Solar Installations: What are the Maintenance Procedures for a Solar Installation?
Do solar panels require a lot of maintenance? A lot of people are converting into natural and clean energy that is why they use solar panels. Owning solar panels not only helps you save money on electricity, but it could actually also be a big investment so commercial solar panel maintenance is extremely important if you want your solar panels to last longer. So, what are the maintenance procedures for a solar installation?
What maintenance do solar panels require?
- Monitor your solar systems
You always have to keep an eye on your solar system and make sure that you are benefiting the environment with how much Carbon Dioxide you are possibly emitting into the atmosphere. In monitoring your system, you would also then be able to help in knowing how much you may or may not benefit from the feed-in tariff scheme.
- Keep your solar panels out of shade
When you keep them outside and they always absorb any sunlight, energy production could become inefficient so it is best if you keep your solar panels out of shade once in a while.
- Keep an eye on your solar panels and make sure that your inverters are flashing green lights
If you notice that there is no flashing in your inverters, you are no longer compensating for your electricity use which would lead you to lose money, which is you have to constantly keep an eye on your solar panels and all of your inverters.
- Document the day-to-day performance of your solar panels
You could try and write down how much energy your solar panels have produced at a certain time every single day. It is a way of making sure that your energy production is consistent. With this in thought, you are also going to have to list down dates where it is especially cloudy. Some of the results may be inconsistent but your manufacturer would be there to provide you with the best monitoring system that is best for the kind of solar panels that you need.
- Use a wall-mounted display
If you could use a wall-mount display, you should consider it. You could see information about all of your available solar panel services about wall-mounted displays when you are at home.
- Install automated cleaners
There are automated cleaners that you may or may not use when you have a busy lifestyle and could possibly not have time to constantly clean your solar panels. Automated cleaners would usually work like sprinkler systems. If you cannot get that installed, you could always just schedule cleaning appointments with the solar panel cleaning companies with the company near you, or even the company that installed your solar panels.
- Solar panels don’t have moving parts
Since solar panels do not have moving parts, your solar panels could rust and break down easier so maintaining your solar panels is incredibly important.
How long do commercial solar panels last?
On standard, the expected lifespan of a solar panel is about 25 to 30 years, so this means that the panels that were installed at the early end of the current boom aren’t long from being retired. The lifespan would also then depend on the materials that were used in the solar panel, because each material has its own life span.
Solar Panel Maintenance Checklist
- Check the oil on your monitoring system
- Clean every so often
- Control any vermin
- Watch out for any new shading
- Keep a logbook of maintenance
- Replace the inverter
Solar Panel Maintenance Cost
On average, homeowners who have solar panels spend about an average of $150 so that they could have their solar panels cleaned up. There are some factors that depend on the price of your cleaning, like the home height, roof slant, and the size of your system. The companies may or may not be charged between $3 and $10 per panel, which is why there are some companies that could charge you around the range of $150 to $350, while the annual inspections typically could cost you about $150 before you get to pay for the cost of cleaning.
Average Cost $150
High Cost $350
Low Cost $100
Solar Panel Maintenance Issues
- Inverter Issues
- Wiring Damage
- Solar Panel Replacements
- Circuit Breaker Trips
