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FAFCO

Papa Bear Universal DIY Solar Pool Heater with Starter Kit - High Efficiency Above Ground Swimming Pool Solar Heaters (3 ft. 9 in. x 24 ft.)

    • Based on 173 reviews
Condition: New
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$355.99 Why this price?
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This item's return window has been extended for the holiday season: Returnable until Jan 31, 2025

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Availability: 12 left in stock
Fulfilled by Amazon
Arrives Monday, Nov 25
Order within 7 hours and 48 minutes
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Size: 3’9” x 24’


Features

  • EFFECTIVE SOLAR HEATING - Heat your above-ground swimming pool with solar energy. Harnessing the power of the sun provides a cost effective renewable energy source right at your fingertips.
  • MADE IN THE USA - FAFCO is the largest, award winning, solar pool heating manufacturer in America with nearly 30 U.S. patents.
  • TOP-TIER QUALITY- Every unit is made from the highest quality polyolefiins before being inspected and tested. Proven dependability that lasts.
  • UNIVERSAL DESIGN - The versatility in our design means you don't have to worry! Our products work with most above-ground pools, pumps, and filters.
  • YOU'RE IN CONTROL - This design features a built-in manual control valve allowing you to easily control the temperature of your pool.

Description

Enjoy your backyard swimming pool with the Made in the USA, FAFCO Papa Bear and starter kit! Extend your swimming season by warming your cold pool and ensuring comfortable water temperatures for all your favorite pool activities. The Papa Bear's connected tube design is the most efficient solar pool heater available. Extra large manifolds maximize the flow through the pump and filter system. More flow equals less time to heat your pool. The Papa Bear system is comprised of one 3 ft. 9 in. x 24 ft. solar panel and one Starter Kit for simple plumbing to your pool. We offer How To videos on our websiteto help with your DIY installation. The panel is made from UV-stabilized polyolefin material and will last for many seasons in direct sunlight and comes with a 3 year warranty. The integrated manual bypass valve can be used to shut-off the system when the pool is up to the desired temperature. The Papa Bear can be mounted flat on the ground or on a DIY ground-mounted, tilted rack. Tilted rack not included. Put the sun to work for you and enjoy free heat from your FAFCO Papa Bear. Note: For best performance, panels should face south, tilted 10 to 30 degrees with unobstructed sunlight. The system should operate between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on sunny days.

Item Weight: 48.2 pounds


Manufacturer: FAFCO


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Monday, Nov 25

Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.

To initiate a return, please visit our Returns Center.

View our full returns policy here.

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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Great so far!
Size: 4' x 20'
Review Image by Dayli Dayli
Review Image by Dayli Dayli
Since this is the first season with this particular heater I can't speak to it's durability but I can say it WORKS! We didn't build a frame for it to lay on so perhaps not having the proper angle to the sun is keeping it from it's full potential but it still works and works quite well! Even when I feel the mat and it feels cool, the water coming into the pool is toasty warm! Last night we had a cold front move though, and the pool water dropped to 80 over night. My husband ran the pump for a few hours this afternoon and the water came up to 86 degrees. Granted I do have a solar blanket on but keep in mind the pool is under roof so the sun doesn't have direct contact with the water. I'd say that speaks pretty highly of the heater. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2024 by Dayli Dayli
    • 2 Months In…..
Size: 3’9” x 24’
After 2 months of use this is well worth the price. I have a 27’ round pool and this does warm it up. No it doesn’t do it super rapidly but it definitely makes a difference. Especially on bright sunny days. If you don’t want to spend big bucks on a gas heater this is definitely a great option. Time will tell how it holds up after years of use. Little tip….turn red valve handle on solar heating about 75% closed or until you start to lose water pressure into pool, this helps to keep more water warming. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2024 by Jon H
    • So far works great...
Size: 4' x 20'
It arrived quickly! Upon opening there was no instructions and the Starter Kit was also missing. Thankfully my hubby is very handy and we have a pool store not too far away where we were able to purchase the hoses and the items that should have been with the starter kit. Putting it together and hooking it up to our pump was easy after we found the instructions online. So far it is working great. We are having 90 degree weather this week so we will see when it is cooler how many degrees it raises the pool temperature. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2024 by B.S.
    • Total Pain to set up with Intex Pools.
Size: 3’9” x 24’
Review Image by K. Warren K. Warren
Review Image by K. Warren K. Warren
Review Image by K. Warren K. Warren
Review Image by K. Warren K. Warren
Review Image by K. Warren K. Warren
Review Image by K. Warren K. Warren
Review Image by K. Warren K. Warren
I am not a professional plumber. Don't bother going to pool supply stores or the pool section in the hardware store. Connecters and tubing are found in the plumbing section, duh. I ended up ordering the tubing online because 3 hardware stores didn't have the right size. It took me several trips to the hardware store before I found connections that fit. I used silicon tape, liquid silicone, sealant, and O-rings, and everything leaked. After several attempts I got everything working somewhat but still have slow leaks connecting to the PapaBear Solar Collecter. I'm going to try using a plumber's putty to seal the leaks and if that doesn't work maybe caulk. I've resisted using any kind of permanent sealant because I may need to disassemble the setup in the future. You'd think the company would provide connections and supplies to prevent leaks but here we are. Otherwise, the solar collector works great, as expected. I almost immediately felt warm water coming out of the pool inlet. Raised the pool temperature 2 degrees in half a day. Lost those 2 degrees overnight, though. I'll update my post after using the collector for a while. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2021 by K. Warren K. Warren
    • Extremely poor quality
Size: 3’9” x 24’
We used this for one summer and carefully put it away for the winter in a heated garage. There was a leak that we were able to patch the next season and third season the plastic was so brittle that there were leaks everywhere. This is a disposable, one season if you’re lucky, product.
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2024 by LKB
    • Purchase this item as a replacement for an older model that had lasted over 10 years.
Size: 3’9” x 24’
Very easy to assemble and works quite well. This was purchased to replace an older model that lasted 10 years. The only issue I had with this item was that it did not include the handle for the water flow through the panel. I contacted the seller as well as Amazon and received the missing handle. This particular item is few feet longer than the original one that I am replaced. Hopefully this will last as long as the original one I had. It appears to be more rugged also. We are very happy with our purchase. This item is being used to warm the water in a 28 foot diameter above ground pool. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2023 by SFS
    • It works
Size: 3’9” x 24’
I've tried a few different solar heaters and this is the first (and only) one that actually works. It's very well constructed and heats the water. Our normal high pool temp this time of year is 82 degrees by 4:00 p.m. This heater has it up to 86+ by 4:00 p.m. We have an 18' foot round above ground pool, uncovered, with a 1.5 HP pump. The key is that the solar heater needs to be exposed to continuous direct sunlight from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. when the pump is running. I put ours on the roof of our patio awning. It required 2 X 35' hoses, hose clamps, plumbers tape and some fine tuning but eventually the drips stopped. You can actually feel the water coming through the return is much warmer. It's just a matter of flow rate and pool size in terms of long it takes to warm up a pool. Long story, I definitely recommend this. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2022 by Johnson
    • Product does not last!
Size: 3’9” x 24’
Year 2 with this product and there are leaks all over the place on the underside. A lot of money wasted!
Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2024 by Bob Nantel

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