How do you clear a solar panel?

[saniconenergy]

I'd be real careful about following this advice tp the point of avoiding it.

Sorry, we were wondering if the solar panel is of a water heater and needed to be cleaned from inside for indirect heating, later on, we realized that it's the dirt accumulation that we are talking about. Our Apologies for the wrong advice!

[J.P.M.]

Mix any local toilet cleaner in a bucket full of water. Circulate this cleaning solution with help of pump from the bucket to Solar collector by connecting the inlets and outlets of the collector. Keep this solution in circulation for 4-5 hours. Post cleaning flush the solar collector with clean water for 5-10 and then flush the same with water solution of white vinegar and water in 1:1 ratio. Post flushing let the collector be dry while exposed to sun for 1-2 hours, then reconnect all the water pipe lines to the collectors for usage!

I'd be real careful about following this advice tp the point of avoiding it.

[saniconenergy]

Mix any local toilet cleaner in a bucket full of water. Circulate this cleaning solution with help of pump from the bucket to Solar collector by connecting the inlets and outlets of the collector. Keep this solution in circulation for 4-5 hours. Post cleaning flush the solar collector with clean water for 5-10 and then flush the same with water solution of white vinegar and water in 1:1 ratio. Post flushing let the collector be dry while exposed to sun for 1-2 hours, then reconnect all the water pipe lines to the collectors for usage!

[Jason]

The best method to clear Solar Panels is to use Solar Roof Tiles instead.
But if you already had to do it is - with warm water and dishwashing soap to remove dirt.

Just wanted to chime in and say I talked to a rep from a large solar panel maker a few years ago and asked about panel cleaning, he said dont use detergents, but I must say it never made much sense to me but I have only used water and a soft cloth ( only ever cleaned them once)

[requir]

The best method to clear Solar Panels is to use Solar Roof Tiles instead.
But if you already had to do it is - with warm water and dishwashing soap to remove dirt.

[DanKegel]

I'm about to clean my panels. I'd suggest doing it in the morning and have enough light to work safely....

I've found dish soap, a soft cloth and a squegee works.

I'm looking forward to hearing what performance improvement you get this time, if any, and how long since the last rain and cleaning.

I'm not sure that rain would do it here -- we seem to have pretty greasy dirt -- but thanks for mentioning that variable.

[J.P.M.]

Clean your solar panel only if it's extremely dirty and you see a notable degradation in performance. Use
regular water when the panels are cool, ideally before sunrise or after sunset.

I'm about to clean my panels. I'd suggest doing it in the morning and have enough light to work safely. Probably not a big deal, but at night, depending on temps. and time, the panels may have some residual heat.

I've found dish soap, a soft cloth and a squegee works.

FWIW: I cannot detect a measureable advantage or performance benefit to special rinses, D.I. water, etc. Those things may make the array look pretty, but the human eye is not a very good judge of transmission properties of sunlight through various media such as water spots/dirt, etc.

[jasonbeil]

Clean your solar panel only if it's extremely dirty and you see a notable degradation in performance. Use
regular water when the panels are cool, ideally before sunrise or after sunset.

[sdold]

At least there isn't any top posting

[inetdog]

Say NO to useless over-quoting

NO to useless over-quoting!

[sdold]

RENESOLA solar panels maybe needn't to clear?

I'm sure they are all about the same. It's just that this dust in this area doesn`'t seem to cause much degradation and it rains once in a while.

[weijing3333]

i think dust seems like more of a problem than it really is. At our state radio sites, we never clean the panels and it's never been an issue. I don't think it's ever even been discussed.
At the end of summer i had a brown layer of filth on my home array, and after hosing them off the output was 5% higher.
I don't think i'll ever bother to clean them again, i'll just let the rain do it.

renesola

[inetdog]

Don't laugh learned that lesson as a kid on a farm with an electric fence. Only thing funnier was seeing a dog learn that lesson. Took 2 days to find him.

FWIW you can call me a Redneck anytime. I wear that label with PRIDE. But this Redneck is on the wagon.

Not trying to assert that Redneck is a negative description. Just that you would not be the one up on the roof. Some Rednecks are smarter or have more experience than others.

[ArchAngel72]

Don't laugh learned that lesson as a kid on a farm with an electric fence. Only thing funnier was seeing a dog learn that lesson. Took 2 days to find him.

FWIW you can call me a Redneck anytime. I wear that label with PRIDE. But this Redneck is on the wagon.

OMG! thanks for the laugh!!!

[Sunking]

I can just imagine said Redneck (not you, of course) finding a nick in the insulation of a 400V string....
It is a good maintenance test as well as cleaning.

Don't laugh learned that lesson as a kid on a farm with an electric fence. Only thing funnier was seeing a dog learn that lesson. Took 2 days to find him.

FWIW you can call me a Redneck anytime. I wear that label with PRIDE. But this Redneck is on the wagon.