Posted on October 21st, 2022

Cleaning solar panels is just as important as how they were installed. Solar panels are composed of various materials, some of which are extremely sensitive. When improperly cleaned, these materials can cause corrosion and even begin to break down the panel. To avoid breakdown, it’s essential to clean solar panels correctly. In this article, we’ll discuss how to properly clean solar panels at home and look at the benefits of doing so.

What Causes Dirty Solar Panels?

Dirty solar panels are one of the most common problems that solar panel owners face. Dirty solar panels are not only a nuisance but also a safety concern. Dirty solar panels can affect the output of your system and cause it to produce less electricity, which means it will cost you more money to put into your system.

There are several reasons why your solar panels could be dirty. Here are some of the most common causes:

• Dust buildup: Dust can slowly build up on your solar panels over time if you don’t clean them often enough.
• Water damage: If water gets inside the panel, it can cause corrosion and reduce the amount of electricity from it.
• Debris: Debris from plants or animals may get stuck in between the cells and cause blockages that prevent electricity from flowing freely through the panel.
• Rainwater: Rainwater can seep into your panel and cause water damage and rusting around metal connections due to corrosion caused by moisture inside the cells.

Benefits of Cleaning Solar Panels

Cleaning solar panels is key to their long-term performance. Solar panels should be cleaned as much as possible to avoid degradation, which can cause reduced energy production and increased maintenance costs. Here are the benefits of cleaning solar panels.

Improve Efficiency

Solar panels work by converting light into electricity. If there is dirt on the surface of the solar panel, it can reduce how much light is absorbed by that area, reducing efficiency. Cleaning solar panels reduce dust, debris, and other contaminants such as leaves and bugs, which could further reduce efficiency. If you keep up with regular maintenance, you will also eliminate any buildup of dirt or dust on the surface of your solar panels that would otherwise continue to reduce their efficiency over time.

Warranty

When you purchase a solar panel system, you usually get many years of warranty coverage for it — usually around 25 years or more — but this coverage isn’t always enough if something goes wrong with one of your panels during this period (e.g. if there’s a power outage). By regularly cleaning your solar panels, you can extend this warranty period even further and ensure that if anything goes wrong with them during this extended period, they will still be able to provide energy for your home.

Increase Durability

Cleaning your solar panels will help them last longer and increase the lifespan of your system. You can also apply some cleaning products to ensure they’re protected against dust and debris that might cause damage over time. In addition, you can use these products in cleaning jobs outside the house since they’ll work just as well on other surfaces such as wood, asphalt, and concrete.

Improve ROI Time

One of the main benefits of cleaning your solar panels is that it will improve your system’s return on investment (ROI) time. When purchasing a solar panel system, many factors go into deciding which one is right for you. One thing that should be considered is how long it will take before you start seeing a return on your investment. Cleaning solar panels gives you an added advantage because they can reduce the time needed to see results with less work required than if they weren’t cleaned properly in the first place.

• Off-grid PV System
• CHINT Solar Solutions
• CHINT offers solar panel systems for homes and businesses and solar power plants. We also offer customers services such as maintenance, monitoring, and off-grid PV solutions.

Off-grid systems are the most common solution for residential and commercial PV applications. These systems can power a single home or multiple individual homes. Off-grid PV systems require no grid connection, meaning they will only produce energy during daylight hours when the sun is shining.

Unlike grid-connected systems, off-grid PV systems require an inverter to convert direct current (DC) power into alternating current (AC). The inverter also provides power conditioning (filtering) so that your DC system can send its generated energy to the grid instead of storing it in batteries.

Final Word

Cleaning solar panels is an essential part of your home energy system. If you notice decreased power output or peak power variation on your solar system, cleanings may be required to get those systems back in top form. Cleaning solar panels can help maintain service life and maximize the amount of electricity you get from each panel. 

Source: Chint Global.