Quickie: Solar Panel Cleaning and Inspection

[@notyoung]

A bit of cleaning is usually helpful. I was testing a 250 watt panel and it topped out at 225 watts. A few minutes with water and paper towels and the panel was delivering 235 watts. Even if the dirt isn't obvious, cleaning the panels can make a difference.

[@ganey]

If you need to replace any panels, I'd highly recommend bimble solar. UK based, lots of panels from solar farms that have upgraded. I bought German 250w panels a few years ago from them and they're still working great. The panels have already paid for themselves.

[@AdamWelchUK]

I’ve bought a couple of accessories from bimble and know quite a few people rate them. Trouble is their big panels are too big for the shed roof! Cheers

[@ganey]

@@AdamWelchUK my shed is 30+ years old now, so I'm thinking of just getting a summer house later this year. Then there is more room for more panels! I'm still using the epever script you did a video on years ago, it's running as a fake victron solar controller on dbus so that the victron software behaves correctly.

[@korishan]

Make sure to clean the elbow grease off with a clean dry rag 😉

[@trickyriky1]

Time to replace those 2x 100watt panels with 1x 250+ watt mate ;)

[@AdamWelchUK]

Don’t tempt me :-)

[@trickyriky1]

@@AdamWelchUK Peer pressure peer pressure. LOL

[@biogreenz6613]

Looks posibly the part where you used a mount piece, the red orange circle looking thing caused to much pressure right next to it and started the cracking webs. I could be wrong but kinda looks like that's where they started. If so it would original be a mounting technique vrs bad panel. If the webs started there it might have let the water in. Does not sound likely it came with water. Best regards

[@uptowndisco2]

maybe someone climbing into your property over the roof or trying to see how they are held down for stealing them ?

[@AdamWelchUK]

Not thought of that, but I guess that is a possibility. Thanks

[@martjeenmarkoppad1355]

I really like your channel and I’m learning a lot from you. Today I looked into power optimizers and the use for a setup with mixed panels (like yours) and when shade and positioning might be an issue. Are power optimizers that bring MPPT tracking to the panel an interesting option with lower voltage setups and can this be a DIY project with reasonable low cost? Hope you can help me out with this idea..

[@martjeenmarkoppad1355]

The high voltage/cost solution I ran into: www.solaredge.com/products/power-optimizer#/ I found this interesting thesis: pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2e11/faaed1585124e348a5cf6b98b0b9437322cf.pdf

[@MATTE.U.K]

How many charge controllers do you have for your panels i noticed they are all diffeernt, I have a renonogy 12v 30w and a renonogy 12v 100w panel, can i connect them to the same controller?

[@andys-garage]

Are these actual cracks or just snail trails?

[@The_Solartiger]

Hi, I have the same problem with one of my panels. It's a 100W panel, I'm lucky if I can get 20W out of it. The open circuit voltage tests good, but won't deliver the rated current. It's has those cracks like yours. I have 2 other 100W panels from a different manufacturer that have no such issues. I used to have all three panels wired in series (I am using MPPT charge controller) but noticed that output voltage seemed a bit low and the power was suffering. On inspection of the panels I noticed the one panel had the cracks in, so I removed it. Now the other panels can work normally. The cracks in my panel do affect the output considerably. Thanks for your videos, you can visit my channel by searching for "Solartiger " I use a Victron Smartsolar MPPT 100/20 charge controller, I would highly recommend it to others.

[@AdamWelchUK]

Thanks for this. Next time I’m getting some decent sun (and an hour spare) I’ll have to do a test on it. I’ll be sure to check out your channel. Cheers

[@Ash_G]

I am wondering if people with larger installation use a mop?

[@skysurferuk]

Got a commercial 1.95Kw 'glass roof' on my house. After around 10 years of not cleaning them, I saw a 1.91Kw reading a few weeks ago... goody!

[@AdamWelchUK]

Nice.

[@dtvking]

You could always try some Slug pellets lol. I clean mine every other week, must have dirty rain in Hertfordshire.

[@AdamWelchUK]

I possibly do them yearly - Yorkshire spring water rain :-)

[@Todestelzer]

You should install the panels in way they can move. They expand and retract with the heat. If they can’t, the panels will start to crack sooner or later.

