Should You Clean Your Solar Panels? Before/After Testing!
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- Опубліковано 2 лис 2019
- Should You Clean Your Solar Panels? Before/After Testing!
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Does cleaning your solar panels help? How about just hosing them down? Do they need a good scrub? I do my best to answer these questions in this much-requested video -- testing my panels before and after cleaning them.
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Thanks for watching guys!! 🙏🙏🙏
I can't stress this enough. Safety first. From the looks of your ladder and your extension brush you might be better off not even getting on your roof unless there's no faucet on that side. In that case get a longer hose.
Get a super long extension so you can scrub from the ground.
Thanks for the skip button.
Didn't Tesla have a recommended soap, brush, and directions for cleaning? They should know what products/methods are healthy for the panels.
I was definitely think about soaps or cleaners that would have helped further than just brushing. Good question.
This panel can put out close to 100 watts ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.
“Should you clean things that are dirty?”
i just clean my ass when it start to itch
How do you clean a Dirty Mind?
Well he's cleaned the panels, but not the Sun. So the Sun must be mighty dirty too. It's like cleaning only one side of a window. Lazy bastard.
@@jondonnelly4831 Lazy was the cleaning job he did, but dirt on the sun? Lol, that shit would get incinerated.
well it was more of a "is it worth the time and effort cleaning them" like if it was a 2% increase it wouldn't be worth it.
My neighbors wake up at 7 and cut their grass, much rather live next to a loon who scrubs his roof at 5am with a brush instead.
That is a clock alarm for your neighborhood XDD
Electric lawn mower would be quieter then conventional also lol
larry Spiller but not as good js
@@aron6998 there's nothing an electric push mower cant do that a gas push can
larry Spiller really? Well I’m sure you’d run out of battery before I ran out of gas don’t ya think but of course Commifornia has tiny yards so guess it’s not a big deal to y’all
Cleaning your solar panels is almost as important as improving UA-cam analytics.
anal lunatics?
I'm here to feed the algorithm again. Nice algorithm, good algorithm, you like this don't you? Who's a good algorithm? You are, aren't you? Yes, you are.
Also, thanks for the info Paul, one day all of this will be very helpful for me. First step tho, buy a house.
Such a good algorithm! The algorithm gets a treat now. Lol 😄 thank you!!
The algorithm must CONSUME
All praise the Algorithm 🙌
Hello algorithm. Also Hello 88HD, thanks for the comment. It was amusing :)
When you don't get nofication but still is early
Cha Cha real smooth
Alright we gonna do the basic steps
Probably worth giving them a scrub after major fires. Ash travels a fair way I think!
Not so much the ash, but the smoke particulates If you can smell it, they are getting dirty
My car has gathered a lot of dirt from all these wild fires and you can feel it in your nose. So yes
@@rkevic , saving the spotted owl is much more important !
As a European, interesting to read that major/minor fires are already part of casual conversation in the US 🤔😩🤦🏻♂️
Dino Scheidt Fires have been prevented in California for decades. The power infrastructure is also not well enough maintained... Then global warming has caused drought conditions specifically in California. It's been a long time coming really.
There are of course also people who don't care and do things like throw cigarettes out their car windows...
Definitely do a follow up video. Actually do two; One in which you just rinse the panels, and one in which you completely scrub them. Thank you for your contribution to public service.
As someone in Australia who wants to get solar panels, this info is really helpful. Thanks Paul!
Paul, if your roof has a roof mount (an anchor that roofers use that is attached to your house) you can attach to that and get a repelling harness and attach it to the mount. You won't have to worry about falling, you can go lower or higher by adjusting your rope, and you can clean everywhere. Hope this helps.
@3:09 Absolutely Great tip.
Been watching a few videos on cleaning and no one has mentioned anything about the best/most ideal time to clean.
Thank you! 👍🏽
I've had solar for years, never cleaned the panels... They're pretty damned dirty. I think I'll clean them up and let you know.
Following this. Hope to see a vid or some results.
40% is a huge difference!
Yota_Ninja ... DO IT! Then remember to come back and let us know your results.
So how did it go?
Yota, did you clean?
Now ive caught the vid, and liked immediately. Im off to bed as soon as ive finished watching. Hope the numbers are improving 🍻
thanks Mike!
Wow, you seem like a highly engaged viewer just like me! Seems like there are a lot of us aren't there?
