How to Take Care of Your Portable Solar Panel

Do you camping with a solar generator? What Is solar camping? We are frequently asked how to take care of portable solar panels? This question comes from RV owners who already have portable solar panels installed on their RVs. Some RV owners are camping enthusiasts and are tired of using gas generators. They want to know if they switch to portable camping solar panels from camping generators, how will it affect them in terms of maintenance and cleaning. Well, let's answer both of these questions. Solar panel cleaning is the only thing you'll have to do every 6-12 months. That sounds amazing, right?

Solar panels are always installed on the roof of an RV. Therefore unless you have to clean them or do any repairs, you can make your camping hassle-free. You can avoid the hassle of carrying, refueling, and maintaining a generator. Wait, there is more. Generators keep you worried if, at night, you have to leave your generator outside.

First, don't have to worry about maintenance as solar panel systems are almost seamless. However, there are some exceptions. For example, if you go camp somewhere in winter, your solar panels have to deal with more than 2 inches of thick wet snow. It will affect the performance of your solar panels as they will not be able to generate electricity without sunlight. Other than that, there is no considerable problem with RV solar panels. If you think dust can be a problem, then no, it doesn't. Let's tell you why. The dusk cannot stay on solar panels for long if you drive your RV. It is carried away with the air while the vehicle is moving. RV solar panels need some of your attention from time to time. Sometimes for cleaning and sometimes they require some repairs. Well, let's share some simple tricks that will make you proud.

Don't wash your portable solar panels with water

Suppose you don't know about your solar panels' waterproofing. Just don't wash your portable solar panel with water. Or even if you know that they are waterproof and have a warranty. Please don't rely on normal tap water to wash them because you will have to face the problems like reverse polarization and reduced power output. In the worst-case scenario, you will have hot spots built on your solar panel. Hot spotting will damage your solar panels to the point where they cannot produce electricity.

The answer is both yes and no. If you have waterproof solar panels, you can wash them with clean water with no minerals. Clean water with no minerals will not leave behind any residue on solar panels after washing. Minerals deposits left behind can hurt your solar panel's performance.Rainwater is usually enough for cleaning your portable solar panels. Rainwater automatically rinses off any dust from the solar panels. However, sometimes you do not have any rain, and you don't have clean tap water. In this case, you should only use distilled water. 

Don't wash your portable solar panel with corrosive liquid

Don't wash your portable solar panel with corrosive liquid. Corrosive liquids are usually strong bases or strong acids that can damage your solar panels. Never use any cleaning agent on your solar panels if some dirt and grime are difficult to remove. It's natural to assume that stronger cleaning liquids will work better. Using cleaning products with powerful components can harm the glass panels and diminish their efficiency dramatically. Instead, use liquid dishwashing soap and stay away from anything with a lot of alcohol.

It is much better to use deionized or distilled water to wash your portable solar panels. This is the best way to keep your RV solar panels shining. The only other thing you can use with water is a brush. Brushing while pouring clean water will make your solar panels cleaner than you think. On top of that, this method requires less hassle and time. If you find a stane that is not easy to remove and think a corrosive liquid will do the job. Then you are on the verge of damaging your solar panels by damaging photovoltaic cells.

Don't often disassemble the portable solar panel

Don't disassemble the portable solar panels often. We understand that you might need your solar panels for home when your RV is resting. But to do that, you will have to disassemble the whole portable solar system from RV and install it in your home. When you decide to go on a trip again, disassemble it again and install it on your RV. Do you know what will happen? During this process, you can damage the wiring of your system. Some panels might stop providing power to the solar system. You can also damage your solar panels during this process. It will cost you more than the saving cost at your home.

You can damage your batteries to the heart of your portable solar power system while moving them. Carrying your batteries all the time to assemble and disassemble increases the chance of dropping and damaging them. And you know how costly solar batteries can be. So our suggestion is not to disassemble your portable solar panels from your RV. Except, you want to clean them, or there is a problem you want to detect.

Don't hit the portable solar panel with heavy objects

Although your portable solar panels can withstand very harsh weather conditions like hailstorms, they can withstand a 2400 pascals pressure or 140mph wind on average. But never test their resilience yourself. Don't hit them with a heavy object ever. A direct strike with a  heavy object on a solar panel will damage its protective glass layer. It will eventually damage photovoltaic cells. It can also damage the connections between photovoltaic cells on a solar panel. And you know what's next. You've got a damaged solar panel that is not working anymore, and you are stuck with less or no solar power.

Repair the portable solar panel with professionals' help

If you have worked in the electric power industry or are familiar with minor tweaks with solar panels, it will only be helpful for tiny problems. Butit is in your best favor that you don't try to do any repairs yourself. Look, professionals know about their products and services better than you, and you are definitely not a professional in solar panels. So seek a professional's help instead of experimenting yourself and damaging your portable solar panel as a result. 

Pack the portable solar with a special box

Always pack your portable solar system with a special box while transporting or storing them. It will save it from any possible damages. You can buy from variousbags and boxes to pack, specifically designed to pack solar panels and other components of your portable solar system. Investing in a good packing bag or special box dedicated to your portable solar system will definitely help you avoid the cost in case of any damage. Special boxes for portable solar systems are mostly water-resistant, and if you can pay a higher price, you can find a heat-resistant box or case. The special boxes or carry bags make it simple to store, transport, and protect portable solar panels. The extra cushioning guarantees that the solar panels are appropriately protected.

Summary

Most portable solar panel problems are caused by insufficient electrical output, which is why most solar firms advocate installing a monitoring system.To maintain your solar panels generating efficiently, we recommend yearly service to ensure that your portable solar system is kept in good working order. Any faults or drops in power generation are identified and corrected as soon as possible.Checking the power generated by your solar panels quarterly is an excellent idea. In the end, remember our tips while taking care of your portable solar panels.