What Maintenance Is Required For A Solar System?

Here's a a few tips to make your solar panels continue to perform at their best.

Written by

Dean Dunning

Published on

February 24, 2021

Intro
Periodic Maintenance
Visual Inspection
Professional Maintenance
Summary

Intro

Solar panels have no moving parts, so require very little maintenance. By choosing the best quality parts and using the best installation practices, we can ensure customers are completely confident in the performance of their solar system. To ensure you receive the best return on investment, we have a few tips to make your solar panels continue to perform at their best.

Periodic Maintenance

Your panels will continue to operate without intervention throughout their long lifespan.

Cleaning is recommended to ensure that your are generating the most energy. On a sloping array, panels will be cleaned by the rain as the glass on the panels is self-cleaning. However, if your panels are in an area of high debris or pollution, we recommend that your panels should be manually cleaned every year or two.

Use a soft brush and water to avoid scratching the modules. Rinse first before cleaning to wash off any loose debris and heavier particles.
The system does not need to be shutdown to clean as it is IP rated.
Do not clean PV modules with cool water during hot sunny days. Cleaning in the morning or evening is advised.

Visual Inspection

Upon completion of any solar panel installation you will receive a handover document with a detailed description of the installed system. It will also have a visual inspection schedule. A typical maintenance schedule is outlined below and should be completed twice a year.

Visual check of any defects on solar array, such as moisture, corrosion or cracking.
No shading of the array from surrounding vegetation is occurring.
Visual check of the cleanliness of the overall install area, checking no debris build up has occurred on or under the solar modules.

Professional Maintenance

We recommend a professional inspection every 5 years. This should only be performed by a competent solar installer. A typical professional maintenance schedule is outlined below.

Check and test the performance and safety of all electrical wiring.
Inspect the safety and structural condition of the solar panels and mounting frames.
Ensure all protective devices including isolators are working and operational.