Despite installing solar panels, has it ever happened that your electric bills came as a surprise? Did the bill not budge?
What went wrong? Was it caked-up panels in dirt and debris or some technical glitch?
India’s plentiful sunlight isn’t the only factor that ensures your panels operate effectively. Regular solar panel maintenance is necessary for your investment to shine.
Why? And How? Get all your answers in this ultimate guide.
We also have a few easy-to-follow solar panel maintenance tips to share. Dig in to make the most of your panel throughout the year.
What is Solar Panel Maintenance?
Solar maintenance is a process of performing regular maintenance and check-ups of your solar panels to keep them working at their best year-round.
Just like you won’t miss an oil change for your car or weeding your garden to keep it flourishing, your panels require upkeep, too.
Solar maintenance services ensure that your panels are.
- Stay clean
- Efficient,
- Generate maximum energy
- Save money, and
- Reduce carbon footprint
Currently, solar panels are a great investment, as they provide clean, cheap and renewable energy. Once installed, you are good to go for the next 25 to 30 years.
Additionally, with technological advancements, the lifespan of these panels in the future could be as long as 50 years.
But for now, let’s understand why solar panel maintenance services are so important.
Why Do You Need Solar Panel Maintenance?
Assume this: You have a trusty old bike, and you want to keep it running for a few more years. To do so, you will need to give it all the care and maintenance it needs—tire checks, brake checks, and a good wash now and then, Right?
Solar panels function the same way. You need maintenance
- To keep them clean
- Spot early maintenance signs
- Boost efficiency
- Extend their life
- Utilize peak energy
- For peace of mind
- Boost your ROI (return on investment)
At first, you might question that, unlike bikes, solar panels do not have moving parts to replace or tires that may burst. However, that is a misconception that we would want to clear.
How well you clean or maintain your panels highly influences how they perform.
| Did you know? Dust build-up on your solar panels can reduce their efficiency by up to 25%. If your solar panels are not cleaned for 6 months, their output power can decline by as much as 50%. |
Moreover, the unique Indian climate makes it more challenging and mandatory. The dust storms of Rajasthan, heavy rains, bird droppings and extreme heat prevalent in most Indian cities all contribute to the need for diligent upkeep of your panels.
How Solar Panel Maintenance Works?
Given the above environmental challenges, undestanding how to maintain solar panels is essential to maintain your panels regularly. Solar panel maintenance along with solar energy monitoring app is typically done to optimize your panel’s performance and maximize your ROI.
When it comes to maintaining your panels, you have two choices.
- You roll up your sleeves for a DIY (Do it yourself) cleaning, or
- You call the professionals
How do both these options work and differ? Let’s have a look.
DIY Solar Panel Cleaning Techniques
DIY (Do it yourself) solar panel cleaning means you clean your panels by yourself. The advantage is that it offers minimal to no service costs, making it an affordable option. However, it requires a time commitment, as you will be handling the cleaning yourself.
We would not recommend DIY cleaning as there are chances that you miss hard-to-reach areas. Plus, the process can be physically draining.
The flexibility to clean panels whenever needed is good, but it’s also important to be cautious as improper cleaning techniques can lead to potential risks or damage to the panels.
Moreover, no matter how well you clean, maintenance of your panels and their components is not a cup of tea for everyone. It is something only professionals can do with proper maintenance guidelines and industry expertise.
Therefore, it’s always wise to hire professionals with expertise or technical know-how.
Professional Solar Panel Cleaning Techniques
Professional solar panel cleaning is not just about cleaning. It involves a set of practices, tools, techniques and inspections to keep your panels running smoothly, effectively and securely.
Here’s how a professional typically helps you maintain your solar panels:
- Visual Inspection: Technicians visually inspect your solar panels for dirt, debris and physical damage.
- Electrical Testing: Professional electricians check for faulty wires and other electrical components that might be affecting your panel’s performance.
- Cleaning: Technicians clean your panels thoroughly using specialized cleaning tools and non-abrasive cleaning solutions to prevent surface damage.
- Evaluation of Environment: Maintaince also includes a through check on any environemental factor, such as shading, nearby trees, and obstructed sunlight. These factors can reduce the efficiency of your system.
