Comment by CrzyLngPwd

2 hours ago

I clean my solar panels, 7kwh, every monmth or two.

When I check on the VRM portal it makes a difference, and since I am so dependent on them all year round, I have no problem giving them some attention from time to time. Ten mins well spent.

6 comments

CrzyLngPwd

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scarecrowbob  2 hours ago

I am curious how much of a difference it makes.

I have 4kw of panels and 15kwh of storage. I only get down to about 80% most nights (I heat with wood and propane).

But my system will charge completely in about 2 hours of full sun. If it took 3 hours it wouldn't make a difference. So I generally don't clean them (well, the rain and snow do that work).

I do remove snow, because that has a very noticeable impact.

Is the difference that you are pushing back to a grid (I am not), so the power all gets used regardless of you being the one to use it?

  • CrzyLngPwd  12 minutes ago

    I'm off grid, no mains power, and have 8x48v lithium Fogstar batteries in an external rack, since my cabin is small.

    On December 21, due to trees, my panels get around 2 hours of full sun, if the universe smiles on me.

    I use around 5-6kwh per day, if I use my computer, which I need for work.

    This will be the first year with the fogstar batteries, previously had 1x48v generic lithium battery, but last year I used the generator most days from around end of november until March e.g. December consumption was 153kwh, solar generated 62kWh, and generator made up the rest.

    This year, thanks to having more storage, we'll be better able to take advantage of sunny days and capture more power. I also have a freezer and washing machine this year :-) Ask me in March how it went.

    All of my panels are easy to access, none on a roof, so the effort is minimal and has non-zero power benefits in my experience.

    I should add that I am surrounded by trees and the panels accumulate a green tinge quite quickly, plus bird shit.

jader201  2 hours ago

> I clean my solar panels, 7kwh, every monmth or two.

This honestly sounds like a non-trivial strike against installing solar panels, especially if they’re installed on tall roofs.

I definitely wouldn’t want to have to clean them that often, or pay to have them cleaned that often.

If you’re spending only 10 minutes on them, then maybe you don’t have that many, and they’re not up high.

  • bityard  2 hours ago

    Roof-mounted solar panels are a necessity in urban situations but they are a maintenance nightmare compared to a ground-mounted array. That has to be accepted as "the cost of doing solar" when there is no other alternative.