System Maintenance

One of the most appealing things about photovoltaic systems is their extraordinarily low maintenance. Photovoltaic systems have no moving parts, so nothing wears out from friction or mechanical stress. Every five years, the inverter must be inspected. Periodically it would be prudent to wash down the panels, especially after a dust storm.

I went to a local hardware shop and bought a wide, flat dust mop with a steel handle. I inserted the mop handle into the end of a pool pole to extend it's total length. I use a trigger spray to moisten the panels, then I mop them. I give them a second quick spray, and I'm done. So far I have only felt compelled to clean the panels after rain, and only then when someone else's topsoil has been relocated onto my roof.