Does Anyone Recommend Solar Panel Cleaning When Installing?

[JD6400]

Ha ha! I will try to include your house next time we are there later in the year!

Yes, I'm very interested in doing the Buckinghamshire clients. We can do it for sensible money too because our whole business is solar panel cleaning, it's not an add-on to something else.

I've hunted around, but can't find out how to PM. If you drop me an email through our website, I can come back to you away from the forum and discuss prices etc.

I look forward to hearing from you. :biggrin::biggrin:

Pm sent , let me know if you have not received it ?

Many thanks
Dave

 

[Marvo]

I've hunted around, but can't find out how to PM......

If you want to PM a member then click on their name and select the 'Private Message' option that appears.

 

[Solar Steve]

Second similar thread merged. Please just stick to a single thread for a single topic of discussion Steve otherwise it causes confusion and splits replies across more than one thread.

hi Marvo.
Sorry about that. I will pick it up. I'm a quick learner! :34:

 

[Gavin A]

hmm, well I've just checked the performance of a 30kWp system we installed in the summer of 2012, and it was at 4% above our estimate last year, or almost exactly bang on once we factor in the above average sunlight levels... and our predictions are highly accurate, not SAP based.

Put me down in the unconvinced category - I suspect your before and after figures are at least in part based on the panels being cooler after washing, resulting in a temporary increase in generation due to the reduced panel temperature.

Though in extremely dirty environments / places with a lot of bird muck etc I'm sure it would be more worthwhile, I wouldn't think you can generalise from the systems you do see to those you don't - ie by definition you're mostly going to get called out to systems that are dirtier than average.

 

[PEG]

A commendable business idea,and i wish you every success in your new venture. A more pressing issue is who could address the massive problem of the poorly fitted systems up and down the country. I have seen,and continue to see roof mounted panels which are barely better than vandalism,gutters full of broken tiles and damp in the loft. Two years ago,in the December if i recall,a crew of "craftsmen" fitted a large system opposite me folks,10 pm,torches,blow lamps and silicone...still,in time for the higher tariff...If there was anyone left with money,i would seriously consider these refit jobs as a business idea,as it encompasses three of my favourite pastimes,elecricery,property and mewps...but,as previously mentioned,the well is dry :dunce2:

 

[benji]

pity there wasn,t a side by side comparison of 2 panels dirty/clean showing individual outputs

 

[Solar Steve]

pity there wasn,t a side by side comparison of 2 panels dirty/clean showing individual outputs

I can go one better. We have 3 compared side by side here benji:Solar Panel Cleaners | Clean Solar Solutions Ltd | Solar Panel Cleaning Gives Large Increase In Output On Lincolnshire Farm

 

[MicraShed]

I wondered about getting mine cleaned this year. Not because I think they are prone to getting very dirty, but they are at an aprox 30 degree angle so may not self clean as efficiently as those at a steeper angle.

I have noticed a drop over the last couple of months compared with last years output, but then winter output is frankly pish poor anyway on my install and way under estimate due to surrounding trees.

I think I'll wait and see what the March to May output is compared with last year...

 

[Marvo]

Are there any known incidents of moss or algae type organic stuff covering solar panels? From what I vaguely remember lots of roofs in the UK have a moss type covering.

 

[JD6400]

I have seen it a couple of times , strangely both on a school roof ?

 

[Marvo]

Was it just on the roof or on solar panels?

 

[Silly Sausage]

I can go one better. We have 3 compared side by side here benji:Solar Panel Cleaners | Clean Solar Solutions Ltd | Solar Panel Cleaning Gives Large Increase In Output On Lincolnshire Farm

The flaw I can see in those comparisons, is that you'll get variation from day to day anyway, due to varying sunlight (obviously!!! )

Showing, say 3 months, averages before and after would give a more accurate picture.

 

[HandySparks]

The flaw I can see in those comparisons, is that you'll get variation from day to day anyway, due to varying sunlight (obviously!!! )

Showing, say 3 months, averages before and after would give a more accurate picture.

Yes, but it's not a bad demonstration. You've got two 'control' installations in the same location for comparison. Quite impressive really, although I guess a farm throwing crop dust into the air is a pretty dirty environment for solar panels.

 

[JD6400]

Was it just on the roof or on solar panels?

On the array , exceptionally bad on one that was also severely shaded by a tree .

 

[Worcester]

Check out here for 'independant' analysis:
Official Blog: Should you spring clean your solar panels?
and:
Cleaning solar panels often not worth the cost, engineers find

W've just stripped off and re-installed a small system we installed in Jan 2011, to install some solar thermal alongside it, Urban Area, 38°, due south, and because of how little dirt there was on them we didn't bother to go to the (small) effort of washing them...The dirt on them was negligible.

On some other sites (20°) in heavy urban areas we've seen significant dirt build up and cleaning has had a positive effect, on another site at 10° elevation they were very very dirty after only six months. So as per the google analysis, location and angle of elevation are significant factors, -