7 Best Tips For Solar Panel Cleaning & Maintenance

Solar PV panels have become popular in India lately with increasing awareness of green energy and increasing electricity rates. Nowadays, even residential buildings are adding solar panels to reduce their electricity expenses.

This report by International Energy Agency (IEA) states that the world’s renewable energy capacity has seen a growth of 45% in 2020. And in India, PV solar capacity has more than tripled in 2021 compared to 2020, with annual PV power addition of 12.4 GW.

Many households across India have installed solar panels for personal use. The only problem that arises after solar panel installation is keeping it clean for maximum power generation.

So, here are some tips for you to help you in solar panel cleaning and maintenance for maximum energy generation.

7 Tips For Solar Panel Cleaning & Maintenance

#1. Use Room Temperature Water For Cleaning

You can use a hose and bucket of soapy water to clean the solar panels. While doing so, make sure that the water you are using is at room temperature. It should not be too warm or too cold, as that might harm the panels.

#2. Don’t Use Harsh Chemicals

You should use only detergent or soap that is free from any harsh chemicals for cleaning the PV panels. As the harsh chemicals in some detergents can leave stains on the panels that can damage the glass of the PV panels.

#3. Clean Bird Droppings ASAP

PV panels are installed on the rooftops, making it commonplace for bird droppings. The problem with bird dropping is that they get harder if left for a longer time. So, clean them as soon as possible to help you make the solar PV cleaning easy in the longer run.  

#4. Protect the Electronic Circuits When Cleaning

Producing electricity involves lots of electronic parts. That means you need to be extra careful by not spraying water on the electronics. Never spray the water on the underside of the panel where all the electronics are placed.

#5. Avoid Over Cleaning

In trying to make the panels super clean, you might end up scratching the glass surface. Washing your panels once a week would keep them clean enough to produce electricity efficiently.

#6. Don’t Use High Pressure

While washing solar panels using the water pressure pumps, make sure that pressure is not too high. As with high pressure, the glass surface of the panel can get damaged and will stop producing any electricity.

#7. Wash Them When Temperatures Are Low

The best time for solar panel cleaning is during the evening time or in the early morning when temperatures are low. During the peak hours of sun, there is direct sunlight and temperatures are high. Using water at such times can cause thermal stress, which can cause breakage of the panel.

4 Amazing Tools For Solar Panel Cleaning

Here is a list of few tools to help you maintain the solar panels for maximum efficiency. These are 4 recommended tools from which you can choose any one as per your needs and budget.

#1. Solar Panel Cleaning Sprinkler Shower PVC Set of 5 pcs 

Nilson solar cleaning sprinklers are one of the best options for auto cleaning of the solar panels. This comes as the set of 5 or 10 cleaning sprinkles, buy as per your need. The thread size of one sprinkler is ½ inch, with an arm length of 6 inches. You would only get the sprinklers and have to arrange for all the water supply pipes by yourselves.

You would need to spend some time and money on setting this system. But once setup, all you would need is to turn on the tap and it will clean all the solar panels for you in minutes. These sprinklers make cleaning the solar panel easy and efficient.

You can buy these sprinkles on amazon.

Buy Set of 5 sprinklers here.

Or

Buy Set of 10 sprinklers here.

#2. Solar Panel Cleaning Brush With Water-fed Pipe and Telescopic Pole

This specially designed nylon brush with an attached water pipe is highly efficient at cleaning the solar panels. The nylon bristles are made using perfect material that makes them strong enough to remove all the dirt and bird droppings. And, they are soft enough to not cause any damage to the solar panels.

This brush can be used for both dry as well as wet cleaning. The inline water feeding system in this brush helps in eliminating the need for a separate system for water supply. It has a valve and hoses adaptor to make it easy to use. This ON/OFF valve helps to cut off the supply instantly when not needed. That helps in making the optimal use of water while cleaning the solar panels.

The extendable aluminum telescopic poles will help you reach longer distances for a hassle-free cleaning process. The 1.5-meter-long pole can be extended up to 4.5 meters. That Provides you with greater flexibility while using and makes it easy for storage when not in use.

You can buy this brush on amazon here.

#3. Fully Automatic Solar Panel Cleaning System

This fully automatic solar panel cleaning system is for you if you just want to set it up once and forget. This entire system comprises sprinklers, filters, piping, automatic controller, other accessories, tools, and an installation manual.

This automatic solar panel cleaning system is a highly efficient and hassle-free way of cleaning solar panels. The Automatic controller panel can be pre-programmed for the desired day and time when it should operate.

This system is very easy to install and anybody can install it without the need for any special tools or manpower. It doesn’t need any maintenance and its operation is highly reliable.

You can buy this system from amazon here.

#4. Simple Multi-Purpose Microfiber Duster

This simple microfiber duster is for you if you have a small solar plant that is easily accessible. It is easy to use with or without water and can be easily washed and reused. The microfibers pick all sorts of dust and dirt that too with ease. The telescopic handle can help you in increasing or decreasing the length of the rod as you need.

Overall, highly durable and multipurpose duster which can also be used to do dusting or other things like cars, motorbikes, etc.

You can buy this microfiber duster on amazon here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Solar Panel Cleaning FAQ

#1. I want to clean my solar panels. What should I do?

You can use water and soap to clean your solar panels if they are very dirty. You should keep on cleaning them regularly to make the cleaning efforts minimal. You can use the water sprinklers mentioned above to make the cleaning process easy. Using the water sprinklers makes your involvement minimal. And some systems are fully automated, that only needs to be set up once and they will take care of the rest by themselves.

#2. Will Solar Panels lose efficiency if I don’t clean them?

Yes, the solar panel efficiency can get affected if you don’t take its proper care. As with time, the dirt and bird’s droppings can block the sunlight, making them inefficient. With dirt, less sunlight gets passed to the photovoltaic cells due to which they function for less time and produce less electricity.

#3. How do I clean my solar panels?

The easiest way to clean solar panels is to hire someone to do it for you. But if you want to do it by yourself, you can use a water hose and a cleaning brush to do the job. An alternative way for solar panel cleaning can be the use of specialized solar cleaning brushes or water sprinklers for easy cleaning.

Check out this list of eco-friendly products for different eco-friendly product ideas.