You might notice that some solar panels are mounted in landscape (horizontal) and some are mounted in portrait (vertical). Why is that, and how should you mount yours? The answer might surprise you, and it’s actually quite important. We see a lot of contractors mounting solar panels in landscape orientation because rectangular panels just fit better on a triangular or …
Monitoring Electric Vehicle Charging with Enphase Enlighten App
I’m sure the question, “how much does it cost to charge an electric vehicle,” is Googled many thousands of times per day. There are rules of thumb and anecdotal answers from a variety of sources. When it comes to validating claims, there is nothing better than hard data. Fortunately, if you have solar panels with the Enphase Enlighten app and …
Accounting for Solar Water Heater Investments
We have said it before – solar domestic water heating is dead. Heating water for household use in Florida sounds like a good idea, but is it really? To know for sure, you have to have an accounting system. In the world of energy, we call this a monitoring system. While solar pool heating may be the most economical use …
Your Roof Is Not Good For Solar Panels
Well, maybe not YOUR roof, but you would be surprised at how many people we have to let down. Not every roof is great for solar panels. This can be a big disappointment to homeowners. Believe me – we are equally disappointed in knowing that we have an eager client’s goal that we cannot fulfill. There are several things that …
Net Zero Home With Solar Panels
One of the goals our clients bring to us is a net zero home. This means they want to generate as much energy with solar panels as they consume on an annual basis. It doesn’t mean off-grid, and it doesn’t mean that each month they will produce as much solar energy than they need. Some months they will produce excess, …
Rooftop Solar Panel Fire Safety – Why Microinverters Are The Only Prudent Choice
When businesses contemplate a solar panel installation, the main goal is usually return on investment, or ROI. That means the solar panels and other equipment must be the most cost-effective possible and the installation often goes to the lowest bidder. Homeowners often seek top quality, features, and gadgets. They want a good deal, but they also want the latest technology …
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, …
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 …
PV Shopping Quick Tip: Ask The Right Question!
When shopping for solar electric panels (photovoltaic or PV), most clients first ask what brand of panel we offer. While it’s a legitimate question, it’s not the most important question they should be asking. Solar panels have become extremely reliable and purchasing from an established source should yield good results. Solar panels are solid state devices with no moving parts …
Hurricane Irma Solar Panel Report
To all of our affected neighbors, we understand that this is a difficult time for many of you. Our local employees and company have been adversely affected too, but we are staying positive about the future. We are ready to help where needed. Summary of Hurricane Impact on Southwest Florida Solar Panels We are pleased to report that there are …
Why “Oversize” A Variable Speed Pool Pump
We have heard it over and over again. A client tells us that their pool builder or service company said a 3 horsepower Pentair Intelliflo pump is too big for their pool. It’s oversized. It’s overkill. It will destroy their pool plumbing. It will drain the oceans dry, trap baby seals, and eat all of the lobster in the sea. …
How We Stack Up Against Competition’s Years in Business
Solar Pool Heating Competition Let’s come right out and say it. Our business was officially started in 2014. That makes us a young company by most definitions. Our competition would like you to think that we are inexperienced and don’t have the credentials to install your solar pool heater. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. So how do we stack …
Ground Mounted Solar Pool Heaters
Once in a while we get asked about ground mounted solar pool heaters. We normally install solar panels on roofs, mounted flush to the roof. This is the easiest and most economical installation method. It makes sense for many reasons. Some of the reasons people cite for requesting solar panels on a ground rack are: Avoid seeing the solar panels …
Best Orientation for Solar Panels in Southwest Florida
We have a fair number of seasonal residents in Southwest Florida who have solar electricity at their northern homes. They all talk about how their solar panels are tilted to the south. We call this the orientation of the solar panels. Orientation is comprised of tilt (angle from horizontal) and azimuth (degrees clockwise from true north). Note: This article applies …
More Stunning Aerial Video of Solar Panels at Mirada in Fort Myers
We previously shared our involvement at Lennar Homes’ new community, Mirada, in Fort Myers, FL. Just off Bass Road near Healthpark Hospital, Mirada is an example of how a homebuilder can develop a community where every home has a solar electricity system. Prospective buyers are excited to learn that their new home will not only be energy efficient, but will also …
New Southwest Florida Community Gets Solar Panels On Every Home
Lennar, one of the nation’s largest home builders, is building a new community called Mirada off of Bass Road in Fort Myers. But this is no cookie cutter community. Every home in this Southwest Florida development will have solar panels. This isn’t the first time Lennar has outfit an entire community with solar panels. Through its partnership with Sunstreet, the builder has …
My Pool Builder Does Not Recommend Solar Panels
Every once in a while it seems like we get a spate of clients telling us that their pool builder or pool service company does not recommend solar panels for heating their pool. They are often told that they should install an electric heat pump. We want to tell you why this happens and dispel the myths about solar pool heating panels. …
Solar Pool Heaters – Panels Of Different Sizes
Solar pool heater plumbing is complex enough, but what happens when you have panels of different sizes? The pipe plumbing on the roof can become quite complicated, adding a lot of pipe to the job. The Common High Point The single most important factor is ensuring that there is a “common high point.” The array of panels is fed and …
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