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How Much Does a Solar Pool Heater Cost?

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If you are just starting to research how much a solar pool heater costs, and you are not ready to contact a dealer, we totally understand. After all, solar panel pricing is all over the map for various technologies, with some systems costing in the tens of thousands of dollars. Solar pool heaters do not fall into that category. You …

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Showing Solar Panels on Architectural Drawings

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One of my favorite activities is taking existing architectural drawings for projects under development and rendering solar panels on the plans. These renderings can be simple two dimensional layouts showing available space for solar panels, or rich three dimensional drawings and visualizations. Either way, visualizing solar panels and sizing systems is an important part of any new construction solar project. …

Comparing Solar Pool Heating Panels Types

In Education 2 Comments

Solar pool heating panels sold by professionals in Florida are not all the same. Panels fall into three basic categories: Welded Tube Tube-On-Fin Separated Tube Each type of solar panel has advantages and disadvantage. Each type will heat your pool, performing at varying levels depending on the conditions. Some of the differences are high-tech, and some are common sense. Adding …

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Solar Pool Heating Panels on a Tile Roof – Design to Reality

In Education, Installation Photos, Opinion, Solar Design Leave a Comment

We have a lot of tile roofs in Florida. Sometimes known as barrel tile, S-tile, Roman tile, Spanish tile, or Mediterranean tile (among other names), these roofs are popular, especially in gated communities. Installing solar pool heating panels presents challenges on tile roofs, and we like the aluminum rack method. This method uses structural aluminum channels to act as a …

My Solar Electric System, One Year After Installation

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I just got a $54 electric bill for my 3,000 square foot home. Pretty good, right? I’m walking the walk! Well, it’s not what I had hoped when I installed my solar electric system, but that’s because I’m wildly wasteful now (not that I’m proud of it). I was spoiled by the low electric bills that started coming after I …

Beware of Shady Solar Installers

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It would be great to work in an industry that is self-policing and largely above any major ethical breaches. While most solar dealers are good people, driven by ideals of a better world, there are shady solar companies out there, and you need to stay away from them. Why is it so important in this industry, and how do you …

Electric Heat Pump Pool Heater vs. Gas Pool Heater

In Education 2 Comments

In my last article I discussed the pros and cons of an electric heat pump pool heater vs. a solar pool heater. While it has little to do with solar pool heating, I thought I would point out the differences between the two traditional heat sources used for residential swimming pool heating, which are heat pumps and gas pool heaters. …

Electric Heat Pump Pool Heater vs. Solar Pool Heater

In Education 4 Comments

Should you buy an electric pool heater (heat pump) or a solar pool heater? Each has its pros and cons, some of which are shared. Electric Heat Pump Pool Heaters Electric heat pumps are popular in Florida, and for good reason. Since heat pumps use the latent heat in the air to heat your pool, warm Florida daytime temperatures are …

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My Solar Heated Pool Feels Warmer in the Morning

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When a solar pool heater owner says that their pool feels warmer in the morning, especially this time of year, it’s usually a matter of perception. As you would expect, solar pool heaters only heat pools during the day when the sun is out and the pool pump is running. Naturally, the temperature in the pool will typically rise throughout …

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Solar Design: More Than a Pretty Picture

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Renderings of solar panels on buildings are very helpful in visualizing the scale and look of a project. However, there are practical reasons to develop 3D computer models of solar panel layouts, and one of the most important is evaluating shading. When obstruction exist like trees, buildings, power lines, and others, it is important to evaluate the impact of shade. …

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Interactive 3D Models of Solar Panel Designs

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Sure, two dimensional representations of three dimensional models are pretty cool on paper or in PDF presentation format, but what if you could interact with a 3D model in a simple, easy to use format in a web browser? Well, you can! When we do a three dimensional model, it can be uploaded and shared via a web link. Immersive …

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Rendering Scenes for 3D Computerized Solar Designs

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I’m constantly working to improve the visual renderings of our 3D computerized solar designs. We have mastered the art of taking aerial imagery and making three dimensional roofs on which we can display solar panels. However, one of the biggest challenges is modeling screened pool cages that are ubiquitous in Southwest Florida. Ideally we would just build a box with a raised …