWorks Enersol UPC-ESOL-110 on Amazon
5. Techno-Solis Swimmaster C20TS12: steadiest in a breeze
Techno-Solis, of St. Petersburg, Florida, certifies its Swimmaster panels in 8, 10 and 12 ft lengths with either a 1.5 inch (C15TS) or 2 inch (C20TS) header. Its efficiency is the lowest here, but it has the highest wind derating factors, so it keeps more of its rated efficiency when a breeze blows across the panel.
- Certified models C15TS08 to C15TS12 and C20TS08 to C20TS12, 31.4 to 47.6 sq ft (ICC-SRCC certificate 10002063).
Pros: least affected by wind; choice of 1.5 or 2 in header.
Cons: lowest certified efficiency in every season.
Check the Techno-Solis Swimmaster C20TS12 on Amazon
Which one fits you
| Your situation | Look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mostly summer swimming | Aquatherm Ultraswim | Highest summer efficiency |
| Swimming in spring and fall | Heliocol HC-50 or Aquatherm Ultraswim | Highest spring and fall efficiency |
| Windy site | Techno-Solis Swimmaster | Highest wind factors in every season |
| Irregular roof or freezing winters | Hot Sun Powerstrip | Any length from 6 to 88 ft; freeze-tolerant tubing per Hot Sun |
| Filling roof sections of different lengths | EnerWorks Enersol | 15 module lengths |
Practical tips
- Size the array first: the U.S. Department of Energy guide cited in our pool heating guide suggests collector area of 50% to 100% of the pool’s surface area, depending on climate and season.
- Ask whether your pool pump can move water through the filter and the array, or whether a booster pump is needed.
- A pool cover cuts evaporation, the largest heat loss, so the panels have less work to do.
- Have the installer confirm roof attachment, wind loading and freeze drainage for your area.
Sources
Specifications from each collector’s ICC-SRCC OG-100 certificate and the makers’ own pages, checked 27 October 2026: Aquatherm Ultraswim 16050 (4 x 12), Heliocol HC-50, Hot Sun Powerstrip PSG135, EnerWorks Enersol UPC-ESOL-110, Techno-Solis Swimmaster C20TS12, Heliocol (Magen eco-Energy), Hot Sun Industries. Makers can change specifications; check the product page before you buy.
