Solar Panel Efficiency

[emjaiuk]

How clean do solar panels need to be? I clean mine fairly regularly because at home I have to park next to a line of trees, but apart from leaves, there always seems to be a fine film of dirt on my panel, like dust after a rain shower.

 

[Raul]

As clean as possible is preferred, but, in some situation this is impossible. Dust, resin, pollen, pollution dust is not as bad as leafs. A leaf can cause enough shade to take 1/4,1/3 or half the panel down in a instant. This is dependable on panel design and bypass diodes arrangement. On the other hand, dusty surface can obscure some light, but some will still make it to the cell. It will not activate the bypass, unless heavy soiled. Generally, a max 5% loss or less, can be expected from really dusty panels. I would avoid bird droppings, that’s a fixed shade, and can cause hot spots on the cell.

 

[RedFrame]

Lesson learnt from Drexxer , once pitched up, pop the top hatch and make like a Tank commander with an extendable squeegee

Cheers
Red.