@@eternalsugarhigh6843 Same. Try to open and play all the way through even if I don't have time to watch it just have in background at the time. UA-cam premium user here.
Amazed to see that much difference. Thanks for posting this!
I live at the Midwest and noticed 20% improvement as my area gets rain frequently. I clean mine from the ground with a car washing scrubber similar to yours. I did clean my twice as I noticed spots that appear to still be dirty after the 1st wash. This was my first cleaning in 4 years. Nice channel!
Cleaning my panels every 2 months in the dry season resulted in an overall increase of 12% more power generated
How did you clean your panels?
@@ceciliahurst7867 I use a long pole window washer sponge/squeegee I bought at Home Depot. I also spray them first with a mixture of the window washer fluid using the dial and spray on my garden hose and concentrated window cleaner
Thank you for the advice. I’ll be buying a pole today.
yes, multi-step cleaning would be interesting, could you reach the lower panels from the ground/ladder?
Whoa that's a lot more than I expected. 30-40% is impressive.
I always want to see more about the solar panels. I enjoy the videos you make about them.
Good job explaining. Thank you so much for the information. Husband did it but he did not extrapolate the findings. You did and that was good.
Off grid solar for ~20 years here. Some thoughts:
1. Cleaning does improve performance (duh).
2. Despite the shorter days in fall-winter, I often get very good performance due to lower temperatures. My record setting days have been in late Feb-early March on cold clear days. I've seen my arrays producing around 115% of their rated output at times on cold/clear days in late winter. Cleaning can help keep your panels cooler. That said, I have spent much more time washing my truck than washing my PV panels.
3. Those who do the math on the cost of solar, based purely on economic concerns, are missing the greater picture. While I haven't paid a power bill in around 20 years, I also haven't purchased any NASTY GRID POWER during that period, and my power HAS NEVER GONE OUT during that period except when I have turned the system off for a couple of hours for maintenance and upgrades. During that (~20 year) period, my nearby friends and neighbors have seen their overall rates increase about 50%.
4. There are no easements or rights-of-way of any kind into my property (no need). If the power company comes on my property, they are trespassing. Just sayin'.....
What about over-all performance of ur solar panels in 20 years?
Regarding point 3, you say people who focused purely on economics are missing the greater picture, but the rest of point 3 mainly deals with Economics. Just saying...
I'd love to pick your brain and learn as much as i can about your off grid experience and what your overall cost has been, the type of battery tech you are using and why, and how good it feels to be totally independent of the greedy power company
Would love to see a full effort test of a thorough hose, followed by a full soap and scrub wash. Overdo it and see how large the differences are. Also a dollar breakdown per panel for the differences would be pretty boss.
You don't or should never use soap on solar panels... Simply use 0TDS water or water through a high pressure canister filled with DI Resin... Soap and water from a tap / mains tap water leaves behind calcium and Chlorine deposits leaving you with streaky / dirty looking PV Panels. Same method as window cleaners basically. Oh and never use a squeegee as they can pull dirt and break the protective coating.
Thank you for the video!! I just got solar panels. With your charts explanation absolutely cleaning once every 2-3 months makes sense. 30-40% more production. WOW!!
Thanks Paul have a wonderful sunny day.
When we had our last round of massive wild fires here in BC, we had to visit our solar hilltop repeater sites and scrub our panels.
Where is Lyle when you need him lol!
Great video. I am off-grid and have noticed I am getting poorer conversions. I also hate roofs but I am definitely going to get up there and clean my panels.
Very informative video! Thank you!
Well, obviously yes.
You know what happened to the mars rover opportunity?
Still I am sure this will be a good video.
Edit: Was indeed a good video.
Oppy is just taking a nap. My plan when my mission lands on Mars is to go give oppy a good cleaning and maybe some love because she's such a good robot.
@@MinistryOfMagic_DoM The real reason why people are pushing for a trip to Mars. Save the rovers!
BTW, I hope lots of people got Surviving Mars couple weeks back when it was free on Epic Games, it's good.
Your videos helped me get the courage to build my own PC a few years ago and maintain it since. It really sucks that the UA-cam algorithm has been punishing you recently. Hopefully this comment counts towards the viewer engagement bit. All the best from across the pond
Perfect timing. I have been thinking of cleaning mine!
Yes, please do this again it was a very interesting video!
