Sometimes there are obstructions shading the location where solar panels are going to be installed. It is critical to evaluate shading over the course of the days of the year and hours of the day. Back in the “old days,” we used some industry-specific manual tools and paper charts. We could accurately evaluate the shade location on a given day …
Proper Conduit Penetration Flashings on Tile Roofs for Solar Panels
Oftentimes the work a “competitor” does leaves me shaking my head (SMH). We received a call from a super nice lady in Naples, FL who purchased a solar photovoltaic system from and out of town contractor. That was the first mistake she made, given that people who come from hours away rarely support clients after the sale and installation. The …
Installing Solar Photovoltaic Panels on New Tile Roofs
If you are building a new home or installing a new tile roof, in our opinion there is only one preferred method in Florida. It requires coordination of your solar contractor with the roofer. And it uses the Quick Mount PV QBase Universal Tile Mount. The first step is the install a base flashing on the new underlayment. The base …
Enphase Ensemble Battery Solution Coming Soon!
Enphase, the leading manufacturer of microinverters, has started training dealers for its upcoming Ensemble battery system. This is an exciting new entrant to the budding Lithium battery industry for use in homes. Enphase has a unique approach that improves reliability, serviceability, design, and monitoring capabilities. In Southwest Florida we are mainly concerned with battery backup. The Enphase battery will fit …
Offset Your Electricity Bill – All or Part?
Some people only want solar panels if they can offset their entire electricity bill. But does that make sense? Grid-Interactive solar energy systems work with the grid to reduce your monthly energy use and cost. I get the idea of becoming “independent” from the utility company. Many people feel utility companies are greedy and inefficient. But you actually may be …
Home Solar Panel Photovoltaic System in Fort Myers
Fort Myers is obviously a GREAT place for solar photovoltaic panels. Also known as solar electricity, these systems are primarily designed to offset your electricity bill. These are usually not backup systems for utility outages. That is a common misconception among consumers. A system like the one pictured below, with 27 solar modules, each rated at 370 watts, will offset …
Poor Workmanship on Solar Energy Systems
Sometimes we see shockingly poor workmanship on solar energy systems. What’s more shocking is when solar contractors argue that the work is acceptable. One pet peeve of mine is poor wire management. Specifically, allowing wires to run along roof surfaces without proper support and protection drive me nuts. Securing and supporting wires is required by building code. But common sense …
Can I Put Solar Pool Heating Panels In The Shade
A couple of years ago I did an article and short video on how shade affects solar electric panels. Solar pool heating panels are different, and shade affects them differently. While it’s always best to avoid shading with any type of solar panel, sometimes there just isn’t a suitable roof or there isn’t enough roof space. Sometimes the neighbors have …
What Is The Cheapest Way To Heat My Pool?
If you are looking for the cheapest way to heat your Florida pool, you have come to the right place. It’s a bit of a loaded question, but we will walk you through the options and relative costs of each major pool heating method. For our analysis, we are going to assume similar quality levels for all technologies. For example, …
Electric Cars Run on Natural Gas
I hate to break it to you, but your electric car runs on natural gas – with a little nuclear power mixed in. The dealer didn’t tell you that, did they? We’re being a little facetious here, but it is generally true. When you plug your car in and use utility electricity to charge it, fuel is burned to generate …
Conflating Solar Power and Battery Backup
One of the greatest challenges we face as solar professionals is explaining to people how solar power and battery backup have little to do with one another. How did these concepts come to be intertwined, and why is it so challenging to overcome? When the power goes out, people think that solar panels will keep your house running. Especially here …
Solar Panels East and West I-75 in Southwest Florida
Over the last several days I have heard on the radio and TV that inland rain will affect Southwest Florida. Over the last 35 years living here, I have always noticed that afternoon rain comes earlier in the day further inland. Areas east of I-75 seem to get rain earlier and more often. That got me thinking – is solar …
Should I Buy Solar Panels From My Builder?
We are seeing more and more home builders offer solar electric panels. For many years home builders have offered upgrades like swimming pools, outdoor living spaces, and improved finishes. And for many years pool builders have offered solar pool heating panels. Recently savvy builders have added solar electric panels to their offerings to meet demands from progressive home buyers. In …
Solar Electricity For Your Home at Babcock Ranch
Babcock Ranch is a solar city. But what does that really mean, and how can you benefit from solar energy at your home? The short answer is that there is a giant solar field near Babcock Ranch that is intended to provide enough electricity for the needs of the community. It is owned and operated by the local utility company, …
Babcock Ranch is Heating Up With Solar
Babcock Ranch is known as the first Solar City for its centralized solar electricity energy source. But did you know that it’s shaping up to be a hotbed for solar pool heating, too? Solar pool heating is over 5 times more efficient than solar electricity at converting the sun’s energy to usable energy. While about 20% of solar energy can …
Pentair Intelliconnect With Solar Pool Heaters
The Pentair Intelliconnect pool automation system was introduced in 2018. We are starting to see it in the wild here in Southwest Florida. This product is intended to fill a small niche market for pool only scenarios (no spa). It’s for pool owners need only control a couple of features and want online control via an app. It covers only …
Be Careful Hiring a Solar Contractor in Florida
At least once a week we get an offer from someone claiming to be a solar contractor who wants to do our installations. They are offering subcontracting services. Some are licensed, some are probably not. One thing is for certain – the answer is NO! Unfortunately, the solar energy industry has become a money-grab for people and companies who are …
Using Drones to Create 3D Solar Panel Layouts
We’re leading the way in the industry with our use of drones in solar contracting and with 3D computer modeling. While our competitors are stuck in the dark ages of creating a chicken scratch drawing of solar panels layouts or flat aerial images at best, we are utilizing sophisticated tools to create rich sales presentations, construction drawings, and marketing collateral. …
Header Brackets – Another Myth Busted
We have published many posts on the myths, inaccuracies, and outright lies that some competitors talk about during sales presentations. When we bust the myth, they tend to move on to another scare tactic. Here one you might hear that has been used extensively recently: “They use a plastic header clamps and ours is metal.” So? Yeah. And? I guess …
Solar Panels on Stone Coated Metal Tile Roofs
Stone coated metal roofs are becoming more and more popular in Florida. They are universally praised as being beautiful, durable, and highly wind resistant. With very long warranties and concerns about hurricane resistance, it is reasonable to expect these roofs to be purchased by more and more homeowners. Installing solar panels on these roofs presents challenges. The only good way to …