Solar Power Outage due to Dust (1 Viewer)

[Bumper]

This is an interesting one that may help other MH users in the same situation. Over the last 4 days I have dawdled down from Bilbao to Tarifa, ready to get the ferry to Morocco tomorrow morning. I noticed today that I was getting no charge from the solar panels (3 x 200W Renogy) even though the sun is very bright and hot. Went into panic mode - no chance of expert help in Morocco - I'm doomed, so had a glass of very cold white wine to think about it.

I managed to get up to a point above the van to study the roof with binoculars - no sign of physical damage to the panels or wiring, but the panels were very dusty (having been cleaned before leaving home last week). Another clue came from the Victron solar controller app, which showed the solar power falling from 360Wh on Saturday, at a max voltage of 23.29V to 0Wh at max voltage of 13.93V over the last two days - no gradual reduction, just a step off. I think the supply voltage (13.9V in this case) has to exceed the system voltage by 5-6V to produce any power, so this at least confirmed the system was undamaged, but not achieving a high enough voltage to produce power.

Having borrowed a ladder from the campsite owner, and mopped down the panels to get rid of the dust (which was quite stubborn), I am now getting power again, at 21.49V - its 8:00 pm local time and the sun is on the way to setting. Smiles all round and more white wine consumed. I am guessing that the plume of Saharan dust that is passing over Spain and France was to blame - it is quite thick and apparently quite sticky.

So the moral is - don't panic like I did, drink some wine and wash the roof, in that order. Then drink more wine.
Happy trails!

 

[pappajohn]

Or drive faster so it doesn't get chance to settle.

 

[Mleabon]

Thanks for that. I'm just fitting new solar panels. 2 × 175w.
Was thinking of putting Rainex on them to help keep them clean. Has anyone done this? Of course might not be good with dust.

 

[Figaro]

Rainex doesn't last very long in my experience and it's proper function is to make water form beads.
Just wash them off when they get dusty is the best solution

 

[Spriddler]

Rainex doesn't last very long in my experience and it's proper function is to make water form beads.

It only works O.K. on my m/cycle visor as the rushing air drives off the droplets.
It's especially important for me as I ride one-handed so can't take my good (left) hand off the 'bars to wipe the visor (or scratch my nose or eject a bee from my full-face helmet )

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[Wh05apk]

It only works O.K. on my m/cycle visor as the rushing air drives off the droplets.

You ride on the rain???

 

[Spriddler]

You ride in the rain???

Haven't had much choice for the past year!

 

[DBK]

This is an interesting one that may help other MH users in the same situation. Over the last 4 days I have dawdled down from Bilbao to Tarifa, ready to get the ferry to Morocco tomorrow morning. I noticed today that I was getting no charge from the solar panels (3 x 200W Renogy) even though the sun is very bright and hot. Went into panic mode - no chance of expert help in Morocco - I'm doomed, so had a glass of very cold white wine to think about it.

I managed to get up to a point above the van to study the roof with binoculars - no sign of physical damage to the panels or wiring, but the panels were very dusty (having been cleaned before leaving home last week). Another clue came from the Victron solar controller app, which showed the solar power falling from 360Wh on Saturday, at a max voltage of 23.29V to 0Wh at max voltage of 13.93V over the last two days - no gradual reduction, just a step off. I think the supply voltage (13.9V in this case) has to exceed the system voltage by 5-6V to produce any power, so this at least confirmed the system was undamaged, but not achieving a high enough voltage to produce power.

Having borrowed a ladder from the campsite owner, and mopped down the panels to get rid of the dust (which was quite stubborn), I am now getting power again, at 21.49V - its 8:00 pm local time and the sun is on the way to setting. Smiles all round and more white wine consumed. I am guessing that the plume of Saharan dust that is passing over Spain and France was to blame - it is quite thick and apparently quite sticky.

So the moral is - don't panic like I did, drink some wine and wash the roof, in that order. Then drink more wine.
Happy trails!

I'm surprised that a light dusting would totally stop the panels working. I've often had my panels covered in dust and they still worked although obviously not as well as a clean panel.

Are you sure the lack of charging wasn't down to the batteries already being fully charged? You might have 600W of panels but the controller won't allow them off the leash if there is no need.

 

[Peavy]

the plume of Saharan dust

That's exactly my guess here.
More wine to that

 

[tonka]

Was thinking of putting Rainex on them to help keep them clean. Has anyone done this? Of course might not be good with dust.

