Clean solar panels with a soft rotating brush fed by purified water, from the ground, on a pole, early in the morning or late in the afternoon while the glass is cool. No detergent, no pressure washer, no abrasive pads, and no walking on the array. Dust on panels measurably reduces output, and in the drier South African provinces it builds up fast enough that a scheduled clean every three to six months pays for itself.
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3.5m Pole Kit – Dual Power Version Rotating Solar Brush Cleaner
R24098,00 -
Telescopic Rotating Solar Panel Cleaning Machine 3.5m Dual Power Supply
R24202,49 -
Telescopic Rotating Solar Panel Cleaning Machine 5.5m Dual Power Supply
R24506,01 -
Telescopic Rotating Solar Panel Cleaning Machine 7.5m Dual Power Supply
R24789,90
The method
- Pick the time. Cool glass, so early morning or late afternoon. Cold water on hot panels risks thermal shock.
- Wet the surface first. Let water lift the loose dust before the brush touches the panel, so you are not dragging grit across the coating.
- Brush lightly, in line with the frame. A soft rotating brush does the work. Pressure does not help and the anti-reflective coating is microns thick.
- Rinse with purified water and leave it. Water under 10 ppm dissolved solids dries clear. Tap water dries to a mineral haze that costs you the output you just cleaned for.
What not to do
- No pressure washer. It strips the coating and drives water past the frame seals — see can you clean solar panels with a pressure washer.
- No detergent. It leaves a film that attracts dust faster than before.
- No scrapers or scouring pads. Even light abrasion is permanent.
- Do not stand on the panels. Microcracks in the cells do not show, they just reduce output.
How often
It depends on where the array is. Inland and Karoo installations pick up dust quickly and benefit from a clean every three months. Coastal installations get more rain and can often run six to twelve months. Sites near farmland, gravel roads or construction need more. Bird droppings are the exception to any schedule — they shade cells completely and should be removed as soon as they appear.
Equipment
Our solar panel cleaning equipment range covers telescopic rotating brush machines in 3.5m, 5.5m and 7.5m, in mains-powered, lithium battery and dual-power versions. The pole reaches roof-mounted arrays from ground level, which is the point — no ladders and no walking on the array.
The same purified water that cleans panels cleans glass: see window cleaning equipment.