[@ursodermatt8809]

i experienced the same cracking in my cheap 12V panels. this never happened in 24V panels. i suppose the wafer is cracked but not the silver connections. so possibly does not make that much difference in generation. though my 12V panels never delivered good current.

[@ayyadew]

My Chinese panels are also getting those cracks .. is that a problem for long term use???

[@AdamWelchUK]

I think they may be caused by heat and the feedback I’m getting is that they are normal and shouldn’t effect output.

[@gw3436]

Not good to see cracks on your panels shame maybe Chinese glass is just shite like everything else they sell lol

[@gw3436]

@Blind Bob UK or at least German it is then in future lol

[@andys-garage]

Got these 'snail trails' on my roof's panels for over 5 years. Could not see any reduction in power though.

[@jukkatur]

Adam, do you think that you could use Car wax on panels so that they stay cleaner longer time?, i have noticed that they get very hot, but so does cars in the sun....

[@AdamWelchUK]

Yeah I’m not sure as the other thing car wax does is protect the sun from damaging paint. What effect that would have on solar production I’m not too sure.

[@sNEAKYnIGHTmUPPET]

those are NOT Cracks Adam, those are called "Snail Trails" Essentially they are delaminations and are strictly cosmetic. They will not adversely affect the output.

[@electronic7979]

👏👏👏

[@AsadJamal78]

I have these cracks on all of my solar panels and they are 5years old

[@Luke-san]

Damn, should have checked the output before and after the washing. Guess you'll have to wait a couple of months again now LOL. I tend to wash mine using some car shampoo and after that giving them a coat of car wax. (when they are cooled down or early in the morning). Don't ask me why but I guess I like to keep them clean.

[@AdamWelchUK]

Luc Peeters I guess wax might keep the dirt off for a bit longer. In reality I bet there is little difference in output with a thin even layer of dust and dirt but proving that as sun and temperature conditions change would be difficult I think.

[@Luke-san]

Adam, I use ceramic wax on my car which makes it seriously easy to clean and keep clean. Going to try the same stuff on my 3 panels since seriously nothing sticks to it. Bird droppings seem to just wash away with rain most of the time. You are absolutely right about that power output before and after. I washed them this morning and forgot to measure, but 1 cloud, a bit of haze, a degree more or less and the test is wrong.

[@closertothetruth9209]

cracks from poor handling perhaps, it happened to me due to careless transport workers 12 200w panels all destroyed, do a warranty claim before they start getting worse. mine typicaly produced 50% of rated power whereas my new panels same specs coasted along nicely at 75% and easily hit max wattage.

[@AdamWelchUK]

I’m hearing reports from warmer climates that they experience this a lot - and it shouldn’t effect output. Next sunny day I’m going to run the inverter and see what the panels produce. I’ll keep a close eye on things. Cheers

[@AdamWelchUK]

Just reading this paper which does suggest a drop in power - perhaps a 20-40% drop in some cases. core.ac.uk/download/pdf/55260057.pdf Must test this out.

[@mozismobile]

I have a 100W panel that now peaks at about 80W due to significant cracking. I suspect dam age in transit because it's mounted exactly as the manufacturer suggests.

[@gw3436]

As a thought would covering them in clear epoxy work would it effect there efficiency ?

[@mozismobile]

That would be a bad idea, the epoxy is softer than glass and would cloud over after a year or two of sun.

[@adus123]

the cracks are in the cells not the glass

[@ianendangan7462]

Here In the Philippines, the solar community call them as snail trails. It has no effect with the panels output.

[@AdamWelchUK]

Thanks. I guess this panel has suffered higher heat than the others - which would make sense due to the fact it is surrounded by others. Snail trails :-)

[@Magic-Smoke]

I too have some snail trails. No effect on output so far!

[@AdamWelchUK]

John Macrae good news. Thanks John.

[@allinclusive5762]

Better use rainwater. ( This is without lime )

[@solar24gr]

low quality panels

[@AdamWelchUK]

Possibly. Three years old, but they are still producing a decent power.