Snow = No Solar Power. How We Fixed That

[@jeffnreno5080]

I would like to see some type of heating elements that would be embedded in the panels that could come on when 3 parameters exist. 1. Temperature is low enough to allow snow to accumulate. 2. Panels are not producing power so must be covered in snow. 3. The Sun is up so panels should be producing power. The elements could be very low power drain while on and if working on those parameters they wouldn't stay on for very long anyway. This could be something that would be offered as an option for areas that get snow.

[@effervescence5664]

In the UK we actually have products for flat roofs with parapet walls around them, trace heating for the gutters and down pipes. Generally it's not on a time clock but there's not reason why they couldn't be. Nor any reason I can think of that would not allow them to be near solar panels.

[@noamparness1690]

The cost of the components, plus the cost of the energy to run them (it takes more energy than you think to melt snow and/or prevent it from building up) would likely be more than the savings from any additional production during that time.

[@user-ze7tl2dw4i]

You would need a battery. Heating elements require a lot of energy. It's just inefficient compared to manual labor unless it's connected to a grid or battery of some source, in which case you're defeating the purpose of a solar system.

[@effervescence5664]

So they can only reach two of three roofs, making trace heating viable for the highest. Also if their production out weighs the consumption they technically wouldn't make a loss. It would need to be added up on a case by case basis but in the right climate it wouldn't necessarily be a bad investment, especially if you don't have micro inverters and the roof is too high to manually clean.

[@jeffnreno5080]

@@effervescence5664 I agree and if used with the parameters I stated, the heat would only consume energy until they start producing power so without knowing how long that would take on a sunny day, the cost to benefit ratio will only be a guess without a study.

[@markchapmon8670]

My wife insisted we ground mount the solar panels because she knew I'd want to get up on the roof to clean the panels. We used a tilting ground mount setup. I use a 16' telescoping painters extension pole to clean off the array with a carwash brush I already had. Your pole is substantially longer. I'll be checking these out at Homer Depot.

[@joonasfi]

"Your pole is substantially longer" teehee

[@virtualmage0]

In northern climate, it's better to mount the panel so you can change the angle for the winter. A suggestion would be to use nano ceramic coating, definitely make a big difference.

[@aussie2uGA]

Business opportunity alert! Install a long squeegee on the solar mounting rail for each cluster. Similar to a scanner/copy machine, the squeegee would just make a pass down the panels and then return back up. Retrofitting may not be super simple but this is something all new panel manufacturers should provide.

[@sakru100]

Why not just hop on the roof and brush them off. Here in Finland we often have to go to the roof and showel the snow off so it doesn't get too heavy for the roof

[@joonasfi]

Torilla tavataan

[@larryteslaspacexboringlawr739]

yeah can they build ladders so they can get on their roof easy?

[@drink15]

@@larryteslaspacexboringlawr739 Might be easier to buy a ladder.

[@larryteslaspacexboringlawr739]

@@drink15 oh sorry, i mean build ladder into or attached to house and roof, so then easily access roof panels everyday during winter to clean snow off, or during storm, many times a day

[@drink15]

@@larryteslaspacexboringlawr739 No problem. The only issue is safety. Most people can't walk on snow on the ground without slipping and falling.

[@Steil-o]

Seeing the solarpower rising while you guys uncover the moduls in the background was so satisfying. I really like the sort of content you guys are creating. Others would say " I`m not here to uncover the moduls, I`ve got better things to do...they will warm up in a few hours, so why should I do this". But thats something only people would say that didn`t get the fascination of solarpower.

[@TeslaInventory]

Thanks!

[@gregfredericks5201]

I have a solar powered home in VA. Solar and electric cars are a great idea. Good job.

[@cmiller6352]

I have the same snow scraper and was also missing hardware. Luckily a quick modification allowed me to scrape the roof. The manufacturer sent me another bag of hardware the next week after I called.

[@TeslaInventory]

Bummer. Manufacturer issues.

[@davidwho8215]

Put a coat hanger in the support hole where the long screw goes until you have a nut. You need that support as snow gets heavy and the plastic can break easily.

[@squidgychicken6557]

You should try the flamethrower 🔥🔥🔥

[@raysonlogin]

"Not a flamethrower"!

