When the cost of your time cleaning panels and the shortened life of your batteries exceeds the cost of more panels, add one or two. Then kick back, relax, and check whether they need cleaning whenever you go on/off daylight savings time. B-)
But seriously: Check whether they need cleaning whenever the batteries aren't staying full. Then, if there's no special problem (like a dust storm, tree pollen, soot from an upwind stack, leaves / pine needles, or a snowdrift) and your batteries and distribution system are OK, add more panels or reduce loads until your batteries stay up without constant attention and cleaning.
I think most of the smaller ones are cleaned for cosmetic purposes.
Also, Sandovalach's system is nearer the equator and mounted very flat compared to most areas. His will hold dust and grime more than most areas.
G-[ Parent ]
(If you enclose the panels in a box with a transparent top be sure to vent it a bit near its high point to let the heat out, so the panels can cool. But not enough to let a bunch of dirt in and defeat the purpose.)[ Parent ]
Finest regards,
troy[ Parent ]
But if the panels are near horizontal, collecting dirt, leaves, and small growing things, they could be losing a LOT more than 5-10% without cleaning at very short intervals.
If it were me I'd buy 11 panels instad of 10, put the glass up, and relax for six months to six years at a time.
The whole POINT of things like electrical power is so YOU don't have to be doing a lot of work - like scrubbing stuff - using your own manual labor.[ Parent ]
