The reason behind this question was deciding which PV panel option would be the best, fixed or portable, or both?
Where I live seems to be the flight path of all things Avian, power washing the car is not that difficult, but I need a bit more elevation to wash a van roof…..
If bird s*** is corrosive then the life of the panel could be short and expensive, what are your experiences with a fixed monocrystalline panel?
Where I live seems to be the flight path of all things Avian, power washing the car is not that difficult, but I need a bit more elevation to wash a van roof…..
If bird s*** is corrosive then the life of the panel could be short and expensive, what are your experiences with a fixed monocrystalline panel?
I have had a rigid glass one on my boat and T3 for years - cannot fault them. The one on the boat is constantly covered in gull shite that is soon washed off by rain, don't get much on the van. The boat one has kept the batteries fully charged for the last year as the boat has not been used at all. I don't know if these newer plastic semi-flexible are as good at shedding the detritus - only time will tell. On my T3 and T6 I can open my rooflight and clean the panel if needed. You can get a bit of staining on the glass at times but haven't noticed efficiency suffering much. Gull shite is very corrosive compared to normal bird shite.
Thanks @Deaky.
Covered panels are never going to perform at their best.
Although with the current weather, and the forecast for "darn sarf" a panel is not going to generate much energy!
Funny, companies that sell cleaning fluids for solar panels say that bird shite is corrosive, I wonder if they have an ulterior motive?
Covered panels are never going to perform at their best.
Although with the current weather, and the forecast for "darn sarf" a panel is not going to generate much energy!
Funny, companies that sell cleaning fluids for solar panels say that bird shite is corrosive, I wonder if they have an ulterior motive?
It is certainly corrosive on the aluminium frames of my rigid ones.
Thanks @oldiebut goodie
Gives me much more confidence in the longevity of a panel.
Gives me much more confidence in the longevity of a panel.
I've had a flexible panel stuck on my roof for about 18/12 now and not had a problem. The surface has a kind of slick, frictionless feel like Teflon that resists anything sticking to it. If it does get any bird shat on it, the first drop of rain washes it off. No sign of any stain or mark on it so far.