[@toysareforboys1]

I got mine the other day, 3 minutes after I post a picture of it, someone said "how much do you want for it", I said it's not for sale, he said "everything is for sale for the right price", and he was right :( Just got the boring company fire extinguisher today too!

[@Neojhun]

Frozen Water has amazing heat capacity, the amount of energy required to turn it into liquid is massive. I single tank of propane with that Not a Flame Thrower will not clear a system like that one. Water has amazing properties.

[@luongmaihunggia]

@@Neojhun beside that, using the flamethrower will also heat up the solar panel which reduce it energy output.

[@pabeader1941]

It's called a roof rake. They make ones with a plastic sheet that lets the snow slide down and away from where you are removing it. Helps with pileup.

[@2nd3rd1st]

Incredible! Snow covers your solar panels and you remove the snow to get them to work again! I think I just witnessed peak human intelligence.

[@pangrac1]

Welcome to the simple daily life tasks on the YT. If you don't like it you can simply switch to any other channel from zillion others or just non stop scroll thru the Boring panda endless site 😁

[@2nd3rd1st]

@@pangrac1 I know, I already watched a guy washing his dirty hands with soap, somebody fixing a draft by closing the windows and a woman teaching us about closing the fridge door to keep the content cooled. It's been an exciting day.

[@pangrac1]

@@2nd3rd1st My brother today sent me link to 100 top viral videos of 2018 and I dont want to see it. I rather prefer to watch paint dry today :D

[@joshuapinter]

@@2nd3rd1st I'm a big fan of these guys but that's fucking funny. Nice one. And I agree with you on the tagline bait. I was expecting to see them install a heating surface or something to actually fix it, not just a brush on an extension rod.

[@2nd3rd1st]

@@joshuapinter That would have been worth my time. But whatever puts food on the table, I guess.

[@soundanswer]

Thanks guys! Just ordered the snow rake. I’ve been bummed the past few days with zero production and the sun not melting the layer of snow off our panels. Appreciate you!

[@PoeticJusticeSC]

We've had solar panels on your roof for almost three years now. We live in Canada in the southern interior of BC. Snow covers our panels for about 3 months, but during those three months the sun is so low in the sky, and up for so few hours, that it isn't worth putting much into cleaning off panels because the amount of power we could get after cleaning them off in Dec to Feb is very low. A perfectly clear sky with no snow on our panels in the middle of winter would generate only a $1 worth of electricity. Heating them to melt the snow would use up more power than we'd generate with the panels. The vast majority of our power is generated in the six months of sunny, hot days. A cloudy day in the summer costs us more than snow in the winter.... of course there's nothing I can do about clouds, lol.

[@GaryKettwig]

A short 7 foot ladder would help. You only need to use 3rd step and you will get to top of panels. This would help for those over garage area. That's how we do it. Safe in that hands can still grab top of ladder for support if needed. Make sure to have light weight ladder, you will be moving it many times.. good luck.

[@murderdoggg]

I would argue the 20 ft pole seems safer.

[@GaryKettwig]

Safer? I guess you never tried it. Using the ladder as a step and being able to steady yourself with the rest of the ladder is as safe as it can get. Plus being able to have a straight shot at reaching the top of the panels and get all the snow was the point of doing the job in the first place. Maybe your correct however, sitting on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate seems better. ;)

[@peaceandhopeiscoming1559]

We have the same problem in the mountains of Southern Oregon. Panels were difficult to reach from the ground made a catwalk from aluminum scaffolding planks and use a rubber squeegee on the end of a painter's extendable pole that way no concern with scratching the panels over time. Snow on panels means no power.

[@ZephyrCorsa]

Heated solar panels would be great

[@ZacherYT]

Roof rake.. staple of every Canadian home :D

[@darcygibbons3836]

As you are discovering, if even a very small part of the panel is covered it knocks out most of the power of the entire panel, and since you appear to not have optimizers on each panel it only exacerbates the problem since the panels are installed in strings. Just the way things work. :) Thanks for the video.

[@StayConnectedEV]

Thanks for showing not just the good side!

