Should you remove snow off panels?

[svetz]

An 8 kW array with January insolation of 2 = 16 kWh/d generation. At 90% efficiency and 8.5¢ / kWh, a total value of ~$1.23/d.
Average Emergency Room Cost? $3,000.

Economically speaking it's better to stay in and relax, let the solar power melt them clean.

 

[svetz]

Safety First!​

​

 

[Bluedog225]

16’ fall came in around $235,000. Agree, it will melt.

 

[Steve_S]

I clear my ground mount, right now there's over 30cm on them, so I'll be out there shortly.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

I’m weird I know- snow/0% watts is the reason I dislike roof-mounted panels. Ground mount or otherwise unable to collect snow (vertically) in northern latitudes just makes sense.

 

[WYtreasure]

Living in an underground house has it's advantages.

 

[time2roll]

Yes the sky heater does not always function immediately. Patience.

 

[OffGridInTheCity]

I do where I can reach them with my paint expanding handle + broom on the end. And it's exhausting on 45 panels. But truth be told, its more Solar OCD than anything since it usually melts within 48hrs in my area and I'm not in an emergency situation

 

[wiseacre]

brush ~ ladder ~ wife
what could go wrong?

 

[Hedges]

Average Emergency Room Cost? $3,000.

You must not be from California.

 

[WYtreasure]

I think someone should post a video of themselves pulling snow off a roof.
Ya don't get to wear a hoodie either.
There's a good job for the wife, hold the camera without shaking it while she laughs her butt off.

 

[HRTKD]

Next up: heated solar panels that clear themselves of snow.

 

[RV10flyer]

6” of wet snow measures 3.0 lbs/sqft. That’s about 3,345 lbs on my 20.6kw 4x4 post/unistrut array. As soon as outside temperature went above 34F, it started sliding off of my 45 deg panels. Plenty of room, since it’s on 35deg sloping ground and plenty of clearance on the low side. It did not on my 53deg roof mounted 1.6 kw array, as it had nowhere to go.

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

I do, or at least I start once we reach the end of January...

 

[OffGridInTheCity]

13kw PV array - cleaning snow. From a youtube channel... cold work!

 

[wattmatters]

Next up: heated solar panels that clear themselves of snow.

The Starlink satellite dish has a heating element for this. Cats have taken to sitting on them.

 

[Wellbuilt]

I clean mine every morning .
I get that little coating of snow over nite, every nite.
It 800 in the pic and the sun is low in the sky .
If it is below 20o the snow won’t melt off .
Even on a sunny day the snow won’t slide till 1230 so I only get a couple of hours worth of sun.
My pole is 35’ once the snow freezes on it is there for the season .

 

[Daddy Tanuki]

Pumped well water for the win, pvc pipe with holes drilled. On/off/drain all in one valve. Turn on water flows melting all snow. When done reverse valve handle and all water drains below frost line. Suction from the water draining also sucks water out of the drain holes so they are clear for next use.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

Turn on water flows melting all snow

I’d be worried about cracking glass at -20*F or even 10*F!

 

[Daddy Tanuki]

I’d be worried about cracking glass at -20*F or even 10*F!

theses are just my thoughts but I have a spare set of panels that I am keen to test it on. being that the ground water temp is about 14-15 Celcius I think that as I will be doing this at about 0900 ish (usually by then its about 2 or 3°c) that it will not be an issue. what happens when you have 1°c and it rains vice snowing? happens here regularly, that's what usually removes the snow for me.. jsut when it really dumps then I have to clear them. and they are on top of my shop so that's about the height of a normal 2 story building.

regardless once it snows again and I have a chance to test this on the "spare panels" I will report back.