Hi Paul
We installed a 6k system just over 13 years ago and it became pretty clear that we needed to clean the array on a regular basis. However, our installation is on the roof of a 2 story home which makes it a real challenge to safely reach the panels. My solution was to array several metal pulsating lawn sprinklers above the panels, run pipe up to the roof, and automatically inject a cleaning solution into the water line whenever I turn on the cleaning system. It definitely increases output but I do think manually scrubbing would most likely increase output even more but not at the risk of hauling my ancient ass up a ladder with a brush and hose.
I assume you clean your car with a "soap". use the same stuff when you clean your panels . Also get a roof ladder.
These ideas are mind-blowing 🤯
@@paulshardware or a 24 foot panel brush.......
@@paulshardware yer, with a roof ladder next to the panels you can hardly lose grip and can scrub them from the side
@@paulshardware www.amazon.com/Todeco-Ladder-Universal-Maximum-Material/dp/B016XSKRX2/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=roof+ladder&qid=1572822033&s=hi&sr=1-10
NEVER use soap on solar panels !
That is pretty neat, I just crossed the 1 year mark with my panels so I will try and get this done with before and after metrics.
Thanks Paul! Insightful video as I am busy installing a small Solar system in South Africa. We also do not get a lot of rain so I learnt a fair bit today!
My boss suggested using deionized water, he said it tends to pick up minerals from the surface.
How about just comparing your solar production from when the panels were first installed, and clean, to how they performed 12 months later prior to cleaning.
cause that makes too much sense and how else would he get a 10 minute video of him "cleaning" his panels
Solar would vary too much over such a long time to provide a meaningful comparison. His was actually a good methodology given the limitations of his sample size and all other factors.
Well it could be argued that there may be a degradadion in the quality of the panels over that time as well? Panels have a multi-year life span true, but after a year of use, I would expect them to be working at a slightly lower efficiency. By doing it this way, you remove the variable of panels aging. And by recording the measurements over a month, you're able to average out the daily variable of different amounts of light and so the primary source of any change in your results is the cleaning. It's all about minimising the number of variables that can distort the results.
@@madeofdrew If he had gone that route he would still have had to clean them.
@@lestermarshall6501 exactly which is why I couldn't even watch the rest of the video after seeing his attempt at cleaning them lol
Keep up the good work! Love your videos
Definitely why I started a solar panel cleaning business here in SoCal! They definitely need to be cleaned if you want them running at maximum efficiency!
Try using soap and they sell brushes that extends out to 11 meters, they are a little expensive but would make for another interesting video 😁
It says in the user manual, that you should only use water
With a brush I'd be worried about trapping dust and sand under the brush and then the back and forth movement scratches the solar panels. A lot of dust you see settle on things is silica, so as hard or harder than the glass. From what I've heard, the best way to clean it is to give it a long sweep from one side of the panel to the other without a back and forth motion, just like cleaning your phone screen. That way you pile up the dust in front of your brush and just push it off instead of scrubbing it back and forth over the glass.
Airclot water alone is a great lubricant and prevents dust and sand from creating as many scratches. Given the lifespan of solar panels, cleaning will result in more power even with small scratches, compared to not cleaning.
@@CyberlightFG What harm would soap do?
@@justsomeguy934 I don't know. The manual says, that you shouldn't use anything else then cold water.
To all the people that commented in the previous video of this series that cleaning is "insignificant" or "not worth it" what say you now?
Very interesting video Paul, I enjoyed it a lot. My family is in So.Cal. too and dad never cleans his solar panels saying that it "can't be worth the hassle". Now I have some hard evidence to show him to the contrary. I would indeed like to see an additional follow-up about an actual brush cleaning of all panels. I wonder if waiting for summer again though would be more worthwhile. The logistics I will leave to you, the professional, though :D
It depends on the installation and panels, but lets say it like this - even 10 year old panels here do not look nearly as dirty as his panels looked - AFTER the washing.
Drought conditions state-wide, dust storms and even just wind storms being very common.... I think our WEATHER has more to do with it than anything else, especially installation method or panel quality.... but since the other side of that coin is all the sunlight we get, hoseing the panels down monthly is a small price to pay
Paul, this is pretty awesome. Since your panels were not really even cleaned (evident from the second trip to the roof) I am simply amazed with those results. I am going to have to clean mine and see what I get for a result. I don't have Tesla panels but I should be able to see the improvement with my Enlighten APP just as you did. I might wait for the weather to get above 50 though.
