3 Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Solar Panels
Posted on: 19 January 2017
Solar panels are an expensive investment, but they can pay off big-time in energy savings. That's why it's in your best interest to make sure that you're getting the most from your solar panels. Solar panels are typically very low-maintenance, but that doesn't mean that there's nothing you can do to keep them in good working order and make sure that you're getting the most value out of them. Take a look at some tips that can help.
Keep Shade Away From Your Panels
When you have solar panels installed, your installer will take care to make sure that the panels aren't being shaded. However, as time goes on, new shading issues may develop. For example, a tree that wasn't tall enough to throw shade onto your panels when they were installed may reach a height where it does pose a problem. Whatever the cause, you'll need to do something to remove the shade from the panels – for instance, you may have to have the tree trimmed.
A little bit of shade can do more damage to your solar energy output than you might think. Depending on the type of solar system you have, shade that covers just one panel, or even just one cell of one panel, could dramatically reduce the output of your system, possibly even reducing it to nothing. More modern systems contain bypass diodes that allow electricity to flow around shaded cells, so choosing one of these systems can help. However, you'll still lose output from the panel that's shaded, so ultimately, it's still smart to keep an eye out for any new shading issues and resolve them.
Clean The Panels
Once your solar panels are installed, it's easy to forget that they're even there. They just sit there quietly, doing their job with no help from you. Perhaps that's why it's so easy for homeowners to forget that they need to clean them. It's not a bad idea to make a schedule or mark cleaning dates on your calendar, just so you don't forget.
Cleaning your panels is important for the same reasons that keeping them unshaded is important. The more clear glass area that the sun can access, the more energy the panels will produce. However, if the glass is smudged or dirty, you'll have a lower output. Scratched glass will also reduce your output, so avoid using anything abrasive to clean your solar panels – a soft cloth and some biodegradable soap will do the trick. If the panels are too high to be easily reached, try attaching a cloth to a pool skimmer to give you the extra length you need to reach and clean your panels.
Monitor Performance
Another thing to remember is that it can be difficult to tell if anything goes wrong with your solar panel system. You won't hear a loud noise or see an obvious malfunction, like you normally would with a household appliance. If you aren't monitoring the performance of your system, you may not notice a problem until you get a larger-than-expected bill from the electric company.
Monitoring your solar system is simple. At the minimum, just check on the inverter box display at least once every couple of days, and make sure that the green light is on. If you want to go a step further, you can have a monitoring system installed that will let you know how much you've produced each day, so that you can watch for sudden, unexpected drops in production. Some will even download the data directly to your computer. Most solar panel warranties guarantee that you'll get at least 90% of rated power output for 10 years and 80% output for 25 years. If you're getting less than that regularly, or if it suddenly drops to less than that even though the panels are whole, clean, and unshaded, then you may have a problem. Don't try a DIY fix – use your warranty instead.
Solar panel systems are largely self-sufficient, and chances are good that you'll never need much in the way of repair or maintenance. Still, it's a good idea to know what to keep an eye out for just in case. Ask your solar panel installation company for tips about safely cleaning your solar panels and keeping them in top shape.
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