The best method to clean the panels is to use a small amount of dish soap and warm water. Use a soft sponge or cloth to avoid scratching or damaging the glass. It's also appropriate to use a common household window cleaner such as Windex, but avoid other harsh cleaning fluids that may leave scratches. Many window cleaners advertise solar panel cleaning as a service.
Even though they have equipment at their fingertips to clean their solar panels, it might not be a good idea. First of all, having your window cleaner clean your solar panels can be dangerous. Second, they can damage your solar panel. Here are the top 5 reasons why.
Solar panels require regular cleaning to ensure that they work at maximum efficiency. It is not enough to spray them with a hose to keep the panels clean. Climbing to the roof to clean them manually or hiring a professional cleaner carries the risk of electrocution. Window cleaning companies generally don't provide electrical training to their staff.
Fortunately, a window cleaning robot like the HOBOT-2S or the HOBOT-388 can be the perfect solution. One of the best aspects of solar panels is that they basically don't require maintenance; you just have to set them up and forget about them. The use of a hose to clean any impurity from the panels has its consequences, since the water creates a white film on the panel glass, since the minerals present in the water accumulate on the surface of the glass. And while it may not seem like a very hard job to keep solar panels clean, it can become so if harsh chemicals are used.
While dirty solar panels should be washed regularly to avoid a decline in production and efficiency, soap may not be the solution. Clean solar panels offer enormous benefits, and while there are benefits, it would be reasonable to assume that solar panels can lose between 15 and 25% of their efficiency if they are not properly cleaned. Both factors contribute to the buildup of dirt on solar panels over time, making it even more vital to use solar panel cleaning services or efforts on a regular basis. They advise letting nature take its course, since the rain will take care of most of the cleaning of the solar panels.
All solar panel cleaners, including window cleaners, should be able to provide a copy of the electrical training as proof of their competence. When detergents are used to clean solar panels, what happens is that abrasive chemicals sometimes leave marks on the panel glass or increase the risk of scratching it. Solar panels must be cleaned to remove pollen, dust, sea salt, and air pollution that ends up on solar panels. As each solar panel is different, it is recommended that you read the manufacturer's recommendations before cleaning them; some panels are sensitive to specific chemicals, while others may have fragile components that you need to be careful with.
In conclusion, window cleaners can be used to clean solar panels from time to time, as long as they do not contain harsh chemicals that could damage the panels. Unless you live in an area where it doesn't rain much or you live in an area with large amounts of smoke or dust, there's usually no need to clean your solar panels. For a larger solar panel system that's harder to reach, you'll need something a little more substantial.
