Do you have to maintain the solar panels and how to do it?

Everybody questions whether solar panels generally require maintenance.

Yes, sometimes solar panels need little maintenance. It depends on so many reasons like the environment.

Also in this article, we are going to talk about how to maintain solar panels, what is the best time to maintain them, or can you just avoid maintenance, e.t.c.

Maintaining solar panels is a very easy task. The only thing you have to do is clean solar panels 3 or 4 times per year. Because the dust, tree leaves, bird droppings, and other debris fall on your solar panels, it will not work at maximum efficiency. Extensive cleaning of your solar panels is required only during heavy snowfall or if your solar panels decrease output energy.

If you maintain the solar panel regularly and properly you can get the standard output for a long time and increase its lifespan. Proper Cleaning of your panel can also prevent them from breaking prematurely.

How should you maintain the solar panels?

if you installed solar panels with a tilt you do not have to clean solar panels during the rainy season. It removes dust, leaves, and other debris from your solar panel. But in the summer season or drought period, you have to clean it manually.

Generally, cleaning 3 or 4 times per year makes it easier to get good performance from your solar panels. To clean solar panels you do not need any special cleaning agent. You can clean your solar panels with water. But because solar panels are the most expensive part of your system, use a professional solar panels cleaning service to take care of them it may be the best option for you.

The best time to clean this is early in the morning and after sunset, because it is very hot when the sun is shining.

But in the winter you should clean solar panels when snowfall on to the panels. Then you can’t count the days, weeks, months to clean it. You need to be careful about the amount of snow accumulated on the solar panels.

Make sure to use lukewarm to clean solar panels. If you are using hot water to remove snow from your panels it can damage your panels. Because the solar panels are made of tempered glass, and the high-temperature anomaly between the hot water and cold panels can break the solar panels.

Why is it important to maintain solar panels?

Cleaning your solar panel can improve your energy output.

If dust and dirt remain on your solar panels, it will block the sunlight from reaching the solar panels. Then the energy you can get from your solar panels will decrease. Solar panels will work at maximum efficiency with good exposure to sunlight. Therefore you need to maintain your solar panels at the time. Cleaning your solar panels also can maximize their lifespan.

How to replace or repair a solar panel?

When your solar panels require any maintenance work, you have to decide if you can or can not solve that problem. You can do the maintenance like cleaning or fixing the wiring issues. If you have a serious problem, and you have no previous solar panel repair or replacement knowledge or experience, it is wise to hire a professional.

Also, if there is a reduction or breakdown in the performance of your panel during the warranty period of your solar panel, inform the solar panel company, and perform maintenance. You can also contact the insurance company if the warranty period of your panel has expired and you can receive insurance coverage for your solar system.

If there is physical damage to the panel during the warranty period of your solar panel system, it cannot be repaired by a warrant. But if it is covered by insurance, the replacement cost will be covered by the insurance company.

Can the solar panels monitoring system find the maintenance issues?

Using a solar monitoring system, you can monitor how much energy solar panels have been produced during the day or the period. This allows you to see how weather affects your solar panels and how various external factors affect your solar panels. Also using this system you can see how efficiently the panels work in their lifetime.

This system will help you to identify when the efficiency of your panels is reduced. Also, it shows the panel is inactive. Therefore, using this system notifies us when it is necessary to maintain your solar panels.

How can I monitor the solar power system?

Some people do not care about the energy produced in their solar system. But monitoring the solar system you can know how much energy the system has generated, how much energy produces it daily, how much generating now, and the average energy, e.t.c.

To monitor your solar panel system you need an inverter with that facility. Most of the solar inverters are manufactured with an L.C.D display. All the above-mentioned parameters are shown on this l.C.D display. And some genuine solar inverter companies produce the option of connecting invert to a laptop or mobile device. Using their software or application we can monitor the system performance, health, and all other details.

