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Should you wash your solar panels?

incoherency.co.uk

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Re: Should you wash your solar panels?

#221

Post by CrzyLngPwd »

Scoundreller wrote: post #187
CrzyLngPwd wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm off grid, no mains power, and have 8x48v lithium Fogstar batteries in an external rack, since my cabin is small. On December 21, due to trees, my panels get around 2 hours of full sun, if the universe smiles on me. I use around 5-6kwh per day, if I use my computer, which I need for work. This will be the first year with the fogstar batteries, previously had 1x48v generic lithium battery, but last year I used the…

> I also have a freezer and washing machine this year You need a heat pipe between your freezer/fridge and outside. Then it will “function” when it’s colder outside than in your fridge and otherwise sit idle(ish). Sure you’re bringing “cold” into your big warm box (home), you have wood to overcome that. All theory, but it makes sense in my mind! (Though in most places, it rarely gets colder outside than in your freez…

My chest freezer is in a barn and is designed for it's place and purpose.

My fridge is indoors, where the wood I chop today will keep us both warm in the winter.

Thank you for your theory, but I'll stick to doing the practical that you read about on the Internet.

Re: Should you wash your solar panels?

#222

Post by CrzyLngPwd »

scarecrowbob wrote: post #191
CrzyLngPwd wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm off grid, no mains power, and have 8x48v lithium Fogstar batteries in an external rack, since my cabin is small. On December 21, due to trees, my panels get around 2 hours of full sun, if the universe smiles on me. I use around 5-6kwh per day, if I use my computer, which I need for work. This will be the first year with the fogstar batteries, previously had 1x48v generic lithium battery, but last year I used the…

I can see how small efficiencies would matter a lot in that sitation. When I had 6 100W panels and was trying to keep my laptop (and lights) running off that, then I did a lot more trying to keep them clean. If I was having to burn fuel for electricity, I'd certainly be trying a lot harder to squeeze what I can out the array. Anyhow, good luck. I likely am in a similar position. My hope is to get a cistern buried thi…

There is a lot that loses it's charm, lol. Started with an outside kitchen and shower, which was fine in the summer but in the winter when the wind blows and it takes 30 mins to heat a pot of coffee the charm wears thin, lol.

Good luck to you too!

It's fun to meet the basic challenges head on though, eh?

Re: Should you wash your solar panels?

#223

Post by slim »

tpoindex wrote: post #125

I have a 19 year-old, roof mounted, 6.3 kW nominal system in two arrays (east/west facing), 40 deg. north. I've never washed the panels outside of rain and occasional hail storm "scrubbing". Replaced a failed inverter two years ago. My peak summer output is basically the same as when installed, making 36-38 kWh on a cloudless day. I'm actually impressed my panels haven't really degraded in performance over those 19 y…

looks like the planet is warming at the same rate your panels are decaying

Re: Should you wash your solar panels?

#224

Post by switchbak »

delichon wrote: post #52
delusional wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly the same reason you should probably clean the rest of the house when you're selling it. Theoretically, the price of the house before cleaning should be equal to the value if the house after cleaning, minus whatever the cleaning costs. In reality, you'll get much less for your house without cleaning it, because human emotions.

We had a contractor doing repairs before we sold our house. Without being asked he took an orbital sander to the wooden hand railings along the stairs to the front door and said "people really notice this". A family came for the tour and before walking in the father put his hand on the rail, looked up at the house, and said "this place seems well maintained". Then they bought the house after a small pleasant (for us)…

Maybe it's just me, but someone deciding to physically sand things without my consent would get a stern eye from me. Unless it's well into the "no brainer" kind of decision. (eg: the railing didn't have a finish on it, etc).

Re: Should you wash your solar panels?

#225

Post by switchbak »

rootusrootus wrote: post #180
pton_xd wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> because human emotions. If I tour a house with pet urine stains all over the carpet, it's only logical to conclude that the owner is likely not maintaining the rest of the house to a very high standard.

