How much difference does cleaning your panels really make? - A quick and dirty study.

[robby]

I just use the garden hose and some car wash & wax and a soft bristled brush ?

Regular Tap water is going to leave Mineral and chlorine deposits on the glass, especially if it's done in the day when the glass is hot.
Car Wax is one of the worst ideas, the layer is going to yellow with the heat and build up as the years of waxing go on.
Use Rain Water or Distilled water only.

 

[tigerwillow1]

Mine get a pretty thick coating of blowing topsoil in the summer. The improvement in cleaning them is less than my capability to measure the difference.

 

[StuartV]

Regular Tap water is going to leave Mineral and chlorine deposits on the glass, especially if it's done in the day when the glass is hot.
Car Wax is one of the worst ideas, the layer is going to yellow with the heat and build up as the years of waxing go on.
Use Rain Water or Distilled water only.

I wash my 24year old car with the stuff, and its still ok ? It's not as if im washng the panels daily tho.

I'm in the UK, so we get PLENTY of rain water too ???

 

[JS43]

And don’t forget morning dew or frost that can attract FOD like flypaper!! Here’s an article about the China’s rover using anti dust technology.. Hummm, I wonder if I installed a 15 inch bass speaker under the panels and use a low frequency bass beats to rattle the dust off!! https://www.space.com/will-china-zhurong-mars-rover-tianwen-1-wake-up

lol, Monday I ho up and look at the panels because they were doing nothing on a bright sunny morning and I find the panels all covered in condensation. I wipe them off and as I'm wiping them off they go from zero to 1300 in minutes ?

 

[Danke]

And don’t forget morning dew or frost that can attract FOD like flypaper!!

Anyone have problems with hoarfrost?

 

[65NW]

Anyone have problems with hoarfrost?

Yes. Interior Alaska. was searching for how people deal with it but maybe its not that common. I take a big hit unless I clean it off with deicer but it keeps coming back. The good news is it eventually sublimates away into the dry air, but that takes a long time.
When I had a small array I could reach from the ground it wasnt an issue to clean. Now its rather a lot of work, and washer fluid.
I see lots of panels around here with even a slight angle collect and hold snow until cleared off. I have vertical fixed mount panels pointed due south. I think the snow protects the panels from frost when the air is humid after a snow storm. I never have any snow build up so they are always exposed to the air and moisture.

are there any hydrophobic coatings or sprays for PVs?
I guess you could put heaters on the backs of the panels and run them off a generator but that seems counterproductive.