Solar systems consist of diverse components put together. Installing a solar system is one of the major investments one can make. This investment is feasible for residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural setups. Over the period, efficiency could be affected. With many other factors responsible, seasons and changes in weather can also affect the efficiency of the solar system. To keep the solar systems in appropriate condition, seasonal maintenance is necessary. Henceforth, this article will let you know how to do the same.
Spring Maintenance
Pakistan is blessed with five seasons. Spring is the most beautiful season, with moderate temperatures and eye-pleasing visuals. Spring comes after winter and leads to the summer season. Therefore, it is the best time to perform the seasonal maintenance for solar systems.
Though winters are not very tough around the whole country, yet northern areas have been a regular witness to snowfall and harsh weather conditions. Therefore, it is useful to keep a close eye on the solar systems.
Hence, on the exit of the winter season, spring knocks on the door. It is essential to perform post-winter solar system checkups. Look for any accumulation of debris on the solar panels. It can be anything, from leaves, branches, to dirt and snow leftovers. It is essential to remove these and to inspect any damage to the solar panels due to snowfall or harsh weather conditions.
The solar panel cleaning would be ideally done through a soft brush or hose for pollen or dirt debris. This will also help solar systems get spring-ready to avoid any possible spring foliage.
Next on the seasonal maintenance checklist for solar systems is the electrical inspection. Inspect wiring to ensure no wire or socket is worn out. Moreover, run the solar inverter.
Run solar panels, inverters, and monitoring systems on a testing basis after physical cleaning to ensure all equipment works well.
Summer Maintenance
Pakistan is physically located on the belt with most of the sunlight. Having long sunny days with harsh temperatures in the summer season is a typical hot day across the country. The data discloses that all parts of Pakistan get many days of sunlight.
In this season, the maintenance for solar systems is essential to safeguard the solar panels from any sort of damage or decrease in efficiency. Once you repeat the cleaning process to remove any debris or dirt accumulations from the solar panels, in Pakistani summers, you would need to make some adjustments to your solar panels in order to make them summer-ready for the next six to eight months.
Though the solar system needs sunlight, the solar panels may get micro cracks and overheating in case they are continuously exposed to high temperatures. Therefore, it is important to adjust the position of solar systems in a suitable way, where they get sunlight but can stay safe from overheating. Cooling systems and proper ventilation are prerequisites for the same.
Furthermore, keep the dirt storms and unexpected weather changes across the plains of the country in mind during the summer maintenance for solar systems. Check wiring, nuts and bolts to secure the solar panels to ensure, solar systems stay strong during windstorms or dust storms.
Fall Maintenance
Next season, after the long summer, is Fall. Hence, we have to perform seasonal maintenance for the solar systems to stay efficient, and as cool as new for a longer period of time. At the end of the last summer season, there could be accumulated debris of dust, leaves or bushes due to the frequent possibility of dust storms and the rainy season of monsoon.
Therefore, after you do the cleaning, please ensure to clean your roof also to avoid water pooling and gutter overflows. You would also need to re-adjust the axis of solar panels to the sunlight in the fall season because the roof may have a different angle of sunlight.
Check the battery and inverter for their condition, and if they need any repairs, please do it with a wiring check.
Winter Maintenance
In winter, seasonal maintenance is essential to ensure the high-quality performance of solar systems. In northern Pakistan, there is a regular and heavy snowfall. Whereas, around the plains, there is dry weather across the country.
However, it is always good to look for weather changes. Likewise, in recent times, we have witnessed a hailstorm in Islamabad. It is best to check your solar panels, monitor the reduction in sunlight, and adjust your solar panels to get more sunlight.
In addition, the avoidance of snow frosting is essential to follow in winter. Whatsoever. Therefore, check out these things around the winter season.
Year-Round Checkup & Seasonal Maintenance
In addition to the seasonal maintenance, year around checkup is also important to enhance the solar system’s efficiency and the life of solar panels. Ensure to perform the following throughout the year as per your needs.
- Update your monitoring apps and software to ensure energy monitoring is practiced.
- Check out instantly if there is a sudden change in the performance.
- Schedule bi-annual checkups (after every 6 months) with your solar solution-providing company. The technicians would also be able to see if your solar systems need any changes, updates, or repairs. You can also contact Zero Carbon for professional assistance.
- Turn off the solar systems before cleaning or repairs, or changing.
Conclusion
Seasons change, and with every new season, we clean our houses, make necessary edits, and change our clothes. Likewise, the solar systems need low maintenance, but seasonal maintenance is required. Therefore, to avoid damage to the solar panels and increase and maintain efficiency for a longer lifetime, please keep a close eye on your solar system performance and components.
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