Do you really need to maintain your solar panels? Some experts say if your panels are sitting at an angle on the roof, not much cleaning or maintenance is required. Yet, if you want your PV system to continuously perform at its maximum capacity, then maintenance is vital. Maintaining the entire system can be complicated but here are a few easy tips you can follow.
Keep your solar panels clean.
Tuth be told, solar panels require very minimal maintenance for them to perform as they should. However, if you don’t clean it regularly, don’t expect to get a hundred per cent efficiency in return. Therefore, it’s beneficial to keep your system free from dust, debris, dirt and bird droppings. These materials can block the sun’s rays and likely affect your panel’s performance.
In cleaning, use a soft cloth, water and soap but make sure to choose biodegradable soap instead of the regular detergent. More often than not, detergents contain harsh cleaning ingredients that may damage the glass panels and leave them with smudge marks. These marks can also hinder the amount of sunlight that hits the panels.
For easy cleaning, simply run a hose but only if the panels are within your reach. Don’t wait for the rain to wash away stuff that has accumulated on your panels. No doubt, manual cleaning is no match for the rain.
Keep your solar photovoltaic (PV) system operating at a lower temperature and you prolong its lifespan.
Water has been tried and tested as an effective coolant for the panels. Thus, cooling them with water lowers temperature thereby raising power output in general.
FYI, the PV system comprises one or several solar panels, and an inverter including other electrical and mechanical devices that use the sun’s energy to work.
Keep your solar panels out of the shade.
Why? Because any obstruction to the sunlight can lower production rates. If it’s impossible to keep those panels totally out of the shade, then prune your trees regularly and remove the leaves from the panels. This helps your system get maximum exposure. When there are no obstacles, solar energy can directly hit your panels and will let you enjoy electricity without interruption.
Prevent snow pile-up.
In regions where there’s snow in winter, snow pile-ups can block a big portion of your panels. Before they become difficult to remove, clean them up immediately using a snow brush or squeegee. These won’t cause damage to your panels.
Do an inspection of your solar panels on a regular basis.
Inspect your system from time to time to see if waste materials have been built upon it. And it’s not only dirt to keep an eye on. Always check if your inverter is flashing green light as expected. If it’s not, you aren’t going to have enough AC power to fuel your home appliances and devices. Contact your solar company right away once any sign of damage is evident.
If you have no idea what company to contact for your solar inverter maintenance in Australia, check out Service Tech.
