Cleaning solar panels

[HundyMundy]

My panels are needing cleaned , got some algae growing on them. What are people using to clean them? An ideas how the kill algae , obviously don’t want to damage the panels but want them clean.

 

[akaPABLO01]

Jet wash it off

 

[Deereone]

I use a long handled car wash brush attached to a hose and elbow grease.

 

[HundyMundy]

Jet wash it off

Have you used a pressure washer on panels? A hot washer would easily clean all the dirt and algae off, but worry about damaging them.

 

[HundyMundy]

I use a long handled car wash brush attached to a hose and elbow grease.

That picture was taken after Dad had had a go at cleaning the panel with a car brush. But I am not sure how much elbow grease he used!!

 

[RushesToo]

That picture was taken after Dad had had a go at cleaning the panel with a car brush. But I am not sure how much elbow grease he used!!

The amount of elbow grease that can be expected from someone older on a warm day - slightly less than I would give - but not by much.

What the growth is looks like lichen not algae - you have some seriously clean air & water blowing over that.

What kills lichen is sulpfur and copper - as seen downwind from mines and smelters. Either of these in solution would work - just no-one uses them as they tend to rot everything.

I would go ask on an a green energy forum. Some here may have advice on what might work - but they are low in numbers.

 

[akaPABLO01]

The amount of elbow grease that can be expected from someone older on a warm day - slightly less than I would give - but not by much.

What the growth is looks like lichen not algae - you have some seriously clean air & water blowing over that.

What kills lichen is sulpfur and copper - as seen downwind from mines and smelters. Either of these in solution would work - just no-one uses them as they tend to rot everything.

I would go ask on an a green energy forum. Some here may have advice on what might work - but they are low in numbers.

Tell me oh wise one?

Would you jet wash your car windscreen?

Don’t go near the edges, blast it off.

 

[Spuddler]

I clean Solar farms as my job
Best practise found tbh is to just wait until you've had several days rain, the lichen will have softened and comes off easier.
Have a tractor mounted brush and still requires several passes to get it off completely.

 

[RushesToo]

Tell me oh wise one?

Would you jet wash your car windscreen?

Don’t go near the edges, blast it off.

Not wise, just lazy. I don't "wash" my car that might sometimes have lichen on it. But I keep copper sulphate in solution to grow crystals - a great game for kids. The residue must go somewhere, I tend to pour it over things that I might want less problems with.
Paint is fine, oak that is going soggy is fine - I have never tried solar panels.

I was just using the knowledge that during the industrial revolution the pollution from copper and sulphur from burning coal stopped all lichen and was memorable for this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppered_moth_evolution
caused by a lack of lichen.

Use this information as you will.

 

[Exfarmer]

Think I would be tempted to spray it first with a patio cleaner, designed for curing algae.
Best done on a sunny day and leave for a few days and wash again.
I am surprised to see such a growth of algae, normally only happens on North facing roofs. Any idea which direction those are?or are they shaded by trees?

 

[HundyMundy]

Think I would be tempted to spray it first with a patio cleaner, designed for curing algae.
Best done on a sunny day and leave for a few days and wash again.
I am surprised to see such a growth of algae, normally only happens on North facing roofs. Any idea which direction those are?or are they shaded by trees?

They are on a south facing roof. There is no trees shading them, but there are trees to the west of them. The roof they are mounted on is covered in moss, don’t know if that encourages lichen and algae.

 

[RushesToo]

They are on a south facing roof. There is no trees shading them, but there are trees to the west of them. The roof they are mounted on is covered in moss, don’t know if that encourages lichen and algae.

You don't have a location - but be assured you air is spectacularly good. Moss, lichen and algae are very fussy about clean. Personally I would guess your location as south west coast Scotland, probably not north or west Scotland / Ireland [too windy]. The East is too dry and polluted. A chance it is SW England or Wales.

 

[akaPABLO01]

Not wise, just lazy. I don't "wash" my car that might sometimes have lichen on it. But I keep copper sulphate in solution to grow crystals - a great game for kids. The residue must go somewhere, I tend to pour it over things that I might want less problems with.
Paint is fine, oak that is going soggy is fine - I have never tried solar panels.

I was just using the knowledge that during the industrial revolution the pollution from copper and sulphur from burning coal stopped all lichen and was memorable for this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peppered_moth_evolution
caused by a lack of lichen.

Use this information as you will.

Ok sunshine.

You put chemicals on 1 panel and jet the other. Let’s do a real time experiment?

 

[RushesToo]

Ok sunshine.

You put chemicals on 1 panel and jet the other. Let’s do a real time experiment?

@akaPABLO01 Really not up for a fight - copper will stop all lichens and rot in wood - but it is desperately bad for any non stainless, most metals and circuit boards that claim to be IP66 and aren't. Low concentrate copper sulphate might be useful, I would support you pressure washing as a pain free solution - if it fails try something else that I have already said could be "problematic". I would test a limited area first.

 

[R J]

Can you use normal water or does it need to be de ironised to clean panels ? Thanks

 

[Exfarmer]

Can you use normal water or does it need to be de ironised to clean panels ? Thanks

You should use pure water but it much depends on your supply, if you have very soft water, it will make little difference.
The problem using hard water is the calcium and magnesium salts will build up and gradually obscure the panels, unless you squeegee the water off

 

[steveR]

Think I would be tempted to spray it first with a patio cleaner, designed for curing algae.
Best done on a sunny day and leave for a few days and wash again.
I am surprised to see such a growth of algae, normally only happens on North facing roofs. Any idea which direction those are?or are they shaded by trees?

Patio cleaner is what was recommended to me by my installer but not needed it since being installed here with a 5kW array. I wash with a long handled window mop, on a wet day... Weak soap mix and then rainfall to rinse off.

The 20ac solar farm used a contractor last year in the miuddle of summer. The mess they left was not impressive on the panels but a wet winter seems to have shifted the smears I was a bit dubious on the sense in doing them in hot weather too...