A car that’s well-oiled and serviced runs better, so there’s no surprise that solar panels do their job more efficiently when they’re given the same level of attention.
Your new solar system requires very little maintenance, but a clean solar panel is much more efficient than a dirty or dusty one. Your solar power system’s output may be reduced if your panels are covered in dust, dirt or grime. This blocks the sunlight out and reduces its efficiency. To get the full cost-saving benefit of solar power, it’s best to keep your panels relatively clean and free of debris. Due to the dirt and debris, studies shows that, the energy loss is around 5% for it. So, it's really useful to clean the solar panels properly to get the maximum output.
There are two methods, by which solar panels can be cleaned. One is by hiring professional people to clean the solar panels and another method is to DIY (Do it Yourself). But to get the earliest ROI, it's advisable to clean the solar panels by yourself. Below is the step by step process to clean the solar panels:
1. Shut down the entire system: To avoid any accident, the system should be completely shut down as per the shutdown procedure listed in the user manual. AC systems should be shut down via Solar Supply Main Switch while the DC system needs to be completely shutdown.
2. Disconnect the rainwater collections or gutters: Where rainwater tanks are installed and connected to the guttering system, have them temporarily disconnected or shut off from the gutters to ensure no trace passing of dirty waters in to the tank.
3. Cleaning panels from ground if possible: It's advisable to clean the solar panels from the ground. To avoid any accident, it's the best possible way to clean the solar panels by using hose with suitable nozzle to direct water in to the panels. For the stubborn grim, bird droppings we can use a soft good quality brush, soft cloth and mild soapy water to clean it properly.
4. Make sure to directly water on to top of the solar panels: Whilst it is ok for some water to touch the back of your panels, but it should be very cautious not to direct water onto the back of the panels or into the gap between the panels and your roof.
5. Choose a cool, mild day: The combination of hot glass on the panels and cool water can increase the chance of cracks from a sudden change in temperature. Additionally, if the hot sun is beating down on the panels, any water used on the surface could quickly evaporate and leave dirty marks – undoing all of the hard work! A cool, early morning is a particularly good time for cleaning. Dew that has settled on the panels overnight could have softened the dirt and grime, meaning it’ll need less water and less energy to clean the solar panels. If it can’t be managed to clean the panels on an early morning, an overcast day or a mild, cool evening can also be chosen to clean the panels.
6. Use proper safety precautions while climbing up the roof: If cleaning your panels from the ground is not possible, it's mandatory to use safety equipment while cleaning it from the roof, because roof can be slippery when using water to clean the solar panels.
Though EverExceed Solar Panels are manufactured automated line process and passed several QC tests, so it requires lesser amount of maintenance and cleaning. But still to clean the panels to get maximum output from the panels it's advisable to clean at least once a year or half-yearly. One solution to prevent climbing up on a ladder to inspect the system could be to have a install a CCTV camera pointed at the panels so you can see for yourself when they need cleaning. EverExceed Security Camera can be a good choice for inspecting those as well.
If you want to know more about different solar solution, contact EverExceed today. Our team is experienced for more than a decade on the industry to provide you best solution for your needs.
