Paint Overspray On Solar Panels

We have experienced an increase in calls this year related to paint overspray affecting the energy production of homeowners pv systems.

Paint overspray on solar panels.

As you can see in the before and after pictures above and below we also discovered that a thick glazed layer of dust accumulation and debris spots had collected across the entire system. This was definitely preventing the solar system from experiencing optimal solar output. I have already written about why it doesn t make sense to pay people to clean your solar panels. We had a very unusual request a few years ago when we were removing paint overspray from many affected vehicles at a location at a california winery.

Solar paint can also be applied to surfaces of almost any shape or size and to numerous surface types including plastic fabrics and even car bodies. I don t know if you have an ar coating on the outside glass very rare in that case i don t know if acetone will harm it. These panels had an extensive amount of paint overspray damage. Looks like 2 or 3 of my panels have some paint over spray on them from when my facia was painted.

However if your solar panels are only tilted minimally or you live in a high traffic dry or dusty area or even by the sea then you re going to need to clean your solar panels in order for them to continue generating maximum output of power. I also wrote it doesn t make a lot of sense to clean them yourself. Significant paint and or drywall finishing material overspray found inside the electrical panel. It came to our attention from the owner of a winery where the paint oversprayed vehicles were parked that the paint overspray had also affected 630 solar panels.

Per national electric code nec internal parts of electrical equipment including bus bars wiring terminals insulators and other surfaces shall not be damaged or contaminated by foreign materials such as paint plaster cleaners or abrasives. This unfortunate situation happens when the homeowner has their home repainted and during the application of paint on the eaves and gutters overspray covers the pv modules. Paint over spray on pv panels acetone will remove most paint and not harm glass. It will do bad things to the edge seal so be careful to only clean the glass over the cells don t go all the way to the edge seal.

I ve been here for 2 years so it s 2 3 years old at a guess today in cental qld at lunch time i m producing 1 7kw on a 3kw system 10 panel single string system. Solar panels are generally pretty much self cleaning as natural rainfall will usually wash away the accumulated dust and grime.