Snow removal

[solarrevolve]

BEGIN PLAGIARIZED CONTENT

There are three basic approaches to removing snow and ice from Solar Panel: mechanical, chemical, and thermal. It's not necessary to completely clean the solar panels, just get enough snow off so the dark surface can start absorbing light. The heat of the sun will do the rest.

Mechanical: You can physically removing the snow from the panels is the simplest method, and could be as easy as brushing it off with a roof rake. That could work for the part of our system over the garage, which is relatively close to the ground. Climbing up on a snow- and ice-covered roof is dangerous.

Chemical: Spraying some sort of deicing fluid on the solar panels should break the bond between the snow and the glass and allow the snow to fall off. The problem here is finding an effective antifreeze which will be safe for both the solar panels and the environment. Sugar water should be safe for the equipment and the environment, but isn't that great as an antifreeze. Propylene glycol should be safe for the equipment, but maybe not the environment.

Thermal: Heating the solar modules would certainly work and be environmentally safe. The problem is that it takes a lot of energy to melt snow and ice, and it's possible that it could take more energy to shed the snow than you would generate. Partly it comes down to whether you need to melt all the snow, or just a little bit to make it slide off.

----Mod Note: See Post #39 for the actual source of this information.

[snic]

I get a few emails almost everyday claiming bigger is better!

Yes, but nothing beats "9 inches of heavy wet snow." Especially when it's being beaten by a 30 foot pole. You don't need e-mail for that kind of imagery; you just need a guy with some solar panels! And white-out conditions, of course.

(Come to think of it, maybe it's a good thing the OP didn't post a video...)

[russ]

Depends on what business you are in

I get a few emails almost everyday claiming bigger is better!

[Naptown]

[QUOTE=itnetpro;98026 bigger is not always better but then again you never know when I might need that extra

John[/QUOTE]

Depends on what business you are in

[itnetpro]

Nine inches heavy wet snow fell in my neighborhood. Garage roof was easy peezy. Was able to clear all 12 within minutes. 12 panels 250w (225w clipped) each should generate max 2,700w of my total 10k system so I'm happy. As for the main roof, the 30' pole does reach up there and I can remove the snow that packs at the bottom of the roof over the gutter. With that removed the roof should clear sooner then normal. With some work I might have been able to clear the first panels up there. Only issue was pole is bit to flimsy fully extended and thats just more work then expected.

Oh well, yea I could have been happy with the 25ft pole at half the price so bigger is not always better but then again you never know when I might need that extra 5'.

John

[russ]

Please do keep in mind the video - just in case!

[itnetpro]

Jeez, thats more information then I ever wanted to know. All I wana do it extend the poll, lay the little rubber thing on my roof and pull. I think the slope on my roof is sufficient where I will avoid the avalanche and live.

Something tells me I should give this project more time then the 15 minutes I allocated before the sun goes down tomorrow.

John

Anyone in northern NH is used to the snow avalanche when raking a roof. I have removed 26 inches of snow (one storm) off my roof and I usually don full winter gear including a balaclava. When the stuff falls down off the roof it turns into heavy dense snow. Folks with steep pitched metal roofs have to be real careful as folks have been injured and killed as it usually all comes down at once while asphalt roofs have to b raked down. Most of the metal roofs are now equipped with snow hooks to limit the avalanches or at least break them up a bit.

[peakbagger]

Anyone in northern NH is used to the snow avalanche when raking a roof. I have removed 26 inches of snow (one storm) off my roof and I usually don full winter gear including a balaclava. When the stuff falls down off the roof it turns into heavy dense snow. Folks with steep pitched metal roofs have to be real careful as folks have been injured and killed as it usually all comes down at once while asphalt roofs have to b raked down. Most of the metal roofs are now equipped with snow hooks to limit the avalanches or at least break them up a bit.

[snic]

Maybe a short video clip showing when you pull the snow down on top of you or similar would be possible?

Yeah, I want to see this too! The internet needs a few good videos of solar panel snow removal, especially if they involve personal avalanches.

[russ]

Five to eight inches of snow coming our way tomorrow. Looks like I'm gonna get an opportunity to try out my new 30' snow pole. I work from home so I will quit work 30 minutes early around 5PM while I still have a little daylight left and give it a try.

John

Maybe a short video clip showing when you pull the snow down on top of you or similar would be possible?

[itnetpro]

Five to eight inches of snow coming our way tomorrow. Looks like I'm gonna get an opportunity to try out my new 30' snow pole. I work from home so I will quit work 30 minutes early around 5PM while I still have a little daylight left and give it a try.

John

[SunEagle]

I am still proselytizing for use of the Comic Sans MS font for that purpose instead of just italics. Less ambiguous. Of course I have not been able to persuade anyone (except possibly Naptown) to follow suit.

Italics are ambiguous. Comic Sans forever!

You will notice, among other things, that when your post gets quoted, the whole thing becomes italics and the distinctiveness is lost.

Another good point. I have been "learned" twice today by you.

[inetdog]

Do you make zero interest loans?

By the way when I use the Italic font I am usually just kidding.

[You should have done this!]

I am still proselytizing for use of the Comic Sans MS font for that purpose instead of just italics. Less ambiguous. Of course I have not been able to persuade anyone (except possibly Naptown) to follow suit.

Italics are ambiguous. Comic Sans forever!

You will notice, among other things, that when your post gets quoted, the whole thing becomes italics and the distinctiveness is lost.

[SunEagle]

Yea I admit it could have been a waste to spend $150 on a 30ft poll but I wanted it anyway. Thats what happens when U already own everything you want. You get bored and buy stuff like this that might not really be worth it. I could have gone with the $75 25ft poll. That would have been more then enough to clear the panels on my garage but no that was just not good enough for me. We don't have kids so need something to spend our money on...

John

Do you make zero interest loans?

By the way when I use the Italic font I am usually just kidding.

[itnetpro]

Yea I admit it could have been a waste to spend $150 on a 30ft poll but I wanted it anyway. Thats what happens when U already own everything you want. You get bored and buy stuff like this that might not really be worth it. I could have gone with the $75 25ft poll. That would have been more then enough to clear the panels on my garage but no that was just not good enough for me. We don't have kids so need something to spend our money on...

John