[Total shine cleaning services]

Steve you know yourself there are a few people on here who are very professional and would be ok without it, there are some on here who need all the help they can get, I personally think that any training if it specifically involves safe working practise with a real emphasis on how to put together professional Rams documentation would be good.
Would this be a funded course if approved by city and guilds?

Graham

[home6442]

Why stop at City & Guilds? I reckon that in a lifetime we couldn't learn all that you have learned about cleaning solar panels Steve. You should be lobbying universities for a degree, masters and a PHD. Dr Steve anyone?

Seriously SPS, you are suffering from delusions of grandeur.

That sounds like a great idea but I thought there already was a PHD in cleaning as I have seen
a few vans about with cleaning doctor on the decals.

[DG Cleaning]

Why follow the norm and go for City & Guilds?

Why not setup a Solar Panel Cleaning Club?

We could arrange suitable training courses for would be solar panel cleaners and give candidates a certificate when they pass the training course.

We could also offer other club member benefits - like offering a national service where we can pass on enquiries for Solar Panel Cleaning to members in the area - I get loads of enquiries from all around the country and could pass on details to companies who I know have been trained.

This business will be massive throughout the UK in the next few years.

Our new forthcoming Super Website with Solar Panel Cleaning Services will be LIVE soon and we will get even more enquiries from all over the place.............

If anyone is interested in joining such a club let me know and I will set one up if there is enough people interested - it won't be free and there will be an annual membership fee..............

darran@purple-rhino.co.uk to register interest now and I will reply to you within the next few weeks Please put SOLAR PANEL CLEANING CLUB in the Subject box

Hi Darran.  I like your vid mate.  Your above idea is exactly what I have been doing for the last 12 months, but without the annual membership.  Prepare to be hammered for even suggesting people pay for leads.  Regarding certificates, I have mooted that too.  People do not want a mickey mouse bit of paper, but an accredited, recognised training body, hence my pursuing C&G. I think it is a good idea, but many on here do not.  I know not why....

I've nothing against certification but city & guilds in my experience is a qualification that requires serious effort over a long period of time.
Like I said earlier mine took me years to get and its not Micky Mouse either.
Perhaps c&g have summed down in recent years and are allowing courses for just to gain revenue.
If that's the case courses like this are piggy backing on their good standing
Very disappointing if you ask me.

[formb]

I guess you would have to inform your insurance company of a move into Solar Panel Cleaning but do you think they would maybe offer a reduced premium to  someone that's has been on a  recognised training course in whatever form this takes.
Also do you think a customer who has just spent many thousands on solar panels trust just anyone to clean them or would they prefer someone who has been properly trained on all aspects of safety etc.
Would the training aspect be a good selling point to obtain work? I personally think training gives confidence to the customer. But that is my opinion.

Solar panels are an investment which in many cases cost tens of thousands of pounds. While personally I would not be particularly bothered about a certificate I would not be happy getting them cleaned by someone without any real knowledge about solar panels.

I know very little about them. Are there lots of different kinds? What voltages are involved? How much return do people get on their investment? What are the benefits of getting them cleaned?

The course would need to inform on all these aspects as well as the safety issue. It makes pricing and tendering for jobs much easier if you know what you are talking about.

[DG Cleaning]

I guess you would have to inform your insurance company of a move into Solar Panel Cleaning but do you think they would maybe offer a reduced premium to  someone that's has been on a  recognised training course in whatever form this takes.
Also do you think a customer who has just spent many thousands on solar panels trust just anyone to clean them or would they prefer someone who has been properly trained on all aspects of safety etc.
Would the training aspect be a good selling point to obtain work? I personally think training gives confidence to the customer. But that is my opinion.

Solar panels are an investment which in many cases cost tens of thousands of pounds. While personally I would not be particularly bothered about a certificate I would not be happy getting them cleaned by someone without any real knowledge about solar panels.

I know very little about them. Are there lots of different kinds? What voltages are involved? How much return do people get on their investment? What are the benefits of getting them cleaned?

