This video shows you how to determine if your solar pool heating valve actuator is in the correct position and how to change it with the toggle switch. While we use the Pentair SolarTouch solar controller and the Pentair CVA24 valve actuator, this video applies to other solar controllers, pool controllers, and valve actuators. It does not apply to Heliotrope …
Solar Panel Service After The Sale – Buy Local!
Our prospective clients agonize over their choices when searching for a solar electricity system. What’s the right solar panel, the right inverter, the right mounting system? Who is the best installer? Who is the fastest? How big is the company? Ok, fine… all valid points perhaps. But time and time again we see people make the incredible choice to hire …
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 …
Solar Panel Inspections with Drones
After Hurricane Irma, we found that it was very helpful to launch our Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), commonly known as a drone. For homes and businesses where solar panels are not easily seen from the ground, the drone was extremely valuable. Drones allow safe, quick, and effective visual observations on rooftops. While there are some limitations in terms of inspections, …
Real Stories of Solar Panel Service Calls: Episode 1
We service all brands of solar pool heating panel. The stories range from sad to funny and everything in between. While most service calls are routine issues resolved, some are not so simple. And others are incredibly simple. We’ve decided to share some of our stories as we come across them, and this is Episode 1. We’re calling this one …
Solar Pool Panels Sliding Off Roof
Why solar pool heating panels slide off a roof is usually due to poor installation hardware or practices. Solar panels should be securely affixed to your roof surface for the lifetime of the system with hardware made to withstand the elements. Sometimes we find solar panels hanging off a roof or falling down when a homeowner reports something doesn’t look …
SunTouch Solar Controller – How to Put in Service Mode
We have a lot of Pentair SunTouch Solar Pool Heating Controllers in the field, and one of the most common questions is how to put the SunTouch into Service Mode. Service mode shuts off the filter pump and solar pool heater so that service can be performed. Turning the pump off is the first step in cleaning a filter, adding chlorine tablets, …
Buying a Home With Solar Panels
I recently met a wonderful young couple who are buying a home in Fort Myers, FL. The home has a fairly uncommon building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system that replaces some of the roof tiles with solar panels that are made in the same shape as the tiles. The product is uncommon because it is not as cost effective as traditional …
How Long Does a Solar Pool Heating Panel System Last?
With warranties exceeding a decade in most cases, manufacturers are obviously very confident in their solar pool heating panels. Once the warranty enters the discussion, usually that is the end of the conversation. But the question still remains: “How Long Does a Solar Pool Heating Panel System Last?” Solar pool heating systems are generally trouble-free, especially with proper care and …
Swimming Pool Air Suction Leak with Solar Pool Heating Panels
When there is air in the filter basket of a swimming pool pump, it often gets blamed on the solar pool heater, but that’s impossible because the solar pool heater comes after the pool pump and any air in the pump housing would have to come from the suction side of the pump. Usually a suction leak occurs at the …
Can You Run Water Through Solar Pool Heating Panels Too Fast Causing it Not to Heat Long Enough
This is always a good question. How fast should I run water through my solar pool heating system? Most think that running water fast through solar panels will not let them heat the water adequately. In fact, the opposite is generally true. Solar pool heating panels work most efficiently when the difference between the panel surface temperature and the pool …
Solar Pool Heater Not Working? Clean Your Filter!
I always get that sinking feeling in my stomach when a client reports that their solar pool heater is not working. What that usually means is the pool is not getting warm, or at least the solar pool heater is not performing as well as it once did. Once I get over the initial uneasy feeling, I get back to …