Performance monitoring systems provide real-time insights into energy generation and can identify any unusual drops in performance. Photo: Mondiaux Solar.
If you have solar panels installed in your home, it’s important to maintain them to both ensure their efficiency and the return of power supply, and to keep them going for longer. Jerry Li from Mondiaux Solar gives his top advice on how to maintain your solar panels for efficiency and longevity.
1. Monitor the performance of your solar panels
Monitoring the performance of your panels is important to know whether they are producing the expected amount of energy, and performing as normal.
“Different brands of panels will have different monitoring apps and software,” Jerry says. “These systems provide real-time insights into energy generation, and can also identify if there are any unusual drops in performance.”
You should have access to a monitoring app when your system is installed, and companies like Mondiaux will also have their own access to the data generated by your solar panels, and can keep an eye on things.
“Another important part of monitoring is that it can inform you if your panels are damaged or need to be upgraded or replaced,” Jerry says.
“Some monitoring systems will sound an alarm if there are major issues or defects, which alerts us that we need to take action to fix or correct your panels. We have a per-panel monitoring system that gives us a sense of the physical layout of panels on your roof and their performance on a daily basis.”
2. Ensure there are no obstructions to the sun actually reaching your panels
If the sun is the source of energy, it follows that shade on your solar panels can be a nuisance.
“When we install solar panels, we position them to get the best access to sunlight. Sometimes there might be a small tree when we do the installation, but five years later it has turned into a large tree and is casting shadows on the panels,” Jerry says.
“So trimming back trees and being aware of other potential obstructions can help improve the performance of your panels.”
3. Clean your panels annually
Jerry also recommends having your panels cleaned annually, whether by a professional, or by doing it yourself – if safe to do so.
“If there is a grime or dust issue on your panels, this will impact energy loss. When we calculate the energy yield from a system we’ll factor that loss in. It’s best to clean your panels at least once a year to avoid this.”
4. Make use of your warranty
Most solar panel installations will come with a warranty, and it’s important to know what your warranty includes and how it can help you maintain your panels. Mondiaux offer a 10-year installation warranty to clients.
“Our 10-year warranty provides an assurance of quality service,” Jerry says. “This includes regular service checks under the warranty to contribute to the system’s longevity and performance. We can monitor the system on our end to make sure it’s performing. We can also investigate if an alarm is raised in the system, or we notice a significant drop in performance.”
5. Stay on top of anti-island testing
Anti-islanding protection is a way for the inverter to sense when the power grid is struggling or has failed. It then stops feeding power back to the grid.
An anti-island test ensures your solar panels will work correctly in the case of an energy blackout and is important for both safety and the maintenance of your system.
The test checks how quickly your inverter stops supplying power to the grid, and ensures it doesn’t start supplying again until the correct amount of time has passed.
“Anti-island tests should be performed at a minimum of every five years, and that’s a requirement of Evo Energy as well,” Jerry says.
“We encourage and remind all our clients to get these tests done.”
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