Cleaning panels

[Oliver90owner]

I’ve been up on my roof putting up some panel brackets for more PV. I noted that next door’s panels look like they have never been cleaned in several years. They are seriously spotted with lichens.

I wash my panels a couple times each year, or whenever considered necessary, so no real hard work. The panels on his roof must be seriously ‘shaded’, so what should I suggest for him to use when I next see him - and tell him the bad news?

Personally, I would be spraying with formaldehyde (or similar) first, before then giving them the soft brush treatment or even a gentle pressure wash, but I’m not doing anything with his panels unless using a tried and tested cleaning system.

Suggestions, please. He is certainly, for sure and definite, not going up on his roof!

[Joeboy]

I used a snowfoam lance and bilt hamber touchless foam. Excellent results.

[openspaceman]

I used a snowfoam lance and bilt hamber touchless foam. Excellent results.

Live or switched off?

[Joeboy]

I used a snowfoam lance and bilt hamber touchless foam. Excellent results.

Live or switched off?

Live.

[Mr Gus]

Oliver, maybe to uǹderstand the idea behind snowfoam *lifting* process (a pre wash) to vacate potential scratchy bits, prior to a blast with a soap and water, full force, lancing, ...or not at all & instead set to "drizzle" to rid the area of anything vaguely caustic is better described in this instance (I'm sure joe can fill the descriptive gaps)

Minimal invasive force & a preferred brand / ph factor.

..long gone are the days of killing moss & lichen with creosote based jeyes fluid..

[Joeboy]

The snowfoam does all the heavy lifting and gently slides off removing dirt and grime. Lichens, not so sure but as a non invasive light touch way to clean panels it is very good. As Gus said it is a thrown drizzle, not a HP blast. I had the idea when watching how well it lifted dirt off of the matte finish on the EV. It transferred across well.

Once left to dwell for a few minutes it can be washed off with a garden hose or power washer from a distance.

[Stig]

Any suggestions as to how to reach panels on a two storey house without ladders etc.?

I can give them a rinse with an ageing pressure washer which just about makes it (well, I could before the hosepipe ban) but can't shift the lichen. I did get a local window cleaning company to try as they said they also cleaned solar panels but they weren't able to shift the lichen and refunded me and suggested I find a speciaist to do it. A quick internet search suggested £200+ for specialist cleaning...

[Oliver90owner]

I whizzed off an enquiry to bilthamber late last evening.

Got a reply this morning recommending their Surfex HD product for this application. A very good response time. I was impressef.

[Oldgreybeard]

Any suggestions as to how to reach panels on a two storey house without ladders etc.?

I can give them a rinse with an ageing pressure washer which just about makes it (well, I could before the hosepipe ban) but can't shift the lichen. I did get a local window cleaning company to try as they said they also cleaned solar panels but they weren't able to shift the lichen and refunded me and suggested I find a speciaist to do it. A quick internet search suggested £200+ for specialist cleaning...

I get ours cleaned by the window cleaner. He uses his long carbon fibre pole, with a water-fed rotary brush at the end. He has no trouble getting right to the ridge and the brush does a good job of cleaning them. I think he charges us £90 to clean all the windows (inside and out) and the solar panels. No idea how much just the solar panels costs. He uses deionised water, so there are never any streaks left behind, but you can buy the pole etc as a DIY option, you can even go the whole hog and buy a deionised water system as well.

[Joeboy]

Any suggestions as to how to reach panels on a two storey house without ladders etc.?

I can give them a rinse with an ageing pressure washer which just about makes it (well, I could before the hosepipe ban) but can't shift the lichen. I did get a local window cleaning company to try as they said they also cleaned solar panels but they weren't able to shift the lichen and refunded me and suggested I find a speciaist to do it. A quick internet search suggested £200+ for specialist cleaning...

Ok, i'll have a crack at this. 5 ltr killaspray. Buy the thinnest lightest plastic pipe that you can, make it up to height, fit a swan neck to the end with a diffuser from the killaspray and use the second storey windows with someone holding as back up brace the pipe. you'd want a 3rd person priming the killaspray. Spray on and leave then wash off or at least dilute down with cleaned out killaspray. Might cost £100 or so for bits but once its done you've got the gear for next year?