- Performance Monitoring: Experts use softwares to monitor your system’s performance, such as checking the energy consumption or sudden drops in the output.
A regular and professional maintenance of your solar systems is very important. This will help you maximize your efficiency, catch issues early and extend your solar system’s life.
Here’s a side-by-side comparison between DIY and professional solar maintenance techniques to help you make a quick decision.
| Aspect | DIY Maintenance | Professional Maintenance |
| Cost | Minimal cost as you need only cleaning material, like a cleaning mop and ladder. | Higher costs due to specific tools, and professional expertise. |
| Expertise | Cleaning a panel needs basic knowledge. | Complete maintenance needs professional expertise and training. |
| Time and Effort | Time-consuming, especially with larger installations. | Faster and more efficient as experts perform thorough maintenance, but use specialized tools to do so. |
| Risk of Damage | You could also damage the panels as you are unaware of the panel’s sensitivity. | Lower risks, as professionals are aware of the panels, and how to handle the components safely. |
| Tools Required | Basic tools, such as a ladder and a hose. | Specialized tools for cleaning, inspecting and assessing the performance. |
| Performance Testing | Limited to visual checks. | Through testing for hidden issues and inefficiencies. |
| Warranty | Risk of invalidating the warranty if you damage the panels. | Warranty compliant, as it is handled by professionals. |
| Safety | You may potentially risk yourself when working on roofs or high surfaces. | Professionals are equipped with safety gear and training. |
| Frequency | Whenever you feel like cleaning your panels. | Regularly scheduled, often done annually. |
| Effectiveness | You may miss out on many issues, but it depends on your diligence. | Thoroughly done, as experts address every aspect of maintenance. |
DIY maintenance can help you save initially, but its long-term effects can lead to hampering the panel’s overall performance. On the other hand, professional maintenance often makes it worth the investment.
Best Solar Panel Maintenance Tips
Photovoltaic Cells (PV), or solar cells, are electronic devices that convert sunlight into electricity. However, it’s worth noting that your panels’ power generation capacity declines when dust, dry leaves, and other atmospheric particles accumulate on the panel’s surface.
Regular maintenance is essential to ensure optimal performance and maintain your panel’s efficiency. We have created a solar panel inspection checklist to help you proactively address these common issues.
1. Regular Gentle Care and Cleaning
One of the best and most important solar panel maintenance tips anyone could give you is to “Clean your panels regularly or at regular intervals.”
Indian weather, dust, dirt, leaves, and bird droppings can reduce the efficiency of your solar panels.
Thus, ensure to clean your panels every 3 to 4 months. In areas with more dust, you might have to clean them more often.
2. Cleaning Materials
You need the right tools and cleaning materials to clean your panels. One wrong material or chemical can damage them and cause costly repairs.
Harsh chemicals and abrasive tools may scratch your panels. You won’t want costly repairs, frustrations and damaged investments, right? Therefore, clean your solar panels with soft brushes, clean clothes, and sponges.
3. Timing: When to Clean Your Panels?
If you plan to clean your panels during peak sunlight hours, please don’t. Cleaning panels in direct sunlight can leave spots and reduce the effectiveness of your cleaning.
Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to clean your panels. These times prevent the water from evaporating quickly, thus minimizing the risk of cracking due to changes in temperatures.
4. What Should You Do with Unused Panels?
Disposing of unused, broken panels is challenging. Some panels even have small amounts of toxic metals, such as lead.
Most panels can be recycled if not repaired.
Check with your local or nearby recycling centers if they handle solar panel disposals. Also, ensure that the hazardous waste is disposed of at waste facilities responsibly.
5. Inspection for Shading or Obstructions
Don’t let leaves, branches of trees, nearby structures, shadows of objects or construction sites hinder your panel’s efficiency. Regularly check for this obstruction blocking the sunlight to avoid reduced energy production.
6. Connection Check-ups
Another important thing you must keep in mind as solar panel maintenance tips is inspecting wires and connections at regular intervals.
Lost, damaged, and interrupted connections can lead to energy loss. And that’s the last thing you would want – loss of energy output.
7. Performance Monitoring
A slight oversight can cost you thousands. Use solar panel monitoring tools, systems or apps to track your solar’s performance.
