In the world of solar energy, warranties are often touted as a mark of quality and reliability. After all, who wouldn’t want the assurance that their investment in solar panels is protected against defects and performance issues? Manufacturers put out fancy marketing brochures and nebulous certification programs to demonstrate confidence in their products. However, as a seasoned solar veteran, I’ve …
Does Solar Panel Degradation Matter?
If you are selecting a solar panel based on the degradation rate, I’m here to tell you something. It’s not a degradation rate at all. What you are reading is a promise. It’s a warranty figure used to determine the maximum rate a solar panel can degrade before you have a claim against the manufacturer. Don’t get me started about …
The Importance of Wire Management for Solar Panels
You might think you have asked a solar salesperson all of the essential questions. But did you ever consider asking how they do wire management? It’s the small things that matter. People get hung up on warranties, temperature coefficients, and panel brands, but they fail to ask the most important questions when hiring a solar contractor. And I get it …
How Important Is Solar Panel Temperature Coefficient?
It gets hot here in Southwest Florida. And if you didn’t already know, solar photovoltaic panels lose performance as the temperature increases. You heard that right. Solar panels want cool and clear days to perform the best. All solar panels have a rate at which the solar panels lose performance called the temperature coefficient. It is expressed in percent loss …
Hire a Local Solar Contractor
The solar energy industry has exploded in the last several years. At the turn of the century, there were a handful of local solar contractors in Southwest Florida, and a decade later, that remained the same. But since 2010, the number of solar energy companies in the area has increased to dozens of local dealers. More impactful has been the …
2024 Will Be The Year Of The Battery
Modern lithium ion batteries for solar with battery backup have been around for years now. The early adopter stage is ending, and 2024 is shaping up to be the year for battery backup in Southwest Florida. There are major developments in the industry, and now may be the time to buy solar with batteries or add batteries to your existing solar …
Solar Generators | Portable Power Stations
They are called all kinds of things. Solar Generators. Portable Power Stations. Portable Battery Backup. Portable Power Stations. Solar Battery Banks. Whatever. These are just words without context, and these products’ manufacturers make sensational claims that have to be true – after all, they’re on the Internet! If It’s Too Good to be True, It Probably Is Have you read …
Should I Buy A Solar Pool Heater Or Electric Pool Heat Pump
The choice between a solar pool heater and a pool heat pump depends on various factors, including your specific needs, budget, and your specific pool and home. Here are some considerations for each: Solar Pool Heater: Energy Source: Solar pool heaters utilize energy from the sun to heat the pool water. They typically consist of solar collectors (panels) installed on …
Five Star Solar Installer in Southwest Florida
We are delighted to have surpassed 250 five star Google Reviews as of September 2023. New clients are often quite impressed with this, but our existing clients are not surprised. Why? How did we do it? We ask ourselves that frequently because we are obviously on the right track, and we want to continue doing what we are doing right. …
Solar Pool Heating Alternative
Solar pool heating can be a great way to heat your pool, but there is an alternative. I once heard the phrase that pool heating is one letter away from pool hating. Heating a pool can be expensive, so deciding the best way to do it is an important decision you need to make to ensure that you enjoy using …
Enphase IQ7 Versus IQ8 Microinverters
UPDATE 2/16/24: Enphase is discontinuing the IQ7 series of microinverters, so much of this article is a moot point, but there is still a ton of valuable information here. We are keeping it here for you for historical reference. The IQ8 series of microinverter has been out for a while now, and it has proven to be another great …
Enphase Bi-Directional Vehicle Charging (V2H) and Air Conditioning
This is going to be a pretty short article. Unfortunately, it might burst your bubble. The promise of bi-directional Electric Vehicle use for homes, also known as Vehicle to Home or V2H, is great. The idea is that you can plug your vehicle into the house and power everything you need. And you can charge your vehicle battery with solar …
Who Makes Tier 1 Solar Panels
Everyone is getting in on the ChatGPT craze. If you don’t know what this is, it’s an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI. It is expected to yield huge changes in the way we search and learn online. Students are even cheating by writing papers using this tool. It can produce human-like responses with great information, but the problem is, …
EV Battery For Home Solar Backup – Reality Check
There has been a lot of buzz about Electric Vehicle batteries being able to power your home. This technology is definitely exciting and has a ton of promise. After all, why have a home battery for backup if your new car already has a battery in it? As it turns out, there are a lot of reasons, especially in Southwest …
NABCEP Certified PVIP Photovoltaic Installation Professional In Southwest Florida
People engaged in skilled trades seek certifications to show the public that they are vetted as competent persons in their craft. For example, air conditioning has NATE, auto mechanics have ASE, and electricians can become Journeyman. In the solar energy industry, NABCEP is the de facto standard for certifications. But they offer a wide array of certifications and it’s important …
What Wind Speed Can My Solar Panels Handle?
Given the prevalence of hurricanes in Southwest Florida, people naturally want to know what kind of wind speeds solar panels can handle. Unfortunately, that’s a loaded question with no real, direct answer. Nobody “knows” for sure, but we have lots of anecdotal data. There are way too many variables to provide a succinct answer. And, there are no guarantees. The …
Enphase Energy Independence in Enlighten App
We love Enphase around here, but sometimes they really don’t think things through and cause solar contractors a lot of unnecessary grief. You would not believe how many calls/emails/texts we get about the “Energy Independence” figure shown in the Enphase Enlighten app. An average person might think this figure indicates how much of your energy is being produced by solar …
Solar Financing Explained – How To Pay For Solar Panels
This is the guide the other guy doesn’t want you to know. This is the quiet part said out loud. This is the inside scoop on solar financing. Financing a solar electricity system can be confusing. Making an informed decision will greatly improve your experience, and we are here to help you do that. There are several ways to finance …
What Florida’s Net Metering Law Changes Mean
THIS LEGISLATION WAS (THANKFULLY) VETOED BY GOVERNOR DESANTIS. It was never passed into law. This article remains in place for historical reference. Original Article: In case you missed it, the Florida legislature passed a significant change to the Net Metering laws in Florida. These are the rules that allow solar energy producers to “sell” excess energy production back to the …
Enphase Launches the IQ8 Microinverter – Backup Without Batteries
Enphase has launched the new IQ8 microinverter, which comes with the promise of allowing you to use your solar panels off-grid without batteries. Until now, solar panels were either grid-interactive which means they shut down with the loss of the grid, or they worked with batteries to provide backup power. Before you get too excited, let’s get something straight. Solar …