[RE-wrenches] PV scum from Dixie Fire

[Bill Battagin]

Dan,

             I remember reading some REC material regarding cleaning 
panels and they we very hesitant about anything brush or sponge-like to 
clean their PVs, though I too, for my own arrays have used a car-washing 
brush (very fine and soft) to carefully remove scum.  It seems it may be 
the only method for getting off hard-core crud.

Bill

On 9/16/2021 1:08 PM, Dan Fink wrote:
> Bill; Similar situation in my area (CO) from the big fire that went 
> through here last fall. Some had enough water onsite for the sprinkler 
> trick, but the biggest issue was thick coats of pink fire retardant 
> from the slurry bombers.
> The only thing I could find that worked on both the ash/mineral scum 
> and the pink slurry was.....dish soap and soft scrub brush. And LOTS 
> of brushing, 3-4 times over all my PV arrays. I was hesitant to try 
> anything stronger, like Simple Green, and tried to get info on that 
> and other chemicals from a couple PV module manufacturers, with no 
> success.
> Good luck!
> Dan Fink
> Owner, Buckville Energy Consulting LLC
> IREC Certified Instructor for PV and Small Wind Installation
> NABCEP Certified PV System Inspector
> NABCEP PV Associate
> d <mailto:dan.fink at greendustrialtraining.com>anbob88 at gmail.com 
> <mailto:anbob88 at gmail.com>
> 970-672-4342
>
>
>
> On Thu, Sep 16, 2021 at 1:49 PM Bill Battagin <frenergy at psln.com 
> <mailto:frenergy at psln.com>> wrote:
>
>     Dearest wrenches,
>
>                  Trying to get back in the saddle here in the Plumas
>     Natl.
>     Forest...We are just coming out of 7-8 weeks of threat of fire
>     from the
>     Dixie fire in NE CA....has been life changing, three of our
>     communities
>     were lost or severely impacted.
>
>                  But many of my customers did the old "sprinkler on the
>     roof" trick and left for evacuation so much ash and (well)water on
>     panels for weeks at a time.  Depending on a variety of factors some
>     folks have not been able to see the PVs clean up with a simple water
>     spray and I've been very hesitant to recommend anything like soap,
>     soft
>     brushing etc.  Will the eventual several inches of rain remove ash
>     and
>     minerals left from well water?, its pretty backed on.
>
>                  I'm looking for proven suggestions and/or
>     experiences.  No
>     structure loss here but fire took part of our trees/property.  Of
>     course
>     some of the system arrays are easy access and some are on two
>     story roofs.
>
>     Thanks,
>
>     Bill
>
>     Feather River Solar Electric
>
>     Taylorsville, CA
>
>
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