Terrible Solar Pool Heating Manifold

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My company does service for all brands of solar pool heating systems, so naturally we get to see some things that are funny, dangerous, wrong, and downright terrible. Yesterday I was sent a picture of a solar pool heating manifold (system of valves) that was pretty funny, if not a little dangerous (left, below). One thing is certain – it’s absolutely hideous! The strange thing is that this was installed by one of our major competitors, not an inexperienced dealer or fly-by-night handyman. They do a lot of business, routinely beating our price (surprise, surprise). A neat and tidy solar pool heating bypass and isolationRead More →

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I am seeing an uptick in requests about Alternating Current Photovoltaic (ACPV) Modules. ACPV solar panels are traditional solar electric panels that have an inverter affixed to the back. The module assembly is UL listed as a complete assembly, and is essentially an appliance. Rather than output DC power that needs to be converted to AC for use in your home, the appliance puts out AC energy that can be connected directly to your home’s wiring system. Despite what manufacturer’s may say, these are not the same as the “plug-and-play” solar panel concept, which doesn’t really exist. ACPV modules are still required to be connected toRead More →

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I just read an article published today on the Harvard Business Review blog that misses the point about businesses, specifically banks and other financial institutions, engaging in sustainable building practices. The article focuses on how companies should be less focused on environmental sustainability and more focused on financial sustainability given the nation’s disfavorable attitude toward banks today. What the article fails to regognize is that sustainable building, when done right, is financially responsible and sustainable! Green building techniques have returns on investment associated with them, and some can be extremely favorable, especially when combined with utility and government incentives. Banks often operate on razor-thin marginsRead More →

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The Pentair QuickTouch II Remote allows remote control of a Pentair SunTouch, EasyTouch, or IntelliTouch Pool Automation system. We have installed lots of these convenient remotes with SunTouch Solar Pool Heating controllers. Pairing the Pentair QuickTouch II Remote With The Receiver is easy! Once in a while, the remote may lose connection with the receiver, which is located outside near your pool equipment. Opening the receiver requires a #2 Philips screwdriver. The screws are located on the bottom of the antenna housing. When sliding the cover off the receiver, be VERY CAREFUL that you do not break off the antenna, which is integrated with theRead More →

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Florida House Bill 0277 (2013) has passed both the House and Senate unanimously. This bill makes official the de facto standard used by county property appraisers that excludes renewable energy (i.e. solar energy, wind energy) systems from assessed property values. This exclusion was inadvertently removed from law during a previous congress in 2008. Various attempts have been made to reenact the exemption, with no success until now. According to the Florida Solar Energy Industries Association, “The bill implements a constitutional ballot initiative approved in the 2008 general election by Florida voters, which prohibits adding the value of certain home improvements specific to the installation andRead More →

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I just had to share this photo of a small system we just installed. Fafco Solar is now offering starter photovoltaic systems with 8 panels (this one is 10). What has made  this feasible is the flexible and modular nature of the Enphase microinverter. In the past, the fixed costs and semi-fixed costs have been prohibitive when considering what I consider a “Starter PV System.” We have figured out how to do these solar electric systems cost effectively, helping more people go solar with more modest budgets. The best part – future expansion is easy!

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With so many people in Southwest Florida preparing to head north for the summer, We are getting lots of calls from people with solar panels. How do you get your solar pool heater ready for summer? If you are not planning to use your solar pool heater in the summer, the most important thing you can do to protect your system is to drain and isolate it completely. Most of the systems installed by professionals have isolation valves that allow you to stop the flow of water into and out of the solar panels and roof plumbing. Just closing the 3-way solar bypass valve isRead More →