[RE-wrenches] De-icing panels off grid

Fri Dec 6 09:21:03 PST 2024

That's difficult to say because its more a function of weight than depth 
of snow.  It's not called Sierra Cement here in the Sierras for fun, 
sometimes 4" of snow can weight as much as a foot.  We had 3 feet of 
"regular" snow (yes, 3 feet) slide of a top-of-pole array with no damage 
to the panels, but depending on things like ice stuck to the bottom lip 
of a PV can make the difference.  Or like Todd said whether or not there 
is enough room for the snow to clear the bottom of the array after the 
slide event.

Bill

Feather River Solar Electric
Bill Battagin, owner
4291 Nelson St. (Shipping)
5575 Genesee Rd. (USPS, UPS)
Taylorsville, CA  95983
530-284-7849, 258-1641(cell)
CA. C10 Lic # 874049
Solar Powered since 1982
Home of the Sunny Side Up

On 12/6/2024 8:34 AM, jay via RE-wrenches wrote:
> Wow how much snow did that?
>
> Jay
>
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>
>
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>> On Dec 6, 2024, at 9:26 AM, Todd Cory via RE-wrenches 
>> <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>>
>> Yes, in deep snow country tall pole mounts can be expensive... 
>> especially with enough room below so the sliding snow never meets the 
>> bottom edge of the array. My home system has 5 pole mounts with the 
>> bottom edges ~6' above the ground.
>>
>> Now that engineering is mandated, this adds more expense to ensure 
>> sure the foundation can support the mechanical forces of this 
>> configuration. But shallow angle roof mounts risk having the bottom 
>> edge of the modules get ripped off (see attached picture) so here in 
>> the Mount Shasta area, this is the only thing that works.
>>
>> There was a thread where people were experimenting with reverse 
>> biasing modules to cause them to generate heat. I think boB was 
>> working on some kind of possibility for a charge controller option to 
>> do this, but I am not sure where that went.
>>
>> Todd
>>
>>
>> <img-0.jpg>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Thursday, December 5, 2024 5:49pm, "Howie Michaelson via 
>> RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> said:
>>
>> Todd,
>> In general that had been my philosophy, but sometimes pole mounts are 
>> just logistically to difficult/ expensive  - especially large ones.  
>> In general, if it is a windy location, the snow doesn't stick around 
>> that long. However, even pole mounts at a steep angle can get 
>> encrusted and if it doesn't get warm enough or sunny, that can stick 
>> on the panels for a week or more.  I've never considered anything 
>> like heat panels or tape, but if there is something that works that 
>> doesn't harm the panels, then it might be a decent option in some cases.
>> Howie
>>
>> On Thu, Dec 5, 2024, 5:15 PM Todd Cory via RE-wrenches 
>> <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>>
>>     Passive works best. In big snow country here, I learned the hard
>>     way to only do pole mounts... and set the angle steep in the
>>     winter. The snow slides off and all is fine.
>>
>>     Todd
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>     On Thursday, December 5, 2024 1:01pm, "Kirk Herander via
>>     RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> said:
>>
>>     https://glasscareexperts.com/solar-glass-protection/
>>     I’ve never tried it but just heard about these people. From the
>>     bio they are the original makers of rain X, but they customized a
>>     product, several of them, to clean Pv panels and they also
>>     mentioned it can help to shed rain and snow.
>>     By the way, Rainx is not  approved for such an application.
>>
>>     *Kirk Herander / **kirkh at vermont.solar*
>>     *Owner|Principal, VT Solar, LLC*
>>     */Celebrating our 33^st  Anniversary 1991-2024!!/*
>>     dba Vermont Solar Engineering
>>     802.559.1225
>>
>>     On Thu, Dec 5, 2024 at 2:19 PM Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches
>>     <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>>
>>         Has anyone successfully used heat panels or cables to melt
>>         iced-over panels (ie. without damaging the panels)? In heavy
>>         snow country, or over periods of freeze/thaw when pelty
>>         slushy snow sticks and freezes to panels, it would be nice to
>>         have a safe method of clearing them, especially off-grid.  I
>>         remember discussions of the futility of backfeeding panels to
>>         heat them up to accomplish the same, but not about heat tape
>>         or pans that might be worth trying.
>>         Thanks,
>>         Howie Michaelson
>>         Sun Catcher
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