Improved Snow Removal Tool

[DanS26]

Long time posters and lurkers will note that I made a snow removal tool from readily available parts and posted pics in the last couple of years.

Attached is a pic of the latest iteration of the tool. Note that I added stabilizer wire to the hold the wings of the tool from flexing too much. The head is mounted to a 13 foot telescoping pole.

No......I have not patented the idea but I'm willing to talk to your lawyer.

Remember if you see something similar being sold on eBay by a Chinese company next year....you saw it here first.

[J.P.M.]

Long time posters and lurkers will note that I made a snow removal tool from readily available parts and posted pics in the last couple of years.

Attached is a pic of the latest iteration of the tool. Note that I added stabilizer wire to the hold the wings of the tool from flexing too much. The head is mounted to a 13 foot telescoping pole.

No......I have not patented the idea but I'm willing to talk to your lawyer.

Remember if you see something similar being sold on eBay by a Chinese company next year....you saw it here first.

Dan: Probably not a common scenario, but what if the snow is being pushed down from above an array (Or pushed up from below, or horizontally) ?

Nice thinking, but I'm not sure structural cabling or rigid member bracing is a patentable idea. Maybe ?

[DanS26]

Dan: Probably not a common scenario, but what if the snow is being pushed down from above an array (Or pushed up from below, or horizontally) ?

Nice thinking, but I'm not sure structural cabling or rigid member bracing is a patentable idea. Maybe ?

In most cases snow will be pulled down off the array. In my case, after much experimentation, I can clean my 36 panel array by making three passes. First pass is to push the snow up and over the back for the snow accumulated on the top row of panels. The tool seems to handle this upward pushing very well even in deep snow.

The next pass is to pull snow down from the third and second panel rows. The main accumulation is now either on the ground or piled high on the first row of panels. The third and last pass cleans off the first row.

Years ago when I was only using the one width snow broom, this method was a tedious and time consuming task. With the improved and wider broom, the task has become much easier and quicker.

[peakbagger]

Looks like a wide roof rake that I can buy at the hardware store. What type of panel attachment do you have on your array. The iron ridge fasteners stick up above the panels and catch on the roof rake. If I rake between the fasteners, it usually gets the snow sliding.

[azdave]

No......I have not patented the idea but I'm willing to talk to your lawyer.

Actually, my lawyer would be calling you. Looks like a clear case of patent infringement.



On a more serious note, has anyone experimented with high-pressure air nozzles mounted along the top of the arrays to give a bust of air upon command? I live in Phoenix so no snow here to test but it seems like in some cases you could use jets of air to separate the snow layer from the glass and induce an avalanche.

I know when I have two 5-gallon pails stuck together so tight I can't pull them apart I can use a blast of air from an air nozzle and the two pails come apart on their own.

[DanS26]

Looks like a wide roof rake that I can buy at the hardware store. What type of panel attachment do you have on your array. The iron ridge fasteners stick up above the panels and catch on the roof rake. If I rake between the fasteners, it usually gets the snow sliding.

IMO those hardware store roof rakes are not designed nor practical for removing snow from solar panels. Besides catching on the protruding bolts, they could actually damage the glass surface and other hardware. If you use a roof rake be very careful.

My design uses SnoPro's which are made out of a special material to remove snow from car windshields. They were originally designed for car dealerships that had to remove snow from many new and used vehicles without scratching the paint or windows or mangling the windshield wipers. They do not get caught on the protruding bolts but pop right over them.

[J.P.M.]

I know when I have two 5-gallon pails stuck together so tight I can't pull them apart I can use a blast of air from an air nozzle and the two pails come apart on their own.

Does that work on dogs too, or is the water still necessary ?

[SunEagle]

Does that work on dogs too, or is the water still necessary ?

COLD WATER works best.

[peakbagger]

A friend and I have been using standard roof rakes for 10 plus years. We both have evergreen panels and there is no way that plastic rake is going to scratch a panel. I do like the concept of adding a resilient flap to see if it doesn't catch on the hardware. I have a fairly shallow install on a second story roof so unless I get the extension ladder out I can only reach the lower edge of the array. I do use a rake on my wall mount panels and my pole mount and no evidence of scraping.

[J.P.M.]

COLD WATER works best.

Before I was married, I lived w/ 2 other guys. One of them had unusual tastes in women such that we kept a bucket of water next to his bedroom for emergencies as a joke (at least I thought it was a joke). Ahh! the good old days.

[bcroe]

On a more serious note, has anyone experimented with high-pressure air nozzles mounted
along the top of the arrays to give a bust of air upon command? I live in Phoenix so no snow here to test but it seems like
in some cases you could use jets of air to separate the snow layer from the glass and induce an avalanche.

I know when I have two 5-gallon pails stuck together so tight I can't pull them apart I can use a blast of air from an air
nozzle and the two pails come apart on their own.

When you have a prototype together, send it here for a season long test where there is snow. Run it alongside my vibrating panels
and gaps for drop through. Bruce Roe

[DanS26]

I'm planning on making a safety improvement to the snow removal tool. I'm going to replace the telescoping aluminum pole with a non-conducting material either wood or better yet fiberglass.

When removing snow I make an effort to avoid contacting the panels or frame with the aluminum pole but occasionally contact is made. Now 550 volts is not high voltage to some people but it is to me even if I am wearing heavy leather gloves and rubber boots as insulation. I can see the headline now in the next winter edition of "Darwin Times":

"MAN ELECTROCUTED USING ALUMINUM POLE ON SOLAR ARRAY"

The risk is small but avoidable.

[peakbagger]

I have a #4 cable running down to 8' copper ground rod tied into my ground field that is tied into panel frames. Not that worried about an aluminum pole.

[DanS26]

I have a #4 cable running down to 8' copper ground rod tied into my ground field that is tied into panel frames. Not that worried about an aluminum pole.

I'm a firm believer in Murphy's law......what can go wrong, will go wrong, at the worst possible moment.

Wind rash on wires, storm damage, animals chewing, ground wires become disconnected or broken.......the list goes on.

[peakbagger]

No problem, you are justifying your obsession. Standard rule for home projects is they are always a good excuse to buy something. I happen to have a roof rake and about 10 extension sections that I inherited so I use what I have.