how to care for your solar system
keep the panels clean
check your system is working
check your system is producing enough power
Regular Care & Maintenance of Your Solar System
When you bought your solar system you may well have been told it was maintenance free, but the reality is that everything in life requires a bit of attention from time to time. What should you be doing?
keep the panels clean
Dirty panels will greatly reduce the efficiency of your solar system, some estimates are over 25% reduction in efficiency, so keeping them clean will make a difference. You only need to wipe them over, or hose them down occasionally, but it is worth the effort. Only do this on a cloudy day, or at the beginning or end of the day, as putting water directly on to the glass of the panels when they are hot may cause them to crack.
check your system is working
At least once a week check the inverter is on, and that there are no error messages. Don’t wait until you get your next bill and there are no credits on your bill.
Check your system is producing enough power
This is more important for larger solar systems, as a small system will generally either work or not work. A larger solar system with more panels will generally have the panels strung together, and one of the strings could stop working. For instance, if you have a 16 panel system, it could well be strung in 8’s, and one string could be working, and the other not.
Refer to the information you were given when your purchased your solar system, and keep an eye on the performance.
For more information see Solar System Performance.
If you think you may have a problem, check the FAQ section first, and call us for advice.