[@stuartdelamare4072]

Get the pole bent at the second blue extension up from the handle and you will clear the gutter and get to the roof ridge 👍🏼🇬🇬

[@tylerpeterson4726]

I believe that the power generated by the uncovered panels on a string with at least one covered panel will heat the covered panels, because the silicon in the dark acts as a resistor.

[@James-eq8fs]

If you have a frost free outdoor tap or an indoor hook up for a garden hose you could use a spray nozzle to get up on the roof. The cold water coming out of the hose is above freezing and the water is more heat dense than air so it will melt the snow fairly easily. I have not used this on solar panels but have done it to get snow and ice off of boats.

[@timwong2436]

Be careful not to scratch the panels by dropping the scrapper. It looks like the pole is very flimsy. It seems like it works......better than nothing. Always enjoy your videos. Happy New Year!

[@ericschori5519]

In the NH & VT area you usually see panels either mounted steep enough that the snow slides off by itself, mounted low enough that it's easy to clean them, or on sun trackers that typically have a mode where the panels are oriented vertically if there's light/current below a certain threshold. Or you figure that it's cloudy enough in the winter that you might as well just wait for spring. There are also electrical roof heating cables that are typically installed at the eaves to prevent ice dams from causing roof leaks/damage. If you ran that sort of cable along the top edges of the panels to melt a strip of exposed panel, then the solar heating of the bare panel would melt off the rest fairly quickly if it's not extremely cold. Sounds like for you that happens naturally in most cases, so probably not worth the bother.

[@YR2050]

Oh man, seeing your breath is cold? Here in Canada if you can still feel your feet ain't that cold yet.

[@Dexshadow]

Who else is here because they got affected in Texas by the winter ❄️ storm ? 😂 and wants to be educated more on renewable energy? Great video! Thanks!

[@TeslaInventory]

Hopefully you are doing ok!

[@TheUserid82]

There is a very simple and cheap method to remove the snow on the panels by increasing the energy the snow absorbs from the sun. A windshield washer sprayer mounted at the top of the panels to spray a water and food coloring mix into the snow will let the snow absorb more light so melt faster in sunlight at the same time being food grade so not going to add toxic chemicals into the runoff. If you need to have the tank outside can add some pet safe antifreeze to it to prevent the mix from freezing.

[@bilalmaassarani4074]

it is easy u can put pipes embedded with links to hot water .. and spray that hot water on top of it like you spraying grass and it will melt down easy and clear faster

[@SOCALPRINTER]

Frostex makes a simple wired setup to warmup up your panels and you never have to worry about cleaning snow off your solar array.

[@Wirmish]

Why not put a heating wire under the panels?

[@EMBer3000]

I saw this cool pole mounted solar tracker for up to 32 panels which had a function to rotate the panels with the active side down when it's snowing. It could also lower the panels to the ground (nearly) in high winds to reduce the chance of something hitting them. The pole could be up to 60 feet high with all segments installed so that the panels could catch the light over obstructions such as trees and nearby structures. From what I remember they claimed the panels could produce 50% more kilowatt hours by always facing the sun and getting an earlier start. It was expensive though, I think I roughly calculated a doubling of installed cost from just putting them on a roof.

[@antoncroes4078]

great to live in the snow. But the solar system can still work in snowy place like where you live. I make a test with solar panel for light that I bought and it charges without the sunlight. I put the solar panel in a box with a cover and I put a lightbulb to give light or light on the panel and it works fine . So I think that if you make a small shed and where all you solar panel can go in and put some lights to assume the sunlight it will give enough power. I did not try it with bigger panels just with small panel. I don't think that we really need the solar light to power a house.. You can try with one solar panel and see if it works. And let me know. Thanks.

[@malachimoser5741]

You're monitoring system seems off. I'm in MN and at 10° our panels melted the 1/4 of crusty ice that was on it when I cleaned the 8 inches of snow off of them. The reason I think your monitoring system is off is because my system was producing electricity while still covered in a 1/4 of crusty ice. When you clean a panel I would check the meter. If it says 0 still then my question to you is. Are you using micro inverters for your system?

[@davidbruton4768]

Do you have a deep sink in your garage? You could attach a hose to the faucet and run the hot water and spray it on to the panels to melt it and it would go faster.