I want a future where every home is powered by solar. Major props to you Paul for taking on the cost yourself.
8:52 I had the same question a few years back. We have a ground installation, 2 systems, 2 meters, same panels, installed the same day and they pretty much produce the same amount of electricity every month. The variation between the two systems is at about 0.1%.
At the beginning of a new monthly cycle I cleaned one system the same way you did and left the other one as is. Then I just let it run for one month and was very curious about the outcome. To my surprise the production was practically the same. Maybe there was a difference of 0.2%, I don't remember. But the effort and time consumption to clean the panels was not worth the result. To be honest, I'm glad there was no difference otherwise I might have been compelled to clean them regularly.
That was a big difference! Make a permanent waternossel installation so you dont have to go up on the roof at all. Just flik a valve and your good 😉
Argammon of Rendor, you still occasionally need mechanical scrubbing because chemically it won’t get everything.
@@Michael-OBrien alright so then there should be a solar panel rumbo style robot scrubber.
@@ericsalidbar1693 I mean all you basically need is a rumba with a water jet and tether it down. If I had solar panels I'd love to try making a solar panel cleaning robot
nathan smith haha let's make it happen lol.
Make sure not to use hard water. You don't want permanent calcium build up.
I'm right across the hill from you in Brea and just got my panels in August. Time to hose them down. Will let you know how it goes!
Extremely useful information. Thank you for this.
Paul does Mythbusters!!!
I would not have thought the difference would have been so large, either.
Feasible to stand on the ladder and use the extension brush to scrub upwards to reach the panels?
and get soaked lol
Your eco tech videos are always really interesting. I like the cross over
Love the solar panel content
I'm not sure I can trust a man that doesn't have a ladder 🤔
Well he has one now (or at least I think he said he got one). So problem solved.
@@kevinhunter7581 he said he originally had one it just wasnt high enough to reach his roof.... so yeah he did and does has a ladder.
you should see jay handle liquid nitrogen with no glasses or gloves lol mans a legend ha ha
"Even if I followed it up 6 months, to a year, 2 years"
> Suggested video: HTPC Build Part 2
JEEIIZUSSS!!!!!!!! thats a monstrous improvement!
Yeah I'd love to see the follow-up on this with more control over cleaning, more info is always good for something like solar arrays.
Do you have microinverters or are all panels just connected together? I would do this test with an installation with microinverters where you can monitor what every panel produces. Then just clean 1/2 of the panels and compare it that way. As sunlight is exactly the same the test is fair.
I have an installation with microinverters, living in Belgium and here I have the impression that my panels are ca. 5-10 % less performing then when they were installed in 2015. As a reference I take the generated power of the best day of every year, and I reached my day record pretty much immediatly after placing them (some weeks after it), but never reached that record again . Maybe I'll get on my roof and will do the test of cleaning half of the panels and monitor what they produce in electricity. Until now I never cleaned them...
Oh what is also important: if all panels are connected together, a dirty spot on 1 panel can drastically reduce total performance of your whole installation. With a microinverter installation also this variable is removed. So depending if you have a classical or a microinverter installation, cleaning the panels is more or less important.
Thank you for the insight. 5-10% doesn't sound that relevant to me and could have other reasons (the ageing of your panels). I live in a similar (humid) climate; installed my panels about the same time Paul did. I have never heard that I needed cleaning them. Then again, we have more rain here & the angle of my roof is much steeper. Nevertheless, that is something to look at for the future - since with climate change we now regularly tend to get droughts in summer.
Average data says that panels are aging at about 0,8-1%/Y . Maybe a bit less on very good quality ones. Production is very sensitive also on working temperature(so ambient temperature too) with a negative coefficient , so if year after year is getting warmer then the production will be less
Panels with individual microinverters is what I have. 8-10 % improvement when I cleaned I year after install. I could see that panels with microinverters tolerate dirt better than panels that are connected to 1 inverter.
You have had them that long? Geez, where did the year go...
Thank you for sharing. I am going to clean mine off soon.
I enjoy these solar posts
This is why I keep my panels on the ground and not the house, so much easier to clean.
I keep mine in a shed. They’re spotlessly clean.
You get better production when the panels are on the roof, they produce more by being energized sooner on morning sun rise and then again at sun down
Easier to get a rock on the ground too.
