Solar Panels And Snow
Winter Best Practices
Your new photovoltaic system installed by Southern Vermont Solar represents the best available technology in efficiency and value and should last a long time. Every effort has been made to ensure the reliable operation of the system and to further ensure that your system is safe.
Here are a few simple steps you can take to ensure a long and successful panel life. First, let’s look at how they are constructed:
Solar panels (modules) are composed of glass and epoxy encapsulated crystalline silicon with a plastic backsheet, surrounded by an anodized aluminum supporting frame.
The individual crystalline solar cells within the modules are somewhat fragile by nature and the entire assembly should be treated with care like any glass or ceramic product.
CLEANING THE SNOW OFF THE PANELS:
Clearing the array of snow can be helpful in the winter, but care must be taken, both to avoid injury to oneself and to the solar modules. Many customers choose not to remove the snow from the array in the winter to avoid damages and to prevent possible injury.
Letting the snow melt naturally will reduce the output of the array sometimes, but this loss of production occurs during the lowest period of seasonal irradiance. The overall yearly losses will average over the years to a fairly small proportion of your total production.
If you do choose to manually remove snow from the array, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Keep yourself on safe footing. A few dollars in net-metering credits will not go far toward medical expenses!
Always use a soft, non-metallic tool to remove the snow. We recommend an all-plastic roof rake.
Only clear the snow at the base of the array, or that can be easily reached.
The lower glass surface and dark colored solar-cells, once exposed, will generally clear the entire array in sufficient sunlight.
Other Solar Panel Tips:
Read and follow the manufacturer's manuals for your products — we highly recommend reading this material in addition to the resources we provide!
Generally, there should not be a need to clean the array of surface dirt as we get sufficient rainfall to accomplish the job. If it becomes necessary to clean the glass surface, do not use any solvents or abrasives to clean or maintain your system (see manufacturer's manual -- use only pure water and clean cloth).
Do not walk on the array.
Discourage animals from nesting among wiring or against the backs of the modules
And let us know if we can help!