[@johnwayne2103]

As soon as I saw that, I said you need either a piece of rubber or felt on the edge of that plastic shovel to prevent scratches.

[@kkarllwt]

Build an 6 foot high 'A' frame scaffold with a 4 ft. rail to lean against. It just needs to big enough for one man. Wheels on on end and skids on the other. You have a smooth level surface to move it on. Or, find a good 10 ft stepladder. Standing at 6 ft. high would put your shoulders at 11 feet., a comfortable work height.

[@theoschijf8155]

Use your drone. Power companies use helicopters to blow ice from cables. Or install heating system. Or use garden hose to spray anti-freeze. Or spray on that new stuff that won’t let anything (snow) stick to your panels.

[@grapsorz]

here there is no use cleaning them off. as you might have 3-5 hours of production AND they need to be at 6 degree to make good power. and you need to clean them off "all the time" and you might get 1-2 feet of snow in a short time.

[@russbritt4100]

It's called top of pole mount snow is never a problem or a chore.. Putting panels on roofs is stupid in snow country.

[@lkendrix7782]

You may want to do some research! I heard about some solar panels that are heated. Which in turn will melt the snow off the panels!

[@JimFeig]

Would a hydrophobic coating push the snow off? Or just use the not a flame thrower.

[@InfoZenn]

That’s why I told you to get microinverters.

[@DanVaida]

here’s an obvious one: why not get a ladder and use that to climb to the edge of the rooftop to have better access? also, a sliding “blade” mechanism electrically or manually powered that would hover 1-2cm above the panels with some brush to clean the panels up nicely :)

[@Wiromax3]

Perhaps try "Heating Cable" for roof and gutter applications? But I don't know if it can be applied to the panels.

[@beerpusher]

Great video - just ordered the roof rake. Now I have a solution for those snowy days in NY

[@jrb_sland5066]

The homeowner should always have a stepladder long enough to get a person onto the roof. Then the pole would not need so much extension - I'd fear cracking a panel with the scraper flopping around so much. Just a thought...

[@MrSummitville]

No, you do *NOT* want to walk on asphalt single roof in the winter time.

[@_.Dave._]

Why not install 12v heat wire that you can turn on seasonally or on a thermostat.

[@BeEasyChamp]

i've thought of this,they have 200ft heated wire on amazon,but may be counter productive to make energy to use it to melt the snow to make the energy....im still thinking about it though

[@curtisbme]

Would be nice to have a automated wiper bar that spans the panel that could use battery to move down and scrape/push the snow off. Heating would take way too much power but a powered bar on a track wouldn't use much for a pass or two.

[@J-Laurent]

Heat trace the solar panel one flick of a switch and the snow will melt.

[@Stone815]

Need a wiper mechanism that you can pull down in the morning and springs make it go back up.

[@pangrac1]

Build some permanent motorised rake/brush rail system which can do it on press of the button. But it will works only with small amount of snow.

[@drink15]

Seems like that snow scraper should be made of plastic or rubber. So it doesn't scratch anything. Or at least have a protected edge.

[@iangraham6730]

Next time try 'pushing' the leftover snow up over the ridge, also maybe at an angle so you won't get the blade stuck.

[@MagnusOlssonMalvik]

Interesting, so if you have snow and not using micro inverters it could be a good idea to put the strings horizontal so when the snow glides down the top panels it starts to produce.

[@Paddyo875]

Seems like a ladder and soft-bristle brushed push broom would accomplish this more effectively. Makes me curious of how they clean the panels in summer.

[@tankanderson6020]

Now if you have to do work to your roof of your house putting shingles on you have to disconnect all those solar panels to get to the roof and a lot of extra work

[@panzerprou812]

Maybe a special super stable ladder you could use for that angle?Something to help the Human part reach more(preferably with an ER trip)

[@penderpartyof2700]

Is that one computer screen?? It’s huge!

[@philtripe]

i goes much easier if you use a step ladder and have someone to hold the pole while you move the ladder makes it easier but it can be done alone. you just leave the rake on the roof while you move the ladder over

[@fiftyoneindustries2]

Australia, currently 110f (about 44c) nation wide

[@wayneco]

Buy heat tape like what people put all over their roofs to melt the snow so it doesn’t turn into ice and dangerous icicles. Run it up and down and around the borders of the panels, and transfer the heat tape heat to the glass.

