Maintenance & Cleaning

Maintenance Inspections

It is estimated that more than 50% of all residential and commercial solar power systems in Australia were installed by companies that are no longer in business. This leaves homeowners and businesses at risk if something does fail.

Did you know that the vast majority of solar fires are caused by water entering incorrectly installed DC isolators?

Don’t risk your home or family – for a small fee our fully licensed and CEC accredited electrician can inspect your solar power system and provide you with a detailed written report about your system. This will include:

• Inspection of your solar panels for hot spots, snail trails, EVA degradation (browning) or other faults. (please note that this is not a solar panel cleaning service).
• Inspection of the solar framing.
• Inspection of roof penetrations.
• Inspection of the inverter(s).
• Inspection of the circuit breakers / isolators, wiring and conduit.

Our Gympie, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast solar power inspections have discovered numerous problems and issues with solar power installations, the most common, serious items we come across are:

• Damaged cabling.
• Undersized and dangerous DC circuit breakers.
• Water penetration of DC isolators due to conduit not being glued and cable entries not being correctly sealed.

All of these issues can cause a fire in your home if not rectified. 

If you are an existing solar power system owner or are purchasing a property with a solar power system installed then give yourself piece of mind and contact us, our friendly Sun Works Solar Sunshine Coast team are happy to assist.

Cleaning Solar Panels

We are often asked if it is worth cleaning solar panels on a regular basis, in most cases the answer is NO. Most solar arrays installed on a pitched roof (more than 10 degrees) are self cleaning during rain periods, if your roof has a pitch of less than 10 degrees or you live in a particularly dusty area your panels may require periodic cleaning.

Some cleaning companies claim performance improvements of up to 30% which would only apply if your panels are as dirty or even dirtier as the one shown in this image. Tests undertaken in Dubai where summer sandstorms are an almost daily event show that cleaning a solar panel that was previously covered in sand does not result in a performance improvement of 30%.

Don’t be fooled by extravagant claims from companies that are generally not qualified and certified solar installers.

If you do want to clean your solar panels yourself then please note the following:

WARNING

Any work at height has the potential of injury due to falls. 

Workplace Health and Safety legislation mandates the use of a safety harness or other form of restraint. While this legislation does not apply to the private home-owner, we strongly recommend using a harness or other form of restraint if you intend to climb onto your roof. If you take the decision (at your own risk) to clean your solar panels yourself please consider and take note of the following:

• Do not work on a wet roof.
• While cleaning the panels take care to keep your work area dry.
• Use some form of physical restraint to prevent falls.
• Wear appropriate non-slip footwear.
• Ensure that someone else is present in the case of problems.
• Do not walk, stand or kneel on the solar panels.
• Do not use harsh chemicals or high pressure cleaning equipment.

If your solar panels are visible from the ground you can clean the panels from the ground using a soft bristle brush or sponge attached to a telescopic pole. Simply wet the solar panels with a garden hose and then give them a gentle rub, this will remove most soiling with minimal effort and no risk to yourself.