Lives in Southern California: complains about not getting sunny day🙄
Even has to go clean panels by hand because it NEVER RAINS?!?! Geographic variety is nuts! Great vid!
Great video!
Yes Paul, do it again in the future. Also compare hosing them down vs really cleaning them using soap when you scrub them. .
Very interesting results. A window washing brush/squeegee combo may work a little better for this though.
Also, if you can find a long enough telescoping pole you shouldn't have to get up on the roof.
Manual labor is a little different to building computers.
Matlockization i found if amusing how he was afraid of falling. It is not steep at all and his panels needed a deeper cleaning.
@Arcavian Empri. Your right, but that's what happens when you get too comfortable in front of a computer all your life. Also a reality check for any one who is thinking of going solar.
Watching this to support Paul!
Thanks for the video Paul. thinking about panels, good to know the difference
Google "long pole solar panel brush" - do
I did and I actually thought that I was going to see something naughty ie, sex related.
@@busog97641 - sometimes a search is just a search
don't use that brush on your car, it'll scratch up the paint.
Awesome video. The salesman told me not to clean my panels. I've had them for a year now with very little rain and they look horrible. A few weeks ago I watered them down with a nozzle standing in my backyard. After they dried, from the ground they looked the same. After watching your video I now plan to try with a car brush. Thanks again.
Great vid paul!
Every millennial with self-diagnosed OCD is freaking out about the dusty bottom panels.
Good find sir. I enjoyed seeing this. (:
Interesting vid.
Yes, Id like to see how they would perform if they were cleaned thoroughly
Yes, more roof benchmarks!! Data will be very useful if/when I buy a place.
Cleaned today 2:00PM thanks for the video, didn't look dirty but got a 28% increase on the next 15 minute report. Clear day if anything it should have gone down a little bit from tree shade.
I live in a very dusty place in the dry season. I cleaned my panels after only one week and saw a 10% improvement. well worth cleaning if you want to get the most out of them.
I find this very interesting as I have 22 panels. It has made me organise to clean my panels.
Earlier this morning I cleaned mine (on my truck). I used a damp microfiber cloth. Now I know it served a point now than just because.
I've got 16 panels, 2 rows of 8 in portrait, fitted in May this year. My roof is steeper than usual, 50 degrees off horizontal/40 off vertical, and we get a fair amount of rain here in England so I'm hoping I won't need to clean them too often, I've not done it yet, but having seen your video I'm definitely not going to wait too long.
Dont have solar currently but really do enjoy these vids of it
Get a 24’ pole, had my son spray while I scrubbed. Going to clean every six months, seems like I got a 10% higher peak output instead of measuring days. Worth it for me.
Depending on where I eventually move to I have been looking into solar and these really is interesting as hell as it shows there are benefits even if not immediate, but anything to make a better environment. So I cannot wait for the next followup
Yes a full cleaning!
Thanks for the reminder. Usually clean mine about every six months.
It's a good point you ..pointed out safety in cleaning the panels. With the improvement in output it may be worth wile investing in a long poled window cleaning brush and a harness.
Good Job!
great video I installed 16 panels 9 years ago and have never clean them I recently had to replace my roof and the panels were taken down and I clean them it took three days of intensive cleaning to get them clean again I am waiting for them to be reinstalled I am looking forward to getting a lot more power when they are up I was wondering what it would do when they were clean and your video proved it thank you
great video :)
Yes. That would be helpful info. Nice Clean Panels vs. Sort of Clean.
It is ALWAYS worth looking in to the manufacturer recommended cleaning equipment.
Hi Paul, really like the video. I think you should do an intensive cleaning in all panels and do a test
My guess is the answer is yes! Keep up the good work Paul!
Great video Paul. So useful, as I have 40 of those suckers on my roof & they generate lots of power. Although in Melbourne, Australia we have has just come out of winter, so based on your findings, it sounds like it is a good time to have them cleaned. Being they are on a dobule story home, I will pay a professional to do it though!!!
This was an awesome test and insight, I'm now really interested in what would happen if you would to scrub every single panel! 😬
When I used to have solar panels I would occasionally wash them off so that they wouldn't be so dirty. Always helped
Ya I find this fascinating
I'm a new solar owner as of last March. We had our first rains last weekend, and I noticed a 50% jump.
Nice video! Keeping those panels clean is definitely a must. :-)