[Cookie]

I cleaned some roof-mounted solar panels yesterday that were heavily soiled with sap & algae (just with pure water & my Extreme pole...) I clean quite a few solar panels for customers but these are the dirtiest I've ever cleaned.

When I'd finished they looked perfect but now they have dried off  I can still see the remains of sap & algae on some of the lower panels. Other than just having a go at them again with pure water is there anything else I can do in order to help remove this  baked on sap/algae? Any chemicals etc.. that I can use or even washing up liquid?

Any recommendtaions welcome .....

[Ooooooog]

Rotary brush. Make sure it’s been tested for micro scratches or you’ll void the warranty on the panels.

Good luck!

[Smudger]

Rotary brush. Make sure it’s been tested for micro scratches or you’ll void the warranty on the panels.

Good luck!

[Smudger]

If  its a domestic array then I would use a backpack with a strong solution of tfr and scrub over then rinse off

remember solar panels are far tougher than some would lead you to believe

we've had large commercial arrays thick with lichen and pressure washed them off - no damage

Darran

[Splash & dash]

If  its a domestic array then I would use a backpack with a strong solution of tfr and scrub over then rinse off

remember solar panels are far tougher than some would lead you to believe

we've had large commercial arrays thick with lichen and pressure washed them off - no damage

Darran

Most manufacturers of solar panels state that no chemicals should be used on the panel s if you do and there is a warranty issue be prepared to find them sending you the bill , as they will and do test them for chemical contamination , we used to do many many thousands of panels every year but now only do a very small number , as solar Steve has killed what could be a profitable buisness and it’s boring as hell doing them 😂😂😂

[Cookie]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

[Smudger]

If  its a domestic array then I would use a backpack with a strong solution of tfr and scrub over then rinse off

remember solar panels are far tougher than some would lead you to believe

we've had large commercial arrays thick with lichen and pressure washed them off - no damage

Darran

Most manufacturers of solar panels state that no chemicals should be used on the panel s if you do and there is a warranty issue be prepared to find them sending you the bill , as they will and do test them for chemical contamination , we used to do many many thousands of panels every year but now only do a very small number , as solar Steve has killed what could be a profitable buisness and it’s boring as hell doing them 😂😂😂

its glass FFS! 

[Splash & dash]

If  its a domestic array then I would use a backpack with a strong solution of tfr and scrub over then rinse off

remember solar panels are far tougher than some would lead you to believe

we've had large commercial arrays thick with lichen and pressure washed them off - no damage

Darran

Most manufacturers of solar panels state that no chemicals should be used on the panel s if you do and there is a warranty issue be prepared to find them sending you the bill , as they will and do test them for chemical contamination , we used to do many many thousands of panels every year but now only do a very small number , as solar Steve has killed what could be a profitable buisness and it’s boring as hell doing them 😂😂😂

its glass FFS! 

I totally agree with you but ,
Ime only telling you what the major solar panel manufacturers state we used to do some very large arrays and they stipulated in the instructions no chemicals what’s so ever to be used on them , if they had a problem with any panels they were sent away and analysed if any chemicals were detected we would be held responsible for replacement costs

[Smudger]

so, being devils advocate.....

how do they detect some TFR remains on a toughened glass sheet ?

I'm not stating your wrong in that some manufacturers make claims about what to use and not to use on panels but if they are already covered in lichen and algae then cleaning this wy is the only option and I'm sure any warranty has long expired

Darran

[Ooooooog]

Many O and M companies will only allow  the Sunbrush.
I’ve chatted to panel manufacturers and many require hand cleaning with purified water only.
I’d be wary of using a pressure washer to clean them.

[Slacky]

as solar Steve has killed what could be a profitable buisness and it’s boring as hell doing them 😂😂😂

No he hasn't.

I did a 300 panel clean last week. Clearing £450 after hire costs.

[Splash & dash]

so, being devils advocate.....

how do they detect some TFR remains on a toughened glass sheet ?

I'm not stating your wrong in that some manufacturers make claims about what to use and not to use on panels but if they are already covered in lichen and algae then cleaning this wy is the only option and I'm sure any warranty has long expired

Darran

When the panels are taken away they are checked by a chemist for residue from cleaning chemicals to find out what caused the fault , I have emails and paper copies from 4 of the major solar manufacturers  stating this and they state no chemicals only pure water to be used . We no longer do work for theses companies as I got fed up and board to tears doing them also the money isn’t very good we could earn far more doing well priced domestic work , and very little traveling some of the jobs we used to do were 150 miles from home right pita don’t miss it at all , we have a few farms that we still do but generally they only have a couple of thousand panels , but we still hate doing them I won’t be renewing the contract when it comes up .

