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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 181 reviews
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$439.99 Why this price?
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Availability: Only 1 left in stock, order soon!
Fulfilled by Spreetail
Arrives Jun 29 – Jun 30
Order within 19 hours and 29 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: Jun 29 – Jun 30

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
    • 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
    • Works well and is easy to install
Size: 2’5” x 4’
Works well and helped to heat our small pool quickly. I rated it 4/5 because it started to sag after two months of use.
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2025 by Tim and Cindy's Reviews
    • Sprung leaks after 3 seasons!
Size: 3’9” x 24’
The media could not be loaded. We bought this product Sept. 2021 and did not use it until the next summer, so only used it three summers. We rolled it up carefully and brought it into our pole barn each winter so it was not exposed to harsh temperatures. We installed it again and when we turned on the filter, it had sprung three large leaks. We will try to repair it but am not holding out much hope. There's only a 30-day warranty so buyer beware. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2025 by Steve Layton
    • Edit - The pool feel pretty good
Size: 3’9” x 24’
Edit - Took much longer than I expected but the water has been consistently swimmable. No longer cold in the pool. That being said I thought two of the 24 foot ones would make my pool warmer than it is, but I'm more optimistic that it might actually get to that point. I can't complain too much. That being said the instructions recommend using flexible pool hose. I personally suggest going straight to rigid PVC. Original review - I bought 2 of the 24 foot long solar pool heaters to heat my 16 by 32 above ground pool. I built a rig to tilt the panels 30 degrees off the ground and my panels are pointed south west. I even have a solar pool cover that I use to make sure the heat doesn't escape through evaporation or from wind. According to everything I have read, 1 heater panel this size should raise the pool 5-10 degrees a day, but the pool is still freezing cold even after several high heat, clear sky, high UV index days. I was hoping buying two would mean it would raise the pool temp 10-20 degrees a day. I would be happy if the 2 panels together raised the pool only 5 degrees a day, but the pool has not increase more than 5 degrees over the course of 7 days. I'm going to keep trying to make it work, but as of right now, seems like an amazing waste of nearly $700. Next, the installation instructions are pretty bad. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2022 by Amazon Customer
    • 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
    • Good quality 4 years and going
Size: 3’9” x 24’
On our 4th year and this thing has held up well!
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2025 by GG
    • Heats the pool as advertised
Size: 3’9” x 24’
We've been able to use the pool a couple times already. If the outdoor temp gets to 78 and will stay sunny we can expect 80 degree water. Unfortunately the Texas weather has been the normal up and down every couple days so I can't say how much the water would warm after 5 days in the sun. I have the solar heater plumbed in to an old Intex pool pump for a 15' pool. It moves a decent amount of water so I'm only seeing a 2 degree temp change from input to output. Might be higher if the water moved slower. Still, this is enough to let us already use the pool a couple times in April when the temps bounce from mid 40's to mid 80's. I had an issue with the PVC connections leaking. I finally used silicon and the leaks are resolved. Not sure how this will affect longevity when I can't completely drain it after the season. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2021 by Jason Knighton

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