As a renewable energy resource, rooftop solar panels generate electricity at maximum level whenever they are clean and dust-free. Panels covered with dust and other waste materials do not generate maximum power. Maintaining rooftop solar panels dust-free and stain-free is one of the major tasks, which can be achieved only with regular cleaning and maintenance. A regular cleaning and proper maintenance of rooftop solar panels improve their performance and lifespan too. 

Generally, there are two ways to clean up your panels and achieve maximum output,

1. Manual Solar Panel Cleaning and 

2. Automatic Solar Panel Cleaning

Manual Solar Panel Cleaning Process

</> < dir>Manual Solar Panel Cleaning involves human physical work. The dust, stains, debris etc. are cleaned manually using brushes, cloth and other devices. To make the cleaning more effective and easy, water or chemicals can be used. 

- Manual cleaning takes time and consists of risk throughout the process. 

- As the rooftop solar panels are constructed at some height, technicians need to climb some height using ladders for cleaning the whole solar panels, which is risky. 

Automatic Solar Panel Cleaning Process

Automatic Solar Panel Cleaning does not involve human physical work. Moreover, the process is completely automated using a gantry mechanism, microcontroller and sensors. The automated solar panel cleaning process involves basic cleaning and then deep cleaning. 

A typical automatic solar panel cleaning system consists 

- Air compressor

- Stepper motor

- Solenoid

- Power supply 

- Control panel

- Water pump

- Moving Mechanism (Forward and Backward Movement)

- Sensors

- And more

In this system, water is forced to flow over solar panels with some pressure, so that the hard stains, debris, dust and bird droppings would be removed easily.

- The automated solar panel cleaning system requires one time setup. 

- The size, shape and installation of an automatic solar panel cleaning system depends upon the capacity of the rooftop solar panel  system and its construction.

- The whole system is controlled by coding dumped in the microcontroller. 

Manual Vs Automatic Solar Panel Cleaning:

- Solar Panels are wider and lengthy, which require extra tools to clean them manually, which may damage the solar panels.  As an automatic solar panel cleaning system is fixed to the solar system, there is no risk of solar panel damages.

- In manual cleaning, humans need to work on heights, which is a risk factor and may hurt people. In automatic cleaning, no human involvement is required so, no people will be hurt in the process.

- Automatic solar panel cleaning system is one time setup and no other costs are involved after setting it up, but manual solar panel cleaning costs high everytime you hire human power to clean your solar system.

- Both manual and automatic solar panel cleaning achieves precise and thorough cleaning.