OTOH, spotless carpets do not really tell you the opposite is true. Just means the realtor doesn't suck.

Absolutely - in some cases you'll see the major sins addressed, and there's a small mountain of lesser issues waiting to be uncovered.

Re: Should you wash your solar panels?

#226

Post by micromacrofoot »

wodenokoto wrote: post #210
micromacrofoot wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually in some places panels devalue a house because some people consider them an eyesore

And to those people, clean panels devalue the property more than dirty?

all panels are bad regardless of cleanliness

Re: Should you wash your solar panels?

#227

Post by michaelt »

flutas wrote: post #183
gizmo686 wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "before closing" does a lot of work here. It sounds like the seller made the disclosure when they were legally required to. This is pretty common in large purchases. First the buyer and seller agree in principle, then they perform their due diligence. Sometimes sales fall through at that last step. If, hypothetically, the seller never disclosed the financing, then that would be an issue between the seller and the…

> At most, the buyer would need to allow the financer access to retrieve their property. The financer could then sue the seller for the buy-out cost and/or breach of contract. Nope, at least not typically. Typically in the US houses are sold as-is unless it's noted in the closing docs. Everything in or on the house when you close is yours. The seller would be the one fighting with the financing company, as (again unl…

In the UK there's a standard(-ish) form [1] the seller competes, before contracts are exchanged.

So if a seller wants to keep their smart doorbell, or their curtains, or to take all the plants from the garden - they can agree that, as part of contract and price negotiation. At the same time, the buyer gets to send people to check the property and can lower or withdraw their offer depending on what the inspections reveal.

(And yes, this is a very slow way of doing this)

[1] https://www.rlo.law/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/fc.pdf

Re: Should you wash your solar panels?

#228

Post by eszed »

aaronbrethorst wrote: post #143
dlubarov wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To add a few more: it's similarly easy to swap cabinet handles, vent covers, outlet wall plates. Fresh caulk is nice too, even if it's a bit sloppy, still beats stained or cracked caulk.

outlet wall plates Also make sure your screws in your outlet wall plates are vertical. I've found it's a key tell between mediocre electricians & handymen, and the real pros, and it gives me confidence (perhaps unfounded) that the electrical systems are in good shape.

Eh. I've been working (at $job) with an electrician I will be thrilled to see the back of, and whom (the feeling is general) we will never hire again, and... The screws are aligned, but eldritch horrors lurk beneath. That might once have been a useful heuristic, but too many have caught on to it.

Re: Should you wash your solar panels?

#229

Post by [deleted] »

switchbak wrote: post #224
delichon wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We had a contractor doing repairs before we sold our house. Without being asked he took an orbital sander to the wooden hand railings along the stairs to the front door and said "people really notice this". A family came for the tour and before walking in the father put his hand on the rail, looked up at the house, and said "this place seems well maintained". Then they bought the house after a small pleasant (for us)…

Maybe it's just me, but someone deciding to physically sand things without my consent would get a stern eye from me. Unless it's well into the "no brainer" kind of decision. (eg: the railing didn't have a finish on it, etc).

[deleted]

Re: Should you wash your solar panels?

#230

Post by WalterBright »

arcanemachiner wrote: post #211
brnt wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> A real estate agent told me Whatever you wanted to hear to make them the most amount of money in the(ir) least amount of time. They are the sellers agent. You should not trust them a millimetre further than that. (I bought my current house based on a spreadsheet analysis. Doorknobs are easy to replace, foundations, walls, electric, a lot harder.)

You seem to be assuming that the real estate agent was in the process of selling them a house.

A good friend of mine is a real estate agent. I have never retained him. He's a fountain of good advice, though. He's the most successful agent in my community.

BTW, a so-so agent will lie to you. The ones on the top, however, are that way because they get repeat business.

P.S. Read books on salesmanship. It will inure you against slimy sales pitches.

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