Solar panel maintenance can help to maximise the performance and ensure the longevity of your solar system. While solar panels are very efficient and don’t require much maintenance, some steps are needed to look after your investment.
If you want to learn more about solar panel maintenance in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, or Adelaide, you’ve come to the right place. With these seven simple steps, you can look after your system for years to come.
- Inspect your solar panels regularly – All good maintenance programs start with an inspection. It doesn’t matter how big your system is or where it’s installed, it’s important to look at your panels regularly to ensure proper operation. Inspection is especially important before and after storms and other extreme weather events. Look for chips or cracks in the glass and discolouration.
- Clean your solar panels often – Regular cleaning is advised for solar panels to ensure maximum efficiency. The cleaning procedure doesn’t have to be difficult, with water typically recommended instead of abrasive cleaning products. Don’t use high-pressure cleaning systems, don’t put pressure on the panels, and always check the documentation for any special instructions.
- Check and secure frames and supporting mechanisms – Solar panels are big and heavy, so it’s important to ensure they’re fixed down at all times. Rooftop solar systems can be difficult to access, however, regular inspections are needed. The frames that support your panels need to be secured to your roof, with bolts sometimes needing to be tightened or replaced. If there is any debris against the frames, it’s important to remove it so nothing gets missed.
- Inspect all cabling between panels and inverters – Your solar panels don’t exist in isolation. The wiring needs to connect the photovoltaic cells to your inverter, display, and battery system. It’s important to ensure that all fittings and cables are attached properly and that all electrical connections are secure. This can be a specialised task, so you may need to call in an electrician or take out a solar panel maintenance package directly from your solar panel provider.
- Review inverter display in all weather conditions – Most of the time, you can’t tell much about a solar power system just by looking at it. Inverter display units are designed to provide useful information about your energy input, energy output, working voltage and much more. If you really want to get to know your solar system, you need to analyse this data at different times of day and in different weather conditions. Once you are familiar with how your system works, you can identify problems easily.
- Check emergency shut-down procedures – While you’re unlikely to need it, it’s important that you can identify and use the emergency shut-down and isolation procedure if required. Check that the procedures are clearly displayed, read them, and commit them to memory if you need to act fast in the case of emergency.
- Make sure there are no overhanging trees – Your solar system works by absorbing energy from sunlight and transforming it into usable electricity. While any sunlight will do, solar panels are much more efficient when they’re in full sunlight away from overhanging trees, power lines, and other buildings. It’s important to remove any overhanging trees or branches, not just to improve your generation capacity but to ensure the safety of your solar system and property.
If you’re looking for the very best in solar power from a team you can trust, contact Arise Solar today. Whether you’re looking for solar panel maintenance in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, or Adelaide, we are available across Australia.
