Solar panels are designed to work in most conditions. However, one question that comes to mind most often, is—do solar panels work in the rain? The answer is yes, it does. However, protecting your solar panels and making them run effectively even when it rains can be a bit challenging. This is because thunderstorms can cause massive physical damage to a solar panel, which makes it unproductive.
However, here are some useful tips that can help you keep solar panels safe during monsoons and bring down repair costs. But first, let us explore what happens to your solar panel when it is hit by rain.
What Happens to Your Solar Panel when Rain Hits?
Solar panels are made up of a bunch of solar cells, and the main material used is silicon. When there is heavy rain or hailstorm, the protective glass covering the solar cells get damaged.
This is the reason why you need to follow some preventive steps to protect solar panels from rain as well as other bad weather conditions.
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Protective Covering
There are protective covers available that you can use to safeguard your panels from heavy rain. However, keep in mind that because the cover blocks out direct sunlight, the panel’s productivity will be slightly diminished. But it is still a great way to prevent the panel from getting destroyed.
Apart from this, you can cover your solar panels with a layer of methacrylate, which is a strong bond of polymer plastic. Since the layer is quite thin, sunlight can pass through easily, meaning it will protect your solar panel without affecting productivity.
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Rearrange your Panels
Arranging the panels at an angle is a natural solution to safeguard them from heavy rain. Find a good angle that allows the water to slide off from the panel’s surface, keeping it clean and productive.
If you have many panels, you can do this remotely with an automated solar panel moving device. However, the technology is quite expensive, and it can sometimes end up costing more than the solar panels.
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Automate your Solar Panel Protection
If you are not limited by your budget, you can employ cleaning robots that keep solar panels safe in rain or during bad weather. While the robot may not help with the actual rain-induced damage itself, it can certainly contribute by clearing out all the dirt and leaves that are bound to find their way onto your solar panel during the monsoon season. A key advantage is that it can clean a large number of solar panels in a limited amount of time.
However, this is mainly used in commercial solar power plants, where the robots are purchased in bulk.
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Hire a Professional
Once or twice a year, you need to call in an expert technician to get your solar panels checked. This is to ensure that your solar panels are safe during monsoon and beyond.
Getting a technician to inspect your solar panel, its mounting and perform regular maintenance is of utmost importance because it is near impossible for a non-professional to effectively deal with a solar panel’s internal issues.
Also Read: Precautions for the Safe Installation of Solar Panels
Conclusion
So, you can keep solar panels safe during monsoons, if you maintain them properly. The key is to be prepared with weather forecasts, the right tools for safeguarding your solar panel and choosing a sturdy inverter with a long life.
At Genus, we offer just that; due to the high-quality build and the great service we provide, our solar panels are guaranteed to stay productive for a long time to come.