The new homeowners of this Fort Myers home wanted to enjoy their pool year-round, and recognized that one of the best times to buy a solar pool heater is during the slower summer season. As part of the solar pool heater installation, we cleaned up the plumbing and valves at the pool equipment pad and replaced the pump with an …
Pool Valves With Solar Pool Heating Explained
How Swimming Pool Valves Work With so many people moving to Florida and owning their first pool, it’s not surprising that a majority of pool owners are baffled by their swimming pool plumbing system. When we endeavor to add solar pool heating, the plumbing at the pool equipment pad becomes a bit more complex, but it’s not too hard to …
Solar Pool Pump
If you are considering a solar powered pool pump, this article is for you. A solar pool pump is simply a pump with an electric motor that runs on DC power produced by solar panels to circulate water in your pool. It seems like a fantastic way to save money on what is often the second biggest energy hog in …
Compare Variable Speed Pool Pumps
Variable Speed Pumps Explained There is no question that variable speed pool pumps will save you money and cut down your pump noise, but how do you compare pumps when you have a solar pool heating system? Choosing a pump based on cost, horsepower, or brand alone will result in poor performance or savings at best, and disastrous results at worst. …
Review Solar Pool Heating Panel Options
Selecting a solar pool heater can be a difficult choice, with all sorts of opinions, sources, and ratings available. As you review your options, you will want to look at things like flow rate, panel construction, total system performance, quality of ALL components, and dealer competence. All panel options and dealers have engineered installation drawings that meet Florida Building Code, …
How Variable Speed Pumps Affect Solar Pool Heaters
Solar pool heating systems use the existing pool filtration pump to circulate water, so the selection of a pump can have a profound impact on solar pool heating performance. The concept of a variable speed pump is pretty simple — when a centrifugal pool pump runs at a slower speed, the resulting energy use reduction is the cube of the speed …
iSwim Solar Pool Heater Installation
We recently completed a great looking iSwim solar pool heater installation on Sanibel Island. This system also included a complete pool automation, chlorination, and variable speed pump installation, bringing together a complete set of components designed to work perfectly. Below are some pictures of our work. This is as big system for a big open pool subject to the cooling effects of …
Day 12: Meet the Owners: Dominick & Jason
This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating. Regardless of how long a company has been around, isn’t it nice to meet the owner(s) to see for yourself with whom you are doing business? Wouldn’t it be nice if you had the personal cell phone number of the people responsible for your major purchase, so …
Day 11: Best Solar Pool Heating System Performance
This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating. Solar pool heating performance is about so much more than just the panel. While panel performance is important, and iSwim Solar Pool Heating Panels are among the top rated panels in terms of BTU heating output, the system performance is what’s key to a warm pool. On Day …
Day 3: Two Inch Headers & Plumbing
This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating. iSwim Solar Pool Heating Systems feature Two Inch Headers & Plumbing, meaning there is less restriction in the system. Less restriction results in better heating performance. What most people don’t realize is that system performance is a function of flow rate, not panel rating. Most competitors …
The Most Efficient Solar Pool Heating Panels on the Market
Solar pool heaters come in all shapes, sizes, and types, but one basic design has proven to be the most efficient on the market. The basic black polymer panel that comes in 4’x8′, 4’x10′, or 4’x12′ nominal sizes converts a large percentage of the sun’s available energy that hits it into heat for your pool. When most people ask about efficiency …
Solar Pool Heating Problem – Bubbles in the Pool (Video)
The following video explains a very common issue reported with solar pool heating systems. Solar pool heaters rely on adequate flow for proper operation. If the flow rate gets too low, air is let into the system through the vacuum relief valve, which allows air into the panels when a vacuum exists to protect the panels and plumbing from collapsing. …
iSwim, FAFCO, Heliocol, Solar Industries – Comparing Solar Pool Heating Panel Ratings
The best represented solar pool heating panels in Southwest Florida are iSwim™, FAFCO Sunsaver™, Heliocol™, and Solar Industries (Aquatherm). The de facto rating agency in Florida is the Florida Solar Energy Center. They publish solar thermal collector ratings that list a solar pool heating panel’s output in thousands of BTU per square foot of panel per day. In this article we …
Solar Pool Heating Primer for Pool Builders and Pool Service Companies
If you are a pool builder or a pool service company, this page is for you. We are going to explore how solar pool heating can fit into your business and leave you with more satisfied customers and more profit! Most of you already know how a solar pool heater works, but if not, head over to our solar pool …
How Do I Know How Many Solar Pool Heating Panels I Need?
There are some rules of thumb that will tell you how many solar pool heating panels you will need. The answer varies based on a few assumptions, and the number of panels is determined based on several factors. Don’t assume that your neighbor’s system will perform the same way for your home, and your budget is also a consideration. Assumptions …
Two-speed Pool Pumps vs. Variable Speed Pool Pumps
Right before I published this article I was contacted by a nice lady in Georgia who felt her pool service company was steering her wrong with a decision to replace her ailing single-speed pump. There is a lot of misinformation out there regarding two-speed pool pump and variable speed pumps, and many dealers are not up to speed (no pun …
Should I Buy A Solar Pool Pump
Your pool pump runs for several hours each day of the year. It is often the second biggest energy hog in a Southwest Florida pool home (after air conditioning). Your pool pump is important because circulating water in your pool both filters it and disburses sanitation chemicals evenly throughout it. You might wonder about the possibility of using a solar …
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 …