My solar panels area getting covered in bird shit. That hasn't been an issue over the last few months as the sun has not been shining, but with the promise of summer, I'd like them to work to full efficiency. Do you have any tips for brushes and whatnot to clean them? They're on a bungalow roof, but I'm not planning to climb onto it, so some sort of long handled contraption is probably what I'm looking for. Thanks for any advice !!
Do it at night.
Might sound like I'm joking, but I've seen window cleaner from the ground type kits that give no consideration to making contact with a live damaged panel
Mine too are on a first story roof and I've got something a bit like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/357952700449
It was cheap from a petrol station but mines actually telescopic as opposed to sections that screw together.
I find a good hosing down to get the worst off followed by a wipe with the squeegee pole gets them clean enough. Even bird poo is water soluble.
I climb up and stand on the ridge line above the panels, it's just easier.
Do it at night.
Hmm, this has never occurred to me, but I don't have any damage panels.
My window cleaner can also do solar panels, when he did mine it was sunny and he didnt seem fussed by them being "live".
Mine was covered in dust and small amounts of poo, cant say I noticed a difference in solar production after the clean.
You can get upto 7m telescopic poles that have a standard screw head and you can get a veriety of attachments including gutter scrapers and soft brushes. Used ours to clear the gutter (2 storey) and clean conservatory roof.
Thanks - that eBay one looks a good price. I noticed that if you include "solar panels" in the search term the products proposed jump in price by 10x !! I'm wondering if a brush is better than a soft chenille type thing?
There's no risk to cleaning them live, damaged or not. I used a car shampoo and finished with a misting of Patio Magic as the east-facing ones were picking up some green film.
I would still clean them in the evening simply because it's a pain in the neck doing them in bright light because they're so hot, so you can't rinse the detergent off properly.