The course would need to inform on all these aspects as well as the safety issue. It makes pricing and tendering for jobs much easier if you know what you are talking about.

There shouldn't be any voltages involved.
Surely everything isolated before any work is carried out?

[formb]

I guess you would have to inform your insurance company of a move into Solar Panel Cleaning but do you think they would maybe offer a reduced premium to  someone that's has been on a  recognised training course in whatever form this takes.
Also do you think a customer who has just spent many thousands on solar panels trust just anyone to clean them or would they prefer someone who has been properly trained on all aspects of safety etc.
Would the training aspect be a good selling point to obtain work? I personally think training gives confidence to the customer. But that is my opinion.

Solar panels are an investment which in many cases cost tens of thousands of pounds. While personally I would not be particularly bothered about a certificate I would not be happy getting them cleaned by someone without any real knowledge about solar panels.

I know very little about them. Are there lots of different kinds? What voltages are involved? How much return do people get on their investment? What are the benefits of getting them cleaned?

The course would need to inform on all these aspects as well as the safety issue. It makes pricing and tendering for jobs much easier if you know what you are talking about.

There shouldn't be any voltages involved.
Surely everything isolated before any work is carried out?

If you say so. Like I said I know very little about it.

[Darranvps]

Steve

I think one of the main obstacles involved is that window cleaning as an industry has been going on well over 100 years.

Solar Panel Cleaning is something fairly new and not many people are carrying out this service yet.

Like water fed pole - solar panel cleaning will catch on - eventually!

Perhaps when there are enough solar panel cleaners out there, then C&G may be a worthwhile effort on your part, but I think too low numbers at the moment to make a success of it - maybe I am wrong?

Thats why I was thinking of starting a club - a little bit like National Federation of window cleaners - then when there are enough members - offer formal training...............

[telfordwindowclnr]

Steve you know yourself there are a few people on here who are very professional and would be ok without it, there are some on here who need all the help they can get, I personally think that any training if it specifically involves safe working practise with a real emphasis on how to put together professional Rams documentation would be good.
Would this be a funded course if approved by city and guilds?

Graham

I am not that far down the line yet, so cannot provide an answer.  My friend will deal with that side of things for me.  He does not only do City & Guilds, but it was him who mentioned it as an option.  I will be relying on his expertise a lot on this too.  However it works, he is very positive about it being both informative to the attendees and beneficial to the industry as a whole.

[telfordwindowclnr]

I guess you would have to inform your insurance company of a move into Solar Panel Cleaning but do you think they would maybe offer a reduced premium to  someone that's has been on a  recognised training course in whatever form this takes.
Also do you think a customer who has just spent many thousands on solar panels trust just anyone to clean them or would they prefer someone who has been properly trained on all aspects of safety etc.
Would the training aspect be a good selling point to obtain work? I personally think training gives confidence to the customer. But that is my opinion.

Solar panels are an investment which in many cases cost tens of thousands of pounds. While personally I would not be particularly bothered about a certificate I would not be happy getting them cleaned by someone without any real knowledge about solar panels.

I know very little about them. Are there lots of different kinds? What voltages are involved? How much return do people get on their investment? What are the benefits of getting them cleaned?

The course would need to inform on all these aspects as well as the safety issue. It makes pricing and tendering for jobs much easier if you know what you are talking about.

All of the questions above would be answered in the course for sure.

[telfordwindowclnr]

I guess you would have to inform your insurance company of a move into Solar Panel Cleaning but do you think they would maybe offer a reduced premium to  someone that's has been on a  recognised training course in whatever form this takes.
Also do you think a customer who has just spent many thousands on solar panels trust just anyone to clean them or would they prefer someone who has been properly trained on all aspects of safety etc.
Would the training aspect be a good selling point to obtain work? I personally think training gives confidence to the customer. But that is my opinion.

Solar panels are an investment which in many cases cost tens of thousands of pounds. While personally I would not be particularly bothered about a certificate I would not be happy getting them cleaned by someone without any real knowledge about solar panels.

I know very little about them. Are there lots of different kinds? What voltages are involved? How much return do people get on their investment? What are the benefits of getting them cleaned?

