Sunny skies most of the year, still noticing energy drops in your solars?
Green energy is usually dim due to Indian weather, dust, and debris, which is a frustrating reality for many homeowners.
We understand that it’s easy to forget about residential solar panel maintenance. But it’s never too late. Making small adjustments and taking proactive steps can bring your systems back to life.
Want to know how? Read on for a few simple tips and discover how to make your solar panels look and perform like new again.
Why is Residential Solar Repair and Maintenance Crucial?
Unlike repairing and maintaining a car or a two-wheel every now and then, solar panels do not need regular and comprehensive maintenance. So, you can just let them be.
However, similar to every other product, issues may arise due to the following factors:
- Dust
- Debris
- Monkeys
- Bird Droppings
- Electrical faults
- Vegetation and shading
- Indian Weather
- Faults in solar components and more
Neglecting timely maintenance or repair of your panels reduces their lifespan, leading to costly repairs and replacement. They won’t provide you with the outcome you expect.
Moreover, improper maintenance and ignorance create safety hazards, waste energy, and empty your wallets.
2024’s Best 8 Tips on How to Maintain Solar Panels
Maintaining your panels is not as difficult as you might imagine. A little “TLC” can do wonders to help you recover your savings and boost your system’s performance.
Start with a quick wash, smart checks and these simple and easy-to-follow solar power maintenance tips.
1. Clean Your Panels Regularly
Leaves, dust, and bird droppings can easily accumulate on your solar panels. Pollution and dust levels are relatively high in urban and semi-urban areas. Accumulation on your panel’s surfaces blocks sunlight and reduces the energy output tremendously.
To maintain and clean your panels, clean them every one or two weeks. In less dusty areas, once a month would do.
When cleaning your solar panels, use a soft clean cloth or a sponge. You can also clean them using a water hose with low water pressure to gently remove dirt. You must also avoid using harsh cleaning agents, as they may damage the surface of your panels.
Additionally, take appropriate care and safety precautions while cleaning your panels. Also, avoid cleaning your panels on rainy or windy days to reduce the risk of accidents.
2. Check for Vegetation and Shading
Another important solar maintenance service tip is to check for shading and vegetation. Solar panels work best in direct sunlight, so shading from trees, nearby buildings, and other vegetation can impact their efficiency.
Trim extra trees and vegetation around your homes to prevent the blockage of sunlight. Remove fallen leaves, bird droppings and other debris that accumulate over time. Regularly inspect your panels for similar conditions.
3. Monitor Your Panel’s Performance
Is there a sudden drop in energy or performance of your panels? Is it not providing enough output? Monitoring your panel’s performance on a regular basis is crucial.
The performance of panels will naturally vary depending on the seasons. However, unexplained and unexpected fluctuations could indicate that your panels need cleaning, repair or replacement.
4. Investigate for Physical Damage
Residential solar repairs are prone to physical damage due to heavy winds, rains and monkeys and squirrels. Birds can nest under your panels, and other animals can chew on the wiring.
Also, investigate for loose mounts, cracks, damaged glass surface of the panels, loose bolts and similar damages.
Ensure that all the parts of the mounting system are intact and secure. Protect your panels with protective mesh and bird spikes. Perform this inspection periodically.
5. Regularly Check Electrical Connections
Problems such as wiring issues, inverter malfunctioning, and faulty connections can also lead to safety hazards and low panel efficiency.
Timely attention to these issues is crucial to avoid long-term repairs, unnecessary downtime and decreased return on investment.
While you can handle a routine cleaning on your own, it is advisable not to overlook the importance of professional expertise for electrical repairs and maintenance.
Therefore, hire a professional solar maintenance company or solar panel repair technician to check for similar problems to prevent costly breakdowns and safeguard your investment.
6. Schedule an Annual Professional Inspection
It is essential to schedule an annual inspection with a solar maintenance company for professional inspection and maintenance of your solar panels.
To early detect any wear and tear, avoid out-of-pocket expenses and leverage technical advancements, scheduling an inspection each year will only benefit your investment.
Professional technicians with years of experience and certification will thoroughly check for electrical issues, verify your system’s performance and provide advanced cleaning solutions with specific tools and equipment.
7. Consider Seasonal Changes
Extremely dusty cities of Rajasthan and heavy rains in other parts of the country can affect your panel’s performance. Sure, rains wash away all the dust and debris, benefiting your panels.
However, heavy rains can cause water stagnation, which could damage your panels in the near future. Water blockage around your panels could also result in electrical shocks, leading to death.
Therefore, consider maintaining your panels according to the seasons. Clean your panels after dusty, dry winds and check for electrical faults once after the monsoon.
8. Invest in a Solar Panel Monitoring App
A residential solar repair solution is only as beneficial and effective as the data you have. Invest in a solar panel monitoring app to get real-time alerts, identify trends, and track energy production, apart from many other benefits.
Monitoring the health of your panels in real-time from anywhere will help you identify potential dips, respond quickly and avoid long-term damage.
Intello’s solar remote monitoring system is a user-friendly platform that lets you monitor your panels on the go.
Invest to Save
Poor upkeep is not the key to a long-term solar investment. Solar maintenance services are a must, given the Indian weather conditions.
Scorching summers, dusty winds, relentless pollution and many other reasons can take a toll on even the best panels.
Our solar maintenance company offers the best preventive and corrective maintenance for all types of solar panels. Our completely transparent system gives you real-time information about your panels. Contact our team of experts for more information on how to maintain solar panels.
FAQs:
- Do home solar panels need to be cleaned?
Solar panels typically require cleaning once or twice a year or even less. However, regular cleaning of your solar energy system is important because it maximizes the efficiency of your panels, allowing them to absorb the maximum amount of sunlight.
- Do solar panels need earthing?
Earthing is required to protect equipment such as systems inverters, junction boxes, and panels from high-voltage surges. Stray current can be discharged to the earth without damaging the electrical components of the solar power installation.
- Can I turn off my solar panels?
Modern solar systems, especially those with microinverters or power optimizers, can often be turned off easily and safely.
However, older systems might require more careful procedures to ensure that shutting down does not damage the system components.
- Can solar panels fully power a house?
Yes, you can use solar energy to power your entire house.
- How big is a 400W solar panel?
About 5.4 feet long.
A 400-watt solar panel generally has 60 to 66 solar cells and measures about 5.4 feet long by 3.25 feet wide.