[@ericspda]

That would likely take more energy than the panels produce in a winter day.

[@helipilotpat]

I would be VERY careful doing this. If you do it often it's easy to scratch the panel surface and then they will lose efficiency with time!! Rather get some days without production than getting scratched panels.

[@vincentrobinette1507]

My idea: Pretend the solar panels are Nickel Iron batteries, and charge them. apply a maximum of the short circuit rating of the panels, and that will heat them, melting the boundary layer of ice, allowing the snow to slide right off them. Even on an over cast day, the panels will produce enough power to put back the energy it took to heat them, plus, that much again if you do this early in the morning. You want to avoid doing it in bright sun, because the photovoltaic current added to the back feed current could damage the photovoltaic cells. I've tested this theory on several different panels, and have had no evidence of deterioration of performance. In these conditions, the cells are negative temperature coefficient, like any other silicon diode. That means, the cells that are the coldest, have the highest voltage drop, putting the heat where it's needed. The panels heat up very uniformly. Do NOT exceed the current rating of the panels, there are no specifications as to the maximum forward bias current of solar cells, but since it does not damage them to run them open circuit, the PN junctions can for sure, handle the current they can produce in bright sun. Super efficient, it puts the heat exactly where it's needed.

[@MrVolodus]

Wouldn't shorting panels after some cleaning help with melting snow faster and then in the end make more power?

[@jimh4167]

Snow, Cleaning and Maintance are reasons not to put solar panels on roofs If you have the room

[@darmiejr]

What monitor are you using in the back ground and also what editing software? Looks awesome.

[@mkkm945]

Solution 1: Get the most powerful drone you can find and blow the snow off. Solution 2: Buy a disused fire truck crane/boom thing and fix a leaf blower to it.

[@stevebuckley8620]

What’s the payback time on that scraper (and your time)? ;)

[@TeslaInventory]

The scraper will more than pay for itself this winter! ;)

[@stevebuckley8620]

DÆrik and what of your time? You Kanny put a price on that.

[@TeslaInventory]

It's so infrequent, that I'm not concerned with my time cost. I'd probably just be playing on my phone during that time anyway.

[@biofueler]

I have 36 LG pvs just let it melt. usually just a day. my roof is steeper. i get a miniscule amt of power with snow on.

[@pinkelephants1421]

Did this scratch your solar panels? Could it cause any damage & invalidate your warranty? Maybe use a ladder & less of the pole extension to give you more control? Is the blade metal or rubber? If metal could you modify the blade by adding a strip of rubber that extends from the edge of the blade to make it similar to what you might use to remove excess water or mud from a flooded premises. Good luck.

[@2nd3rd1st]

It's plastic on glass.

[@theAppleWizz]

How could he scratch the panels with a plastic.

[@theAppleWizz]

the panels are made out of glass

[@Wiromax3]

Like "Extra Soft Snow Pro" from RoofRake perhaps?

[@pinkelephants1421]

@@theAppleWizz Rigid or semi rigid plastic can be surprisingly sharp. Just ask anybody who's cut themselves on it including idiot me.

[@v12tommy]

What about waxing the panels with a quality automotive wax or sealant? Then all you'd have to do is clear the snow at the foot of the panel and the rest of it will simply slide off due to the pitch of the roof.

[@ooglek]

I wonder if a stiff controlled breeze blowing from the top toward the bottom of the panels would keep enough accumulation off the panels. Or an embedded wire, like a rear window defroster, could be added and activated when it is cold enough and snowing. I'm lazy, don't want to have to clear my panels of snow and ice in the cold!

[@squidgychicken6557]

8:45 who's operating the camera? Both of you are in the frame but the camera is moving?!?!

[@xxZerosumxx]

Sancho

[@codename7000]

You have to sweep the panels of the snow with the current technology?

[@pabeader1941]

Solar panels are made of glass so as long as you don't have sand on the edge of the rake, you won't hurt the panels.

[@Necrotic99]

Putting enough juice to melt the snow would consume way too much power (several orders more than you well get back from solar). I think a better solution is to have a ladder and a snow-blower.

