June 10, 2024
The projected energy figures claimed by solar panel manufacturers and installers are based on the optimum performance of clean solar panels. A build-up of dirt, dust, etc. can adversely affect the panel’s ability to meet those projections. So, It is important to clean solar panels in order to get the maximum power and to protect and maintain your investment.
The Solar Energy Power Association notes that dirty solar panels can lose 20% of their energy output. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory puts that figure even higher, at 25%. Recent university research has shown that a dirty solar panel can lose 50% of its efficiency compared to a clean solar panel. That’s a lot of potential power you have paid for but are not receiving!
Because of travel and where you are staying, the panels on RVs need more frequent cleaning than panels on houses and buildings. Dust conditions while traveling, truck exhaust on roads, smoke from campfires, grease & cooking smoke, wildfires, pollen, travel on dirt roads and dirt in RV parks and campsites stirred up by RV movement all contribute to dirty solar panels.
PLUS, when your RV has solar panels you park in the sun so they can deliver electrical power but because you are in the sun your RV needs more power for cooling than it would in a shaded environment. All the more reason for them to work efficiently!
RVers might be tempted to ask, isn’t rain good enough for cleaning solar panels? Absolutely not! A good way to illustrate why rainwater will not clean solar panels is by looking at your car windscreen. If you didn’t clean your windscreen for 6 months, how much visibility would you lose? If left, the grime on your windscreen would accumulate and eventually ‘green’ over. Even if the car is rained on, the rain contains airborne dust particles that settle and attach to the surface after the rainwater evaporates. When we use our windscreen wipers, we clean the center of the screen, but where the wipers do not reach, there is a film of dirt.
The whole of your solar panel is in exactly the same condition as the edge of your car windscreen because they are both exposed to the same elements. Visibility through your windscreen is lost due to the loss of light. Therefore, the same principles hold true for solar panel cleaning. It is very important to maximize the light getting into the solar panel, after all, that is why you have them!
Solar panel manufacturers warn against using chemicals to clean your panels, even using vinegar & water as they will harm the anti-reflective film that is applied to the top of each solar cell. Without this, the cells would be much less efficient: more of the light would reflect away rather than be absorbed straight into the silicon. This layer protects the sensor screen underneath it. This layer is made of silicon nitride or titanium oxide. This is what you have to be concerned about when cleaning to improve the efficiency of the panel, not what is underneath it.
“Soaps can leave a film or residue that not only shades panels like the dirt that was just washed off, but it can also encourage dirt to stick and build up faster,” Daniel Green – solarpowerworldonline.com
Many RV Parks do not allow the use of chemicals to clean RV’s inside the park anyway, plus these chemicals would drip down the side of your RV causing you to clean that up. So what is the best way to clean them?
As stated earlier, this does not have to be a hard or tedious job but you must exercise a little care. An anti-reflective film is applied to the top of each solar cell. Without this, the cells would be much less efficient: more of the light would reflect away rather than be absorbed straight into the silicon. This layer protects the sensor screen underneath it. This layer is often made of silicon nitride or titanium oxide. This is what you have to be concerned about when cleaning to improve the efficiency of the panel, not what is underneath it.
So, what is one of the best ways to clean solar panels safely and without harmful chemicals? Experts recommend placing a little hydrogen peroxide on a Bugs Off Pad. If you’ve been a RVer for a while this is the same Bugs Off Pad that you’ve been using to remove bugs from the front of your truck or RV for years. The Bugs Off Pad does not scratch delicate surfaces, and with light hand pressure, also cleans your solar panels very effectively with little effort.
How to Clean Your Solar Panels
1 – Obtain a bottle of hydrogen peroxide (available in drug stores, Dollar Stores, Walmart, etc.).
2- Clean your panels when they are cool to the touch, morning, evening, or cloudy days.
3 – Turn off your solar panels before cleaning and do not touch the underside of the panels.
4 – Remove obvious debris such as leaves and sticks by hand to avoid scratching.
5 – Wet the panel with water from a hose or, if in a campground that does not allow washing, a very wet microfiber towel to remove dust, dirt, etc. Distilled water is even better to use.
6 – Clean using chemical-free Bugs Off Pads with either the hydrogen peroxide or the distilled water, neither of which contain any minerals which can cause water spots. The last thing you want to do is use chemicals that will react to the surface of the solar panels, potentially clouding them and diminishing their effectiveness, or worse, damaging them permanently. Bugs Off Pads are also American Made and guaranteed to your satisfaction for 60 days.
7 – Immediately dry the panel using either a silicone blade squeegee or the exceptional drying pads on our website (www.bugsoffpads.com) that will completely dry the surface. Complete drying is the key here. If you are in an area that has “hard” water and you let it dry you will notice spots on the surface as the water evaporates and the calcium is left behind. This film of minerals on the reflective film of the solar panel will decrease the effectiveness of the anti-reflective film. Proceed to the next panel.
Access to the Solar Panels
The biggest challenge to RVers is simply accessing the solar panels to clean them. While many might assume you’ll have to get on the roof for cleaning solar panels, it could be done from a tall ladder using the right products. Most RVers have learned they need to get on the roof periodically anyway. Why not take an opportunity during your next roof inspection for cleaning solar panels.
By attaching the Bugs Off Flat Holder to a standard threaded pole you can reach the solar panels whether you are on the roof or simply next to it on a ladder. Add a spray bottle with some hydrogen peroxide and a hose and you can easily be cleaning solar panels in no time. Of course, anytime you are on a ladder or your RV roof, be safe and careful.
Cleaning solar panels doesn’t have to be hard, but it does have to be done. Doing it safely involves preparation and the right tools. Like any part of your RV, attention to detail and timely maintenance are key to protecting your investment and enjoying the RV life.
