By:
On:
In: Projects
With: 0 Comments

All of the solar collectors and expansion tanks are mounted on the roof at the Fort Myers Broadway Apartment Solar Hot Water project. This photograph of the 20 solar collector systems on the north building is taken from the roof of south building. All of the collector systems are mounted on aluminum rails attached to the roof with non-penetrating S-5 Clamps. Today we started mounting photovoltaic (PV) panels that will run the integrated control modules and circulation pumps. We are also starting to connect the FAFCO crosslinked polyethylene tubing so we can begin filling the collectors with heat transfer fluid tomorrow. The progress has beenRead More →

By:
On:
In: Projects
With: 0 Comments

I get asked all the time, “how’s business.” I tell people it’s good, but that’s hard to quantify sometimes. Then someone asked me this weekend how many people have solar products in Southwest Florida. When I told them it was tens of thousands, they could not believe it. Most of these systems are solar pool heating or solar water heating systems, but increasingly solar electric systems are mainstream due to plummeting prices. Today at work I was mapping over 13,000 customer locations in Southwest Florida where my employer has solar products installed. It’s awesome when you come across a street that has four homes inRead More →

By:
On:
In: Education
With: 0 Comments

At a web marketing meeting today, one member of the astute web development team at Internet Services Group of Florida asked me what happens with all of that extra heat generated in the solar panels when the pool is already warm enough to swim? Great question! You might think that in Southwest Florida we get a long swimming season without pool heating. The truth is that an 85 degree pool when it is 95 degrees outside can feel refreshing, or a bit on the cool side to some! Solar Pool Heating in the Summer can boost the temperature slightly to bring the pool closer toRead More →

By:
On:
In: Education
With: 0 Comments

You may have received emails recently promising solar electric at unbelievably low rates. Unbelievable is the key word! Some recent announcements: Solar panels for under $1 per watt! 58 cents per watt for Solar Laminates! PV Systems under $5,000! These announcements are playing off the fact that most people think solar panels constitute the vast majority of the cost of a solar electric system. Some websites even report that solar panels represent about half the cost of a solar electric system. These ideas are just plain wrong. It’s true that you can get solar laminates for 58 cents per watt in any quantity. What isRead More →

By:
On:
In: Projects
With: 2 Comments

I could post a spectacular solar tubular skylight job just about every day on SolarSouthwestFlorida.com. Rather than inundate you, I decided only to pick out a select few. I thought this kitchen lit up by an 13 inch skylight looks amazing! This light really makes the marble countertop stand out and provides tremendous light at the sink and range for daytime kitchen work. The kitchen has no windows, so a tubular skylight was a great way to bring natural and pleasing light into this previously dark space. The higher ceiling allows for the use of a larger light without making the space overly bright. SmallerRead More →