Importance of regular solar maintenance: ZNC Solar checklist

All machines and systems require regular maintenance; it is how they continue to work and provide service to consumers. Without this maintenance, you are guaranteed to work the machine down and destroy it with prolonged and neglected usage. And solar energy solutions are no different; they too, are a machine, and more importantly, require maintenance that ensures that they keep functioning in the best possible condition. So, for this blog post, we will take a look at the importance of regular solar maintenance, what it requires to keep your solar energy system well-maintained, and what does ZNC Solar recommend doing in order to keep your solar energy system operating at its best condition and peak efficiency.

What is solar solution maintenance?

Solar energy systems operate on the basic principle of the photovoltaic effect; that starts with the sunlight causing the solar panels to produce an electric current, which is then sent to the inverter, which makes the current usable by the home appliances or power box. Depending on whether the consumer has battery storage or not, the inverter may send the converted energy straight to the battery. Now, all of it is a process that requires lots of wiring, lots of high-tech equipment working correctly, so, it is obvious that the system is going to require maintenance, and that maintenance is going to be a little bit more than just checking up on the wiring.

Everything from a periodic wipedown for the solar panels to ensure that sunlight gets to the surface unobstructed, to a comprehensive technical maintenance that only authorised teams are allowed to carry out that ensure that the entire system is running smoothly, the maintenance for solar solutions can be extensive, but nothing to worry about. Lets get back on track and discuss the importance of regular solar energy solution maintenance.

Importance of regular solar maintenance

Here are a few points that will explain why it is important to never skip on your solar energy solution maintenance.

i. Efficiency, output
The first and obvious advantage of having your maintenance done regularly, and not skipping out on important upkeep, is the fact that consumers can then enjoy better efficiency and output at any given time. With a well-maintained solar energy solution, your solar energy output will never be affected adversely, and if you keep optimal maintenance at all times, the efficiency numbers wont go down either. Conversely, skip out on crucial maintenance work and you will notice and immediate and considerable drop in both performance and efficiency.

ii. Extends lifespan
Like all machines, solar energy solutions can also wear themselves down if not given adequate maintenance and upkeep. And this is where a good majority of the issues surface; if you don’t wipe down your solar panels all that often, your solar inverter is in a damp box with little ventilation and the battery terminals are caked with deposits, they are not going to last long. In fact, they will begin to lose their efficiency very quickly, and persistent usage without maintenance will not do their lifespan any favour.

iii. Prevents major issues
They say that a stitch in time saves nine, and the same is true for solar energy systems. Smaller issues, one which can be identified and corrected with routine maintenance, when ignored, could become major issues once left unchecked, which is another really important reason why consumers should never skip out on solar energy solution maintenance, no matter how insignificant or unusual it may seem.

iv. Safety
Finally, for safety reasons, it is always important to ensure that your solar energy system is well-maintained. Several small cracks in the wire can be identified with regular maintenance, which, if unnoticed, could cause not just major issues down the road, but also turn into a serious health and safety hazard for occupants of the premises.