How to clean your solar panels
An aspect often overlooked is cleaning older solar panels.
Dirt, dust, and bird poo can leave your pride and joy unsightly. Uncleaned solar panels do affect output if left unchecked. Ultimately, PV export tariff revenues rely on generating the maximum amount of power to gain maximum income.
The importance of keeping your solar panels clean now seems obvious. Unbelievably, photovoltaic solar panels do work well, even when dirty. NASA’s Mars rovers have demonstrated this.
There PV solar panel has an expected lifespan of six months when first launched in 2004.
The phenomenal success of the rover’s longevity was down to the extraordinary solar panel coating.
This kept the rover powered-up, despite accumulating thick layers of red dust.
Therefore, not keeping your PV solar panels clean, won’t affect them from producing power altogether, but to maximise the generation rate, periodic cleaning is advised.
You’ll know this if you have a commercial PV solar park.
These types of companies employ contractors to keep their solar panel arrays cleaned, to gain the maximum profit from their investment. Homeowners should do the same.
Keeping your personal array clean may not have occurred to you, but just like the Mars rovers, the atmospheric dust, dirt will begin to take their toll on power output over longer periods of time. A regular clean with an inspection can ensure aesthetically, they don’t become unsightly.
The additional revenue generated will easily pay for itself as the panels go through seasonal changes.
Window cleaning companies specialize in PV solar cleaning and may clean your other exterior features as part of the deal too. Don’t miss out on your system’s full earning potential.
Yes, they are designed to be somewhat resistant to dirt, but from my experience, time and atmospheric dust eventually takes it tole with the exceptionally long lifespan that these systems have.
I cleaned my panels recently but apart from a couple of bird droppings there was nothing to wash off. My roof is very steep (55 degrees from the horizontal) and the rain cleans the panels very well.
Companies who own panels always keep them clean with a 6 monthly scrub with soft brush attached to high reach pure-water fed pole system. No detergents.
If you can imagine how much bird poo would hit them over that period and also over their 30 year lifespan. Anyone whom like to keep their car polished will know the frequency of direct hits from above.
Its no good trying to clean them with a hose pipe from the ground as the water pressure will penetrate the roof tiles an water will get inside your loft.
is there a cleaning sponge similar to that used for cleaning fish tanks. ie a magnet on either side and you push it up and down.