What to charge for solar panel cleaning and how often should I clean them

[Pjj]

Ok, so let's give SS the benefit of the doubt and call it 22p a panel inline with inflation and a loyalty bonus ?

That was for doing thousands of panels on solar farms ground mounts 

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Ok, so let's give SS the benefit of the doubt and call it 22p a panel now inline with inflation and a loyalty bonus ?

That's like going back to slavery at those prices. Might do it, if I can wipe the panels down with a towel wrapped round a very large brush. ?

 

[spruce]

That was for doing thousands of panels on solar farms ground mounts 

I realize that as I was around when the anti SS wave hit the forums.

Just because the panels were at ground height doesn't mean they were easy to do. At 17p a panel it would have been blood money. I did try to figure out how many panels a day a healthy person could clean, but it was too complicated for my brain, even back then.

To entertain a job like this you must have had an idea how many panels a day you could clean without killing yourself. Many of his subcontractors weren't happy with the terms they agreed to before they started the job. Many complained that the access 'roads' between panels were in a poor state and not the roads suitable for vans. I think SS had a couple of 4 x 4's. He put a couple of photos up of them cleaning an array on floating pontoons in a lake/dam/reservoir.

 

[Pjj]

I realize that as I was around when the anti SS wave hit the forums.

Just because the panels were at ground height doesn't mean they were easy to do. At 17p a panel it would have been blood money. I did try to figure out how many panels a day a healthy person could clean, but it was too complicated for my brain, even back then.

To entertain a job like this you must have had an idea how many panels a day you could clean without killing yourself. Many of his subcontractors weren't happy with the terms they agreed to before they started the job. Many complained that the access 'roads' between panels were in a poor state and not the roads suitable for vans. I think SS had a couple of 4 x 4's. He put a couple of photos up of them cleaning an array on floating pontoons in a lake/dam/reservoir.

I had my own contracts doing this type of work at the time we could do 800-1000 panels per man per day depending on how dirty they were and what the dirt was we have more solar farms per mile in Cornwall than any other part of the country ???? .we hated doing them I had a 3 year contract with the company and I couldn’t wait for  the contracts to end and didn’t renew them ,I still get asked and all the tender paperwork sent through each year but there is no way I would take it on again some of the sites took several weeks to do with a dozen guys . 

 

[Iron Giant]

Ok, so let's give SS the benefit of the doubt and call it 22p a panel now inline with inflation and a loyalty bonus ?

Even less if you paid for the training course could have been down to a shilling 

 

[horatiocarter]

I have only done one solar panel clean since I advertised it on side of my van and thought it would be a money spinner. Worst advertising I have done and only do it if I'm bird proofing panels or cleaning a roof. I find it very hard to clean them unless I'm at the same height as the panels. If I get a new van then solar panel cleaning will not be on the van and replaced by roof cleaning and roof spraying or moss removal. Learning by experience now, what makes good money, not to tiresome and makes the customer happy. PW ticks these boxes and I realise why folk do it full-time now.

PW? patio washing?

 

[scottish cleaning service]

PW? patio washing?

PW means pressure washing but I see vans calling it pressure cleaning now.

 

[horatiocarter]

Use Google maps and the satellite view. It will give you an idea in your area.

One thing to remember is that you need a very long pole and probably a carbon gooseneck as otherwise you will be banging the pole on the gutters. Personally unless you have the pole for other work I would say it's probably not financially worth buying a pole and gooseneck just for solar panels. If you will use the pole for other work then you will earn the money back for the extra cost of the longer pole.

what other work would cover this type of pole? would small commercial work be likely to use it? Just a thought?