Keeping solar panels clean (1 Viewer)

Jul 5, 2013
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I have noticed that my solar panels seem to get dirty and dusty very quickly and I assume that will effect their efficiency. How do you all manage to keep yours clean? Or do you not bother?

In the previous motorhome the panels were either side of a wind up rooflight so I could pop my head out and wipe them them with a wet cloth. It is the similar with the new motorhome BUT the rooflight is one of those new type which open horizontally and there is simply not enough gap to get your arms out to clean the panels.
 

funflair

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Dec 11, 2013
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I cleaned ours once as they looked dirty/dusty I tried to do it on a sunny day to see the difference but the experiment was inconclusive so I have not worried too much since.

If it do though it's a climb up with a bucket and brush and do the roof as well at the same time.

Martin
 
Feb 24, 2013
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Good question, I am with you on the presume it must do something, or take away something, but I wonder just how much difference it makes

I might have a go at mine today and monitor the output change, I can reach mine on a ladder at the side of my MH, up to now have only done roof twice in three years, but I can see it from my bedroom so can see if really bad
 

Cal54

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Have recently done mine with a window cleaning mop thing bought from Aldi last year. There is a knuckle approx 18" from the top which allowed me to angle the head to 90 degrees and the cloth head is nice and soft. It was easy to do and the mop thingy was cheap to buy, but as with all things non food from Aldi they are not always available.

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peterc10
Jul 5, 2013
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Have recently done mine with a window cleaning mop thing bought from Aldi last year. There is a knuckle approx 18" from the top which allowed me to angle the head to 90 degrees and the cloth head is nice and soft. It was easy to do and the mop thingy was cheap to buy, but as with all things non food from Aldi they are not always available.
How long is the handle? Is it telescopic? 18" might not be enough (oooo matron) to reach all of the panel I suspect, but I could try it.
 

DuxDeluxe

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Sorry, I should have made clearer that I mean cleaning when we are out on the road on our travels. At home I can use a ladder but that is too big and heavy to carry in the motorhome.
Don't worry too much about it, Peter. Just clean it at home when you are there. Life is too short........

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Feb 9, 2008
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I cleaned ours twice when in Morocco and found no real difference in the result. Even when we were in the Western Sahara and being exposed to a lot of dust storms the output from the panel did not drop by that much. Like others, I either access mine through the roof panel with a long mop or borrow a ladder and clean it from the side.
 

Cal54

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@peterc10 - yes the whole thing is telescopic must be at least 10' And was original,y purchased by my mum for cleaning the conservatory roof.

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peterc10
Jul 5, 2013
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I cleaned ours twice when in Morocco and found no real difference in the result. Even when we were in the Western Sahara and being exposed to a lot of dust storms the output from the panel did not drop by that much. Like others, I either access mine through the roof panel with a long mop or borrow a ladder and clean it from the side.
Phil, I thought you got Mena to do it :D

Can't use rooflight as per original post. Don't know anybody with a ladder in their motorhome. :D Only time we could borrow one was at a really nice Sosta in Modena, Italy. Run by the local camperclub and had a motorhome washing facility included in the price including large industrial working platform you could push around on wheels.

Seriously though I was wondering whether to get a telescopic ali ladder for the motorhome. One on lightening deal at Amazon later today - 3.75m maximum height and only (!!) weighs 11kg. Will see how much it is reduced to. Anybody uses one?
 
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peterc10
Jul 5, 2013
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@peterc10 - yes the whole thing is telescopic must be at least 10' And was original,y purchased by my mum for cleaning the conservatory roof.
Do you carry it about in the motorhome? How do you protect the side of the motorhome when you lean it against it?

Sorry @Cal54 ignore that, I was thinking you were referring to a ladder ..... doh

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DBK

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How will you clean the panels with your leg in plaster after falling off the ladder? Just leave it to the British weather to clean it when out and about. :)
 
Feb 9, 2008
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Phil, I thought you got Mena to do it :D

Can't use rooflight as per original post. Don't know anybody with a ladder in their motorhome. :D Only time we could borrow one was at a really nice Sosta in Modena, Italy. Run by the local camperclub and had a motorhome washing facility included in the price including large industrial working platform you could push around on wheels.

Seriously though I was wondering whether to get a telescopic ali ladder for the motorhome. One on lightening deal at Amazon later today - 3.75m maximum height and only (!!) weighs 11kg. Will see how much it is reduced to. Anybody uses one?
I used to Peter but she is no longer a lightweight. Seriously though, I would not bother with the telescopic ladder. Whilst they are great if your going to be going on top of your motorhome regularly, they are just going to be an added expense and an added weight to your motorhome. A quick squirt from a hose or borrow one from another camper (we are a generous lot) is probably the best way forward...............Unless you other half is a lightweight of course.

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Feb 27, 2011
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After 7 years of fulltiming I have come to a conclusion. A thin film of dust/dirt makes negligible difference. I wash my panels once a year at the start of the season when I am likely to be using them most. Just about to do them this coming weekend. I occasionally do them again in the autumn if I have been parked for a while near trees.
 

DBK

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Dirty rain doesn't clean it, especially not after a long drive on the motorway in wet weather.
My comment was tongue in cheek but even dirty rain will clean it enough. As others have said the reduction in performance of a bit of dust is negligible. There may even be a physical reason for this - the refraction of light around the very small dust particles.

However, if it concerns you then a folding ladder and/or long handled brush it is!
 

Lenny HB

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Did check the output on mine once after cleaning them when they were quite dirty, didn't notice any difference but the smallest shadow will reduce output considerably, more important to pick where you park than worry about a bit of dirt.
 
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peterc10
Jul 5, 2013
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My comment was tongue in cheek but even dirty rain will clean it enough. As others have said the reduction in performance of a bit of dust is negligible. There may even be a physical reason for this - the refraction of light around the very small dust particles.

However, if it concerns you then a folding ladder and/or long handled brush it is!
@DBK I realised it was in fun. But a couple of large blobs from an incontinent seagull could cause considerable loss of power I would have thought

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peterc10
Jul 5, 2013
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Is she that heavy?:LOL:
Have you ever met @Dawn B ? When you do ask her to show you her water pistol.

P.S. She is as light as a feather and polite, kind, charming and erudite. That is what she has always told me to say about her on this forum

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