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iSwim Solar Pool Heater Installation

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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 …

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Day 12: Meet the Owners: Dominick & Jason

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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 …

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Day 11: Best Solar Pool Heating System Performance

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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 …

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Day 3: Two Inch Headers & Plumbing

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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 …

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Day 1: Full Flow Tubes

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This article is part of a series: The 12 Days of Solar Pool Heating.  iSwim Solar Pool Heating Panels feature full flow tubes, meaning the tubes that make up the body of the panel are molded into the header during manufacturing, resulting in 100% of the tube cross-section extending into the header and no resistance to flow. The iSwim panel …

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Heating a Florida Pool in Winter

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Fall is here and winter is fast approaching. Florida pools are starting to drop in temperature as nighttime temperatures dip into the 60’s and 70’s. Pools lose most of their heat at the surface to the ambient air, and this time of year the daytime sun is not enough to recover the heat lost to the night sky… unless you …

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Solar Pool Heater: Best Flow Rate

In Education 4 Comments

Experts say that the optimum temperature for drinking tea is 60ºC (140ºF). We have all experienced the joy of a hot cup of tea in cold hands and the pleasant and quick warming effect it has. Our hands warm up quickly because the temperature between the cup and our hands is significant. As our hands warm up, the rate at …

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Reduce Your Electric Bill With Solar Panels

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I chuckle a little when I get my electric bill. It makes me think about the naysayers that claim “solar power doesn’t work.” Those people are out there — still! Well, solar panels do work. My most recent electric bill just came in (April 2015), and it was $23.16. My home is over 3,000 sq ft, I have a pool, …

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Top 5 Energy Using Appliances in Your Home

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If you are an FPL customer, you may have received an email recently that answered the question, “what are the top 5 energy users in my home?” FPL’s energy expert accurately explained how five things are the major drivers of the average utility customer’s electric bill. Those five things are: Air Conditioning Pool Pump Water Heater Lighting Clothes Dryer Well …

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Pentair SunTouch — Product Spotlight

In Education 2 Comments

The SunTouch is one step up from its little brother, the SolarTouch. It is a surprisingly capable complete pool automation controller for the money, featuring the ability to control a pool and spa combination, an auxiliary heater (gas or heat pump), and other pool functions. In fact, even if you don’t have a solar pool heater, the SunTouch is something …

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Pentair SolarTouch — Product Spotlight

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The SolarTouch is a basic solar pool heating controller with a few nice features. It is easy to use with a simple, customer-friendly interface. The end user generally needs only to select the desired pool water temperature. The controller uses a roof and water sensor to check when solar heating is both needed and available, and turns a motorized valve …

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Power Factor Correction to Save Energy

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There have been a variety of products over the years pitched to correct power factor in homes to save energy. The pitch goes something like this: Your homes has all kinds of motors (inductive loads) like pool pumps, air conditioners, refrigerators, washers, dryers, and even vacuum cleaners. Those electricity using appliances all have a power factor that is less than …

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Can You Run Water Through Solar Pool Heating Panels Too Fast Causing it Not to Heat Long Enough

In Education, Maintenance 8 Comments

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 …

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How Much Does a Solar Pool Heater Cost?

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If you are just starting to research how much a solar pool heater costs, and you are not ready to contact a dealer, we totally understand. After all, solar panel pricing is all over the map for various technologies, with some systems costing in the tens of thousands of dollars. Solar pool heaters do not fall into that category. You …

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What Is The Cheapest Way To Heat My Pool?

In Education, Opinion 4 Comments

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, …

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Florida Solar Co-op Information

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Solar cooperatives, or co-ops, are organizations set up to empower neighbors to get the best prices and products when buying solar panels for homes and businesses. The concept is that pooled interest will result in lower prices, peace-of-mind in selecting a contractor, and pre-screened products. There are advantages to solar co-ops in Florida, but there are also serious potential drawbacks …