[RE-wrenches] Cleaning PV mods

[Kent]

Jason,

This is the way thermal shock was explained to me. Thermal shock creates 
micro fractures in the glass. PV modules have tough tempered glass so 
one thermal shock event, or a few dozen events, is unlikely to cause a 
module to fracture; but eventually the glass gets to the last straw when 
the micro fractures connect to each other and the whole pane breaks up. 
You can't do much about sun showers but you can certainly avoid spraying 
the hose on hot glass.

Kent Osterberg
Blue Mountain Solar


On 10/20/2023 1:47 PM, Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches wrote:
> I don't understand the thermal shock nonsense. It routinely starts 
> downpouring here when it's blazing hot out (sun showers) and the rain 
> is way cooler than ground water in summer. It makes no sense. If hose 
> water from the ground is going to hurt solar panels, you better not 
> put them where it rains!
>
> I replied privately to Dana, but for the benefit of the group, it 
> takes a heavy soiling to make any appreciable difference. I have done 
> numerous tests at times of high pollen and found little to no benefit 
> to cleaning solar panels. Certainly it would not be worth paying 
> someone to do it. Other climates may have different results. My 
> suggestion would be to test first. Module level power electronics can 
> provide incontrovertible proof.
>
> Jason
>
>
>
> On Fri, Oct 20, 2023, 4:21 PM Dave Tedeyan via RE-wrenches 
> <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>
>     Hi Dana,
>
>     See attached from REC. I would imagine these guidelines would
>     apply to all modules.
>     Cheers,
>     Dave
>
>     On Fri, Oct 20, 2023 at 3:56 PM Dana Orzel via RE-wrenches
>     <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>
>         Hey ally ‘all,
>
>         Ok bad solar installer! 7 years & I have never cleaned my
>         modules & live on a dirt road. Yeah rain does a good job with
>         the dust but there is a film mostly on the edges.
>
>         What does everyone do for cleaning?
>
>         My array is 16’+ tall on a hill side. I have a pressure washer
>         & was going to pick up a large sponge type mop & mount it on a
>         painters extension pole.
>
>         Good Biodegradable cleaning solutions?
>
>         _________________________________________________________
>
>         Dana Orzel GREAT SOLAR WORKS!
>
>         C – 208.721.7003      E – dana at solarwork.com
>         <mailto:dana at solarwork.com>
>
>         W - www. greatsolarworks.com <http://greatsolarworks.com>
>         www.solarwork.com <http://www.solarwork.com/>
>
>         /_“Responsible Technologies for Responsible People since 1988!”_/
>
>         _______________________________________________
>
>
>
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