Maintaining Your Solar PV System
Solar modules are known for a long operating life and minimal maintenance effort and expense. Dirt and grime are usually washed away by rain. However, like any electrical equipment, your Solar PV system needs regular inspection and maintenance to ensure its working correctly and safely. It’s a good idea to run firmware updates and inspect your system routinely, we recommend you conduct a visual check of your modules, battery and inverter once a month. This can be done safely from the ground in most cases. We also recommend having a quick look over after storms or if your inverter is alerting you to a fault.
In some instances, general maintenance (visual checks and cleaning) can be completed independently, but should only be attempted by a competent person who is aware of how to assess the risks involved. It is very important to follow the maintenance guidelines from the manufacturer before attempting anything yourself. The vast majority of residential Solar PV systems are roof mounted, meaning panel maintenance will likely have to be completed at heights. Make sure to keep away from overhead power lines and take special care when working on ladders or rooftops. The risk of injury from falling is very high, so consider edge protection or a harness based system at minimum.
GENERAL INSPECTING:
Here is a list of things to look for when inspecting your system yourself:
Check for firmware updates and run any available (check your online monitoring platform or inverter manual).
Visually check for obvious defects like cracks, chips in the glass or discolouration on the surface of the panels.
Visually check the panels and supporting frames have not come loose and are free from leaves and debris.
Visually check there are no loose fittings and cables on the panels and the inverter.
Review the inverter display panel (or your online monitoring platform) for any recorded faults (refer to your inverter manual for advice).
Check that safety labels including shut down and isolation emergency procedures are clearly displayed.
Clear any debris from in and around the cooling vents of the inverter. Clean the inverter with a dry cloth.
Ensure the system isolator switches are easily accessible.
Ensure a clutter free environment around all solar equipment.
More extensive maintenance work, like broken panels, loose cables or fittings and any repairs that require electrical work, MUST be completed by a licensed electrician. In this case, contacting Eco Sparky for an inspection is the best course of action. We will be able to identify and rectify any problems or give you a quote regarding further repairs.
PANEL CLEANING:
If possible we recommend hosing your panels once a quarter, only if visibly dirty. Here is a list of things to remember if attempting to clean your panels yourself.
Only attempt at the beginning or end of a cool day.
Wear long cotton clothing and rubber insulating gloves & shoes.
Shut down your system following the labelled instructions.
Make sure to inspect the panels for damage before attempting to clean them, if the panels appear cracked or damaged, this is an electrical hazard! If you do see damage to your panels contact a CEC electrician to inspect them before doing anything further.
Just use water. If you do need to use cleaning products on your panels, spot clean only with alcohol based glass cleaner or diluted detergent (check your panel manual for allowed products).
Do not use anything abrasive on the panels to avoid scratching and damage. Only use a soft broom, cellulose sponge or kitchen roll. Do not scrub or scratch off dirt.
Avoid using high pressure cleaners.
Do not step on or rest equipment on panels.
Carefully remove any debris underneath the panels.
Restart your system following the labelled instructions.
Eco Sparky Services:
Upon installation, the team at Eco Sparky will explain to you how to monitor that your system is working as intended. You will also receive your system manual from us which includes a simple maintenance checklist. It’s a good idea to keep a copy of this manual with your home documents as this may be needed for warranty claims or if you decide to sell your property.
The modules we typically use are guaranteed for 15-25 years product warranty and 25 years performance warranty. Inverters warranty periods are between 5-20 years depending on the customer’s preference. Generally, a 25-30 year lifetime is expected on a solar PV system with only 1 inverter replacement after 10-15 years (replacement cost highly dependent on chosen inverter brand and size).
A clean and health check from one of Eco Sparky’s expert technicians will include a thorough inspection of your inverter, panels and the condition of your roof, close inspection of cables and wiring, thermal camera check, panel cleaning, electrical testing and a report.
You can expect to need a clean and health check once every 5 years and this costs approximately $300-$1000 + GST depending on the size of your system. For larger or commercial systems please contact us. Please note: due to too many installation faults with other systems requiring timely repairs, we currently can only offer our system clean and health check to our own customers.
With simple maintenance you can feel confident you are getting the most out of your solar, contact us today to book a clean and health check.