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Solar panel cleaning.

AJ windows

Active member
Messages
249
Location
Grimsby
One of my customers is a solar panel installer, so I thought I'd ask his advice on cleaning them etc. He told me that the panels need switching off in 2 places and tested before and after the cleans to make sure they are working correctly before and after the job. Or the customer could put the onus on you should there be a fault occur. Bearing in mind the price of replacing a faulty panel and the price of erecting scaffolding is very costly. What precautions do you take if any and do you any of you follow this route bearing in mind to have a qualified tester present would be approximately £50.

 
You can't turn them off is the correct answer as each panel which makes up an array with still continue to produce a direct current output in daylight.

 
Load of ******** i reckon, what happens when it rains? Does the owner have to switch them off then get them tested when the sun comes back out?

What about torrential rain? Do you have to scaffold, and remove them and put em in the garage?

As an installer i would suggest he is spouting what his bosses say i.e. Earn money for old rope, blag the customer/uneducated

Just my opinion bud

 
I'm pretty sure no insurance company would pay out should you not take the right path. And I'm thinking the risk outweighs the possible gain.

 
You can't turn off the dc open circuit. But on most (or all the ones I've come across) grid tie inverters, there is an ac trip switch. Whether or not you'll benefit from disconnecting from the grid is another issue.

 
Solar Steve is the man for cleaning solar panels but he never shares any of his knowledge so he's pretty useless to us in my honest opinion

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There's plenty of panels out the there for everyone to clean so I don't see the problem, don't worry lads I'm sure we will find the answer to cleaning these properly and we can all take over Steves work [emoji13]

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I am pretty sure my WFP on lowest setting is a LOT easier on a solar panel than the heavy rain we get.

End thread /emoticons/tongue.png

 
Solar panels can & do go tits up after time so yes there is always a risk of electrocution. Interesting to note only 1 amp of dc current is apparently enough too kill.

 
All depends on the voltage, its like a water pipe, current is how fast its going down the pipe, voltage is how wide the pipe is.

Or think of it another way, stand in a river, it can be slow moving (low current) but really wide and loads and loads of water moving, stand in it and you'll be fine, but decrease the width of the river for the same current the flow gets more powerful and could knock you over.

 
Everything is earthed. I wired my panels up on a sunny day, 4 panels wired in parallel , about 35v, chucking out ( w=vi) nearly 30amps. Twas a bit stingy. Did chuck a blanket over them after much swearing and dropping of screwdrivers.

 
Not really then lol
It is if your not thinking short term because the current panels last 15 year's which is a lot longer than the old ones. Or if your house is south facing you can get them Installed for free and any excess electricity you produce goes to the government or the company who supplies them. So you just gain cheaper lecky.

 
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