[Splash & dash]

as solar Steve has killed what could be a profitable buisness and it’s boring as hell doing them 😂😂😂

No he hasn't.

I did a 300 panel clean last week. Clearing £450 after hire costs.

That’s only about £1:50 per panel 😬😬😬.for using a big pole cherry picker and doing awkward work no thanks very poor money   This is exactly what I said solar Steve has killed the market all our jobs pay considerably more than that , and I won’t be renewing the contract . There is far easier and much better work to be had cleaning domestic windows every 4 weeks with a nice little 18 foot pole there is no money in solar cleaning and it’s boring and sole destroying doing it , none of my guys want to do it and neither do I , luckily the current contracts we have are up at the end of this year cannot wait

[Slacky]

Well, I was finished after 4 hours. Suited me.

Window cleaning is soul destroying. Its one of the reasons i enjoy earning £450 in four hours cleaning solar panels, it breaks the boredom and tedium of glass work.

[Smudger]

so, being devils advocate.....

how do they detect some TFR remains on a toughened glass sheet ?

I'm not stating your wrong in that some manufacturers make claims about what to use and not to use on panels but if they are already covered in lichen and algae then cleaning this wy is the only option and I'm sure any warranty has long expired

Darran

When the panels are taken away they are checked by a chemist for residue from cleaning chemicals to find out what caused the fault , I have emails and paper copies from 4 of the major solar manufacturers  stating this and they state no chemicals only pure water to be used . We no longer do work for theses companies as I got fed up and board to tears doing them also the money isn’t very good we could earn far more doing well priced domestic work , and very little traveling some of the jobs we used to do were 150 miles from home right pita don’t miss it at all , we have a few farms that we still do but generally they only have a couple of thousand panels , but we still hate doing them I won’t be renewing the contract when it comes up .

sounds like you've been had by the mystic that is solar Steve 

I've experience with installers and no such restrictions apply other than for the install itself - ie no solvents that may damage the sealed unit - I seen pickup trucks drive over panels without damage - installers drop them off a roof for them to survive and even work

I love solar panel commercial sites really good money if you don't use solar Steve - he certainly has not captured the market 

Darran

[Slacky]

I suppose SS has captured the market.


In the same way Herman has captured and marketed the precision engineering section of the window cleaning industry.

[Ooooooog]

Rooftop is good.
Groundmount (5mw+) is crap.

[Splash & dash]

Well, I was finished after 4 hours. Suited me.

Window cleaning is soul destroying. Its one of the reasons i enjoy earning £450 in four hours cleaning solar panels, it breaks the boredom and tedium of glass work.

£450 for a mornings work is good ime very suprised you did 300 panels on a roof that quickly , most of the ones that we have done like you put up in the pictures have been thick with dust that has turned into dry mud and you have no definition to the panel apart from brown , I still say it’s far harder working from a picker than the ground doing windows

[Splash & dash]

so, being devils advocate.....

how do they detect some TFR remains on a toughened glass sheet ?

I'm not stating your wrong in that some manufacturers make claims about what to use and not to use on panels but if they are already covered in lichen and algae then cleaning this wy is the only option and I'm sure any warranty has long expired

Darran

When the panels are taken away they are checked by a chemist for residue from cleaning chemicals to find out what caused the fault , I have emails and paper copies from 4 of the major solar manufacturers  stating this and they state no chemicals only pure water to be used . We no longer do work for theses companies as I got fed up and board to tears doing them also the money isn’t very good we could earn far more doing well priced domestic work , and very little traveling some of the jobs we used to do were 150 miles from home right pita don’t miss it at all , we have a few farms that we still do but generally they only have a couple of thousand panels , but we still hate doing them I won’t be renewing the contract when it comes up .

sounds like you've been had by the mystic that is solar Steve 

I've experience with installers and no such restrictions apply other than for the install itself - ie no solvents that may damage the sealed unit - I seen pickup trucks drive over panels without damage - installers drop them off a roof for them to survive and even work

I love solar panel commercial sites really good money if you don't use solar Steve - he certainly has not captured the market 

Darran

I don’t disagree with what you are saying Darran , but Ime just stating what we have experienced from the main manufacturers we have more solar farms down hear than any other area in the country , we were the first to experience a fire at a solar farm in this country several years ago ,I spent quite a bit of time on the phone to the company in Switzerland who were responsible for the installation of the array , and as the fire investigation when on for some months ( Ime in the Fireservice) had a lot of dealings with him he also stated that no chemicals should be used , it was through this guy that I got started with solar panel cleaning as we built up a friendship . So solar Steve’s hype doesn’t have any affect on me 😂😂😂😂

[Slacky]

The only person SS’s hype has any effect on is SS.