Somewhere on here is a thread ref this. I recall reading in the past. The outcome was not a good idea, leave as they are and just a wash over now and then..

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[gus-lopez]

I am guessing that the plume of Saharan dust that is passing over Spain

Depends on the area also.Here ,where I live , it is normal to clean the panels twice per week. The dust is extremely bad without any need for saharan. Fixed house panels around the area suffer the same problem.Some are extremely bad. The commercial centre up the road to me has three huge banks of panels that have never been cleaned,apart from rain & we haven't seen any of that for a couple of years,& the loss of power must be huge?

Or drive faster so it doesn't get chance to settle.

doesn't work.
I am always pleased when In the Uk that I never have to clean my panels.

 

[Tony50]

I bought a extendable pole with a fitment on it with a cleaning pad affixed about 9 inches from the pad I can adjust the angle so it is about 90% to the pole, I then soak it in water and by using feel (when the pad drops over the other side of the panel)wash the panels and hope that I have cleaned them , never lost charging .

 

[bigwood]

When I did the annual roof wash this spring the panel was green with mold more than so than I remember. I can’t check the output but the batteries stayed charged over the winter during our of grid stays and stood on the drive.
Having an older motorhome with a ladder up the back I have no excuse for not keeping it clean. Maybe if I could monitor the output I would try to keep it clean.

 

[Richard n Ann]

I'm surprised dust would stop the charging completely
I think with 600w your controller may have just ended the charging anyway.

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

This is an interesting one that may help other MH users in the same situation. Over the last 4 days I have dawdled down from Bilbao to Tarifa, ready to get the ferry to Morocco tomorrow morning. I noticed today that I was getting no charge from the solar panels (3 x 200W Renogy) even though the sun is very bright and hot. Went into panic mode - no chance of expert help in Morocco - I'm doomed, so had a glass of very cold white wine to think about it.

I managed to get up to a point above the van to study the roof with binoculars - no sign of physical damage to the panels or wiring, but the panels were very dusty (having been cleaned before leaving home last week). Another clue came from the Victron solar controller app, which showed the solar power falling from 360Wh on Saturday, at a max voltage of 23.29V to 0Wh at max voltage of 13.93V over the last two days - no gradual reduction, just a step off. I think the supply voltage (13.9V in this case) has to exceed the system voltage by 5-6V to produce any power, so this at least confirmed the system was undamaged, but not achieving a high enough voltage to produce power.

Having borrowed a ladder from the campsite owner, and mopped down the panels to get rid of the dust (which was quite stubborn), I am now getting power again, at 21.49V - its 8:00 pm local time and the sun is on the way to setting. Smiles all round and more white wine consumed. I am guessing that the plume of Saharan dust that is passing over Spain and France was to blame - it is quite thick and apparently quite sticky.

So the moral is - don't panic like I did, drink some wine and wash the roof, in that order. Then drink more wine.
Happy trails!

Will this remedy work with other alcoholic beverages, I don't like wine?
Mike

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[Scotch mist]

Pulled my MoHo out the shed today, after following this thread I thought I’d do a experiment , 2 x 100 watt panels , i was getting 7.2amp , then I cleaned the dust off the panels ( wasn’t overly bad ) went up to 7.4amp , so made a slight improvement

 

[Odd job]

You ride on the rain???

When I had the Harley I never took it out in the rain, although being in England I often brought it home in the rain

 

[Guigsy]

If solar panels were that susceptible to dirt buildup, residential panels that never get cleaned would be useless.

I'm also betting that between the driving and the good early sun, the batteries are charged by 10am. So you're never seeing a full peak load.

 

[Wh05apk]

If solar panels were that susceptible to dirt buildup, residential panels that never get cleaned would be useless.

I'm also betting that between the driving and the good early sun, the batteries are charged by 10am. So you're never seeing a full peak load.

Residential panels tend to be at an angle so tend to be self cleaning, but I do agree with you, the effect of dust/dirt is over estimated, we were in Spain last November and were covered in sand, I thought I would clean them and we would get more power, but it was barely noticeable.

 

[Lenny HB]

I think you have a problem with your panels a coating of dirt & dust will reduce the output but only by 10 or 20% it won't kill it.
I've had my panels covered in Sahara sand and it's only reduced the output by a couple of amps. I carry a telescopic ladder so I can clean them.

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[cyberyacht]

Mine were a bit dusty in Cordoba, so reached out of the hatch over the bed with a wet cloth and a stick. Marginal improvement.