If you don’t have an inverter with that function you can use a digital display current voltage gadget the monitor your system. It can not provide you all the above parameters but you can see some information.

Do we have to maintain the solar battery?

Yes, batteries are also the main part of your solar panel energy system then you have to inspect your batteries doing well or it needs any maintenance.

You should inspect your batteries 2-3 times per year to make sure it is running well. Then you need to pay more attention to the corrosion that occurs in the battery. Check for white dust or gunk building up around the terminal on the top of the batteries.

If you have any other battery issues, please contact your battery company. You will have to pay for it if it has occurred outside the warranty period or due to non-warranty covering.

How to remove corrosion of the batteries?

If you are cleaning corrosion in your batteries, you should wear protective gear. Wear safety goggles or a face shield. Wear rubber gloves on your hands. Put on safety shoes and wear a rubber apron to protect your body from battery acid. If your battery is installed in a small room, open its windows.

Most solar power systems install a fuse for the battery to power off the battery. If you have used a fuse for your batteries, it will need to be turned off before cleaning the corrosion. Otherwise, remove the attachment connected to the negative terminal and then remove the attachment to the positive terminal of the battery. Do this to each battery.

Use a wire brush to remove corrosion. Grab the wire brush and scrub hardly around all the terminals of each battery. Scrub those areas on your battery until the corrosion and dirt are removed.

After removing the corrosion from your battery, the terminal area will appear clean or shiny.

Is it wise to use solar panel cleaner liquid?

When you are cleaning your solar panel you need to be careful. Because solar panels are the most important and expensive part of your system.

To clean your solar panel you can use water. also, you can use a solar panel cleaner for that task. It will give you extra help with cleaning and make good progress. also, by using it you can save your time. It’s a good investment if you can not spend more time cleaning the solar panel.

Should you use a solar panel cleaning kit?

It depends on whether you had installed the panels on the roof/other heights or at ground level. If your solar panels are mounted on the ground level, you do not need a solar cleaning kit, but having a brush is a good idea.

If your panels are mounted on the roof or in a hard-to-reach place, you may find it helpful to use a solar cleaner kit. Also, you can use window cleaner as solar panel cleaner kits.

This kit contains almost all the tools you need to clean your solar panels and is largely reusable. In addition to this solar cleaning kit, you can get a good result by adding solar cleaner liquid to it.

Can rain clean your solar panels?

If it rains frequently in the area where you live, it is sufficient to clean your solar panels.

If it rains once or twice a week in your area, you do not need to clean it regularly. Although it is possible to remove the dirt from the solar panel, it is wise to observe it from time to time because once the solar panel is dirty, it will slowly reduce the energy it produces.

Can you clean the broken solar panel?

You should not clean or wash solar panels that are broken.

If water or other liquids are used to clean broken solar panels, they can cause further damage and malfunction. It is better to contact the solar panel company if solar panels are broken.

You need to be careful when cleaning your panels and choose a safe place to install them to prevent them from breaking. This is because no warranty will be issued for external damages.

What can you do for broken solar panels?

If there are any broken panels you have to replace them immediately. Because it can shut down or damage all systems. When there is a crack or break in the glass of your panels, cover it immediately with something that can prevent water from seeping in. Then contact the solar panel provider to replace or fix it.

Can extreme weather damage your solar panels?

Solar panels are designed to withstand weather conditions such as heavy rains, hurricanes, and heavy snowfall.

Although it is manufactured very strongly to be durable it can be damaged by heavy hail, tornadoes, and lightning. Damaged panels can be repaired or replaced if they are damaged during the warranty period or under the homeowner’s insurance.

Most of the damage to your panels can be caused by heat, which will reduce the efficiency of your panels once the temperature rises above 90 degrees Celsius.

Therefore, when installing your solar panels, mount them a few inches above the ground or roof. It will facilitate air circulation to your solar panels, thus cooling the solar panels and enabling them to operate at maximum efficiency.