How do you clear a solar panel?

[jasonbeil]

Clean your solar panel only if it's extremely dirty and you see a notable degradation in performance. Use
regular water when the panels are cool, ideally before sunrise or after sunset.

[J.P.M.]

Clean your solar panel only if it's extremely dirty and you see a notable degradation in performance. Use
regular water when the panels are cool, ideally before sunrise or after sunset.

I'm about to clean my panels. I'd suggest doing it in the morning and have enough light to work safely. Probably not a big deal, but at night, depending on temps. and time, the panels may have some residual heat.

I've found dish soap, a soft cloth and a squegee works.

FWIW: I cannot detect a measureable advantage or performance benefit to special rinses, D.I. water, etc. Those things may make the array look pretty, but the human eye is not a very good judge of transmission properties of sunlight through various media such as water spots/dirt, etc.

[DanKegel]

I'm about to clean my panels. I'd suggest doing it in the morning and have enough light to work safely....

I've found dish soap, a soft cloth and a squegee works.

I'm looking forward to hearing what performance improvement you get this time, if any, and how long since the last rain and cleaning.

I'm not sure that rain would do it here -- we seem to have pretty greasy dirt -- but thanks for mentioning that variable.

[requir]

The best method to clear Solar Panels is to use Solar Roof Tiles instead.
But if you already had to do it is - with warm water and dishwashing soap to remove dirt.

[Jason]

The best method to clear Solar Panels is to use Solar Roof Tiles instead.
But if you already had to do it is - with warm water and dishwashing soap to remove dirt.

Just wanted to chime in and say I talked to a rep from a large solar panel maker a few years ago and asked about panel cleaning, he said dont use detergents, but I must say it never made much sense to me but I have only used water and a soft cloth ( only ever cleaned them once)

[saniconenergy]

Mix any local toilet cleaner in a bucket full of water. Circulate this cleaning solution with help of pump from the bucket to Solar collector by connecting the inlets and outlets of the collector. Keep this solution in circulation for 4-5 hours. Post cleaning flush the solar collector with clean water for 5-10 and then flush the same with water solution of white vinegar and water in 1:1 ratio. Post flushing let the collector be dry while exposed to sun for 1-2 hours, then reconnect all the water pipe lines to the collectors for usage!

[J.P.M.]

Mix any local toilet cleaner in a bucket full of water. Circulate this cleaning solution with help of pump from the bucket to Solar collector by connecting the inlets and outlets of the collector. Keep this solution in circulation for 4-5 hours. Post cleaning flush the solar collector with clean water for 5-10 and then flush the same with water solution of white vinegar and water in 1:1 ratio. Post flushing let the collector be dry while exposed to sun for 1-2 hours, then reconnect all the water pipe lines to the collectors for usage!

I'd be real careful about following this advice tp the point of avoiding it.

[saniconenergy]

I'd be real careful about following this advice tp the point of avoiding it.

Sorry, we were wondering if the solar panel is of a water heater and needed to be cleaned from inside for indirect heating, later on, we realized that it's the dirt accumulation that we are talking about. Our Apologies for the wrong advice!