The course would need to inform on all these aspects as well as the safety issue. It makes pricing and tendering for jobs much easier if you know what you are talking about.

There shouldn't be any voltages involved.
Surely everything isolated before any work is carried out?

That would be answered on the course too.

[telfordwindowclnr]

Steve

I think one of the main obstacles involved is that window cleaning as an industry has been going on well over 100 years.

Solar Panel Cleaning is something fairly new and not many people are carrying out this service yet.

Like water fed pole - solar panel cleaning will catch on - eventually!

Perhaps when there are enough solar panel cleaners out there, then C&G may be a worthwhile effort on your part, but I think too low numbers at the moment to make a success of it - maybe I am wrong?

Thats why I was thinking of starting a club - a little bit like National Federation of window cleaners - then when there are enough members - offer formal training...............

I agree Darran.  Would be very interested in helping set up the club mate, not as a hobby though, as a revenue stream.

[DG Cleaning]

I guess you would have to inform your insurance company of a move into Solar Panel Cleaning but do you think they would maybe offer a reduced premium to  someone that's has been on a  recognised training course in whatever form this takes.
Also do you think a customer who has just spent many thousands on solar panels trust just anyone to clean them or would they prefer someone who has been properly trained on all aspects of safety etc.
Would the training aspect be a good selling point to obtain work? I personally think training gives confidence to the customer. But that is my opinion.

Solar panels are an investment which in many cases cost tens of thousands of pounds. While personally I would not be particularly bothered about a certificate I would not be happy getting them cleaned by someone without any real knowledge about solar panels.

I know very little about them. Are there lots of different kinds? What voltages are involved? How much return do people get on their investment? What are the benefits of getting them cleaned?

The course would need to inform on all these aspects as well as the safety issue. It makes pricing and tendering for jobs much easier if you know what you are talking about.

There shouldn't be any voltages involved.
Surely everything isolated before any work is carried out?

That would be answered on the course too.

Thing is Steve, I know you could take me to one side, spend an hour or 2 with me and I'll know all I named know.
Failing that a chat with someone else or a quick search ont tinterweb and away I go.
So why do a course?
Your beginning to sound like one of our other much loved training providers.

[formb]

Thing is Steve, I know you could take me to one side, spend an hour or 2 with me and I'll know all I named know.
Failing that a chat with someone else or a quick search ont tinterweb and away I go.
So why do a course?
Your beginning to sound like one of our other much loved training providers.

I disagree. Why would / should someone with the knowledge give it away free? I did some solar panels a couple of weeks ago. Wanting to be safe and not knowing much about it, I asked the question on here, did some research on the internet and asked an installer.

The information I gained was inconsistent at best, ranging from: nothing to worry about just do it. To: do not do it you might die. And pretty much everything in between. All from seemingly credible sources.

This issue is wildly different from any window cleaning safety issue as solar panels are more of an unknown quantity.

[DG Cleaning]

Thing is Steve, I know you could take me to one side, spend an hour or 2 with me and I'll know all I named know.
Failing that a chat with someone else or a quick search ont tinterweb and away I go.
So why do a course?
Your beginning to sound like one of our other much loved training providers.

I disagree. Why would / should someone with the knowledge give it away free? I did some solar panels a couple of weeks ago. Wanting to be safe and not knowing much about it, I asked the question on here, did some research on the internet and asked an installer.

The information I gained was inconsistent at best, ranging from: nothing to worry about just do it. To: do not do it you might die. And pretty much everything in between. All from seemingly credible sources.

That's not my point I don't expect to get info for free.
There isnt that much to learn that's why it'll padded out with RAMS etc to make it seem worthwhile.
The actual nuts and bolts of it will take no time whatsoever.
The proof will be in the pudding.
Let's see how many on here are willing to pay for it.
If my memory serves me right Ian101 tried to do a similar thing with windows and got nowt out of it because it wasn't free.

This issue is wildly different from any window cleaning safety issue as solar panels are more of an unknown quantity.

[Craig - CW Window Cleaning]

What ever next