Car wax on a solar panel?

sunflexsolar
sunflexsolar Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭
in General Solar Power Topics #1
Has anyone ever tried putting auto wax on their solar panels? I was wondering if a slick coat of wax might assist in snow removal/accumulation.
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  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Car wax on a solar panel?

    Have never tried waxing panels, BUT, there is a Glass Wax product, unbelievably called, "Glass Wax", ... I cannot get around to even washing my panels.

    Have Fn, Vic
    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
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  • blackswan555
    blackswan555 Solar Expert Posts: 246 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: Car wax on a solar panel?

    Don`t get much snow here in Ibiza so bit difficult to tell , But I have used this http://www.rainx.com/Products/Windshield_Treatment/Original.aspx on cars for many years, It works very well, May be worth a try for panels ?

    Have a good one
    Tim
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  • jcgee88
    jcgee88 Solar Expert Posts: 154 ✭✭
    #4
    Re: Car wax on a solar panel?
    sunflexsolar wrote: »
    Has anyone ever tried putting auto wax on their solar panels? I was wondering if a slick coat of wax might assist in snow removal/accumulation.

    I haven't tried car wax, and would not. Car wax is not
    transparent.

    There are things like RainX which are better suited for
    making glass more slippery without degrading transparency.

    That being said, my manufacturer's instructions said not
    to put anything on the panels, and my contractor also
    told me the same thing.

    I do go up and wash the panels with a Windex
    exterior window soap pad and water. That product's
    soap is supposed to not leave much residue when the
    glass dries by evaporation.

    John
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  • techntrek
    techntrek Solar Expert Posts: 1,372 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Car wax on a solar panel?

    I wouldn't trust the Rain-X until getting confirmation in some way that it doesn't block too much light. I don't think even a few % reduction year-round would be better than leaving it as-is and dealing with a few days of snow, especially if you can knock the snow off with a long pole (roof mount).
    4.5 kw APC UPS powered by a Prius, 12 kw Generac, Honda EU3000is
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Car wax on a solar panel?

    Don't waste your time, effort, and money with car wax or RainX or any such stuff. Panels are glass. They're quite slick, and will shed rain & snow & dirt & debris pretty much on their own. Look at 'em once in a while. If there's something sticky like tree sap/pollen on them, wash them like a big window. If you're in snow country, you probably have enough tilt to shed all but the wet, sticky stuff. Even then, enough light will get through and the panels will heat up and shed the flakes.

    The idea that anything that falls on panels (other than shadows) will present any significant drop in production has been repeatedly proven wrong by many of us here on the forum, and that's all over the world.

    Don't worry about it. :D
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  • Ralph Day
    Ralph Day Solar Expert Posts: 1,022 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: Car wax on a solar panel?

    Here here Marc
    Let the rain and snow (or a rinse if you have water to spare) do the cleaning. I've had freezing rain clear itself in less than an hour with just the sun warming the panels. Snow will shed itself too, but I have a telescoping handled brush to remove large (over 1/4inch) accumulations:p

    This winter will tell. My 10kw array might take quite a while to clear. 2.1kw array took 5 minutes sometimes, so we'll see. With a 55deg inclination it might just take a shake from underneath to clear snow.

    Ralph
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  • sunflexsolar
    sunflexsolar Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭
    #8
    Re: Car wax on a solar panel?

    Thanks all for the replies. I guess for now, ill just leave the panels alone, but ill check into the glass-wax and rain-x idea.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: Car wax on a solar panel?

    don't bother putting anything but a bit of soap and water to clean them with. a good glass cleaner can be used as well, but is probably overkill for it. you don't want to put anything on the pvs that will add a layer of anything that light might be impeded by.
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  • AntronX
    AntronX Solar Expert Posts: 462 ✭✭
    #10
    Re: Car wax on a solar panel?

    For anyone planning to put any chemicals besides soap and water on their panels. Some panels (if not most) are coated with transparent resin on top of glass to give it texture for better off-axis light capturing. I recommend to check with your panel manufacturer before applying anything.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: Car wax on a solar panel?

    that's a good point in that it could void your warranty. just don't do anything except soap and water skipping even my suggestion of the glass cleaners altogether unless they allow for it under warranty.
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