PowerSwitch

I noticed a few marks on our rooftop solar panels when I was up the garden a few weeks ago. My window-cleaner offered to clean the panels a while ago as he has a new window-cleaning system which looks like a sponge on a very long, extendable pole with a hosepipe attached from a water tank in his van, going to the to the sponge. I am wary that he may scratch or otherwise damage the panels with the pole, so I declined his offer. My husband went out & sprayed the panels with a hose-pipe which just say got to the top of the roof, but the panels did look cleaner & it did remover the saharan sand which came over a few weeks ago. Since then, we have noticed a distinct increase in the amount of kWh produced and the higest reading seems to have increased also. I am sure that it's not just that there is more sun around, for a longer time that say a month ago, but even allowing for that, we do seem to be producing quite a bit more.
Having said all that, is a frequent rinse with a hose-pipe enough to keep the panels clean or should I find a professional firm to do it? What do you people do?

Katie

In a normal UK spring/summer the rain will keep them clean enough, Katie. In a prolonged dry spell a quick occasional squirt with a hose should get rid of most of the dirt, but beware of a build up of thick dirt at the bottom of panels on a shallow pitched roof. this can build up enough to affect panel output.

I clean mine a couple of times a year by useing a soft brush attached to a garden hose, sold for car cleaning.
Mine are nearly flat though, PV modules at a steeper angle need less cleaning as the rain is more effective.

It's good to know that hosing the panels down is OK. I forget the angle of the roof - I think it was around 37 degrees, but I'm really not sure.

Katie

katie wrote:It's good to know that hosing the panels down is OK. I forget the angle of the roof - I think it was around 37 degrees, but I'm really not sure.

Katie

I would think that anything above 30 deg would be pretty much self cleaning most of the time. That does require some rain though and we've not had much of that lately, at least not in the south.

This backs up RGR's theory that we are well and truly hosed...

I've noticed filth on all sorts of things that don't usually have it on...and then the day before yesterday there was a massive thunderstorm with loads of rain, and all the filth disappeared.

I suppose I ought to clean my horizontal one, as I'll be off grid this weekend!

We just hose the panels down now every2-3 weeks & they seem to be staying clean with no obvious marks. The windows need cleaning off afterwards but that's OK.

Katie

joandainty wrote:Solar panels are the best way to save money and to get rid of electricity bills. I am here for two months in florida and I am here looking to purchase solar panel for rent.

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Bit off topic but I have just returned from Florida and it's amazing that their homes are still not being built with solar panels, Ten years ago, it was quite normal to see homes with a few panels even if they just heated the water is their pools.

Katie

Time to sweep off the snow again

Sorry to hear that. We only had an inch of snow last weekend so our panels are clear but the skies are not - it's murky here now.

Katie

We just hosed our panels down this morning and our inverter was reaching 3010w today - higher than last July. We've already made as much as the equivalent quarter from last year with 4 weeks to go before the next reading. I hope it lasts.

Katie