Using this strategy, you can:
- Monitor issues,
- Get real-time insights,
- Leverage historical data
- Get alerts and more
To analyze your panel’s performance and be prepared for issues beforehand. For instance, you can get a notification about the sudden drop in performance and address the issue based on the data.
8. Scheduling Annual Inspections
Of course, you can perform a regular cleaning every few months, but it’s always wise to consult professionals.
Thus, to identify potential issues, improve ROI, and ensure optimal panel performance, consult a professional or expert team for an annual inspection.
9. Seasonal Inspection
Seasons changes, such as dirt and water after monsoon, can go unnoticed. Therefore, inspect your solar panels at the start or end of each season for better performance.
10. Managing Birds
Birds and other pests can create a mess on your panels, and dealing with their droppings can be frustrating at times. To address these challenges, you can use bird deterrents, nets, and spikes.
These solutions can help you keep unwanted pests, birds and monkeys away from your panels.
Lastly, one critical aspect which is often overlooked is understanding the warranties provided by your manufacturer at the time of purchase. Familiarizing yourself with these warranties can help maximize the services and protections available.
Our solar panel inspection checklist on how to maintain solar panels concludes here.
How Often Do Panels Need Maintenance?
What do you do when dust and pollen settle on your car’s windshield? You can clean it using a quick swipe with the wipers or a cloth. However, cleaning dust or bird droppings off your solar panels takes more effort (especially on a roof).
But is that all? No. Solar panels require maintenance checks at least once or twice a year, and this goes beyond just cleaning. Solar panel maintenance includes tasks such as:
- Annual professional system inspections
- Inverter checks
- Inspection for wiring and connections
- Performance monitoring
- Environmental assessments
Therefore, similar to a yearly health check-up, properly maintain all your components with the help of a professional to ensure that your panels work at their best throughout the year.
What is the Cost of Panel Maintenance in India?
Does solar panel maintenance in India mean breaking the bank? No, not really.
The cost of maintenance depends on several factors, such as:
- Size of your solar system
- Geographical location
- Type of maintenance required
- Installation site (Home or a business)
- Panel type, and more.
However, regular professional cleaning can cost you anywhere between ₹500 to ₹1500 per session for residential panels. You can also do a simple cleaning by yourself for free.
Moreover, annual maintenance contracts can cost you between ₹5,000 to ₹15,000. Large-size and complex setups of commercial systems may incur higher costs.
No matter the costs, proper solar maintenance services are the key to long-term investment returns.
Conclusion
To maximize your panel’s efficiency, lifespan and overall ROI, maintaining your solar panels is crucial.
Our guide has covered everything you need to know to keep your panels up and running.
Remember to maintain a well-maintained system—it’s an investment that pays dividends for both, the planet and your wallet.
Ready to start? With 450+ projects across India, our experts are all types of solar panel maintenance tips and support. Schedule a free consultation today.
FAQs:
- How to properly maintain solar panels?
To keep your solar panels in good condition, proper maintenance is very important. Some key steps include:
- Regular cleaning of your solar panels
- Cleaning your panels at the right time or intervals
- Carrying out a regular inspection of your panels (Visually)
- Monitoring your panels using advanced solar monitoring systems or apps
Our mobile solar panel monitoring system is a user-friendly app that helps make solar monitoring as easy as a breeze.
- Does rain clean solar panels?
Yes. Rain can wash away some dust and debris from your panels. However, it is advisable to get a proper panel cleaning to remove heavy dust, debris and bird droppings.
- What is the lifespan of solar panels?
25 to 30 years.
According to Industry Standards, most solar panels last 25 to 30 years. Many manufacturers offer production warranties for up to 25 years.
- Can I use tap water to clean my solar panels?
It is recommended to use Calcium-Free Water.
The water that comes from faucets or hoses in our homes is considered “Hard water.” Hard water contains minerals that can leave deposits, water spots and scaling on your panels.
Water accumulation can reduce the efficiency of your panels and overall energy output and can even damage the system in the near future.
- Can I walk on solar panels?
It is physically possible to walk on your solar panels. However, you can create micro-cracks or injure yourself therefore, we wouldn’t recommend it.