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

Great video, Erik, David and Scot!

[@kat-riddle]

I wish we had snow here in Germany

[@philtripe]

you used to get snow there but now you have to go up into the mountains to see it i guess

[@redsquirrelftw]

It's all fun and games until you get freezing rain. :( We got freezing rain before Christmas so my panels are out of commission till spring. It created a crusty snow that I can't take off. I use a broom though, I'm kind of worried about scratching the panels using plastic. My system is not as critical it's just for my shed and right now does not really power anything but it's kind of a pilot project to see if it's viable to do the house. If I do the house I'll want to automate the snow removal though as it's quite the task having to clear them off every day.

[@9140ian]

i think air compressor would help, panels just need some modification to blow (or crack) ice away from the surface

[@sieben563]

There's something called a ladder something you can use to get up higher ;)

[@megastuffer]

I got a stepladder at home in my garage If you need it.

[@asmoyedhairaru5638]

a huge windshield wiper that will shove the snow away

[@ukaszrzanek3240]

Check out HAIN system retrofit - that's what we use in Northern Europe

[@PatrickPoet]

It seems like someone must have made a solution where there are tracks on each side and they pull a big squeegee down the set by power, right? It's a no brainer. Any diyer could make it.

[@tablecraft2426]

Do I get scretches in my panels when I‘m using this device?

[@2nd3rd1st]

Plastic on glass, very unlikely. Solar panels are tested to withstand golfball size hail impact.

[@ProFettMoHaMett]

Ice ist hard.

[@Eli0T1]

Replying late to give the real answer.. Yes, modern solar modules have anti-reflective coating on them. You could damage the anti-reflective coating from the solar panel using this device. The most dangerous situation for damage is if the snow partially melts then "ices" onto the panel, then trying to remove this the ice can scratch the panels. However this anti-reflective coating only typically lasts 2-3 years anyway, and it only gives a small increase in efficiency. So if you have an older system it is probably worth it to remove the snow via this method.

[@GavxOnline]

Why don't they put a heating wire on solar panels like the rear window defrost of a car? Seems so simple.

[@SEANRMZ]

Thanks for the video, what panel specs do u guys have. Thanks sean from montreal

[@longmuskox4194]

An electric snowblower company rep. would be wise to send you guys a snowblower for your driveway in exchange for an honest review of their product.

[@tony_25or6to4]

I'm concerned that it would damage the panels. Maybe attach a rubber "squeegee" edge to it.

[@nitish_g]

When are we getting a walkthrough on the solar app?

[@MrCornonacob]

I wonder if you can use something like those wiring they use for heated driveway?

[@ch4.hayabusa]

Use a heavy drone's draft to blow it out? and let the dark color of the panels melt the rest... Why not rain/water? it doesn't even have to be heated. Actually... a pvc irrigation system above the panels should fix everything. If you want to be fancy... an automatic retractable lawn watering thing in your roof would be super fun, but if it gets really cold you'll have to heat the water. Another idea, hot water power washer with a laminar flow nozzle

[@serranoalb]

If you throw water on cold glass you probably are going to break it. Even cold water can do it if they are cold enough.

[@ch4.hayabusa]

@@serranoalb certainly something to consider. I suspect the panels are tougher than than American Pyrex. I mentioned heating the water because if it's really cold and you're using a sprinkler, it could turn. Into ice before hitting the panels

[@stuuuk8721]

why not spray it with water? you dont need a complicated tool for that. just a water hose and water pressure. it would even reach the highest roof that you couldnt reach

[@DNAConsultingDetectives]

Do these cause scratching on the panels?

[@andyfeimsternfei8408]

Wow? Tesla doesn't use optimizes or micro inverters? Crazy for the price! That makes no since!

[@TeslaInventory]

They do offer them. I didn't get them because it's not a big issue for me. The snow is gone within a day most of the time.

[@serranoalb]

Just throw dark dust (carbon, perhaps) over the snow. The sun will do the work. Dirty but effective.

[@Gurule]

You guys are in Colorado? Nice! I'm in the springs.

[@briankwest]

You probably have more, those inverters do not update but every 15 minutes or so.

[@TfGamess]

You could use Not a Flamethrower.