Installing a new solar power system is just the first step to enjoying the benefits of solar power. To get solar power’s full benefits, you need to make sure you’re also making the most out of your solar power system. This involves monitoring and evaluating your system’s performance and adopting the best practices for maintaining solar power systems.Yes, getting the most out of your system will take some effort, but you’ll be rewarded with a safer and better-performing system that will give you several years of reliable power generation. Here’s how to get the most out of your solar power system:
Understand Your Power Needs
To make the most of your system, it’s best to not only understand how well your system works, but also how much power you need. Analyse your household’s power usage, including where your generated solar power goes and how much of it you normally consume every day. This will give you an idea of how to match your system to your needs.
Keep the Weather in Mind
You are going to get a lot more value out of your solar panel system if you live in a location that gets plenty of sun. Lucky for us here in Australia, that is very much the case for a good chunk of our country. But cloudy and rainy days will happen, so do keep in mind that you can never expect your solar panels to work at full capacity all year around. Even so, in most cases, you should still get more than enough sunlight throughout the year to meet your energy needs.
Positioning on Your Roof
Where and how your solar panels are positioned on the roof can have a big impact on how much sunlight your solar system absorbs. Solar panels facing east or west won’t get as much light as solar panels that are northern-facing. If you have no choice but to place your solar panels on an east or west facing position, you could compensate by investing in more panels or larger collectors.
Understand Your System
Your first few weeks with your new system will likely be a test phase where you can observe what it can do and how well it performs in real-world conditions. Use this time to understand what your system is capable of. Find out what times of day it generates the most power and what ranges of output you can expect on both sunny and cloudy days. By analysing your system’s performance over the first few weeks, you can set a benchmark for monitoring and improving your system over time.
Monitor Your System
If you want to make the most out of your system, it’s not enough to simply let it run and hope for the best. You’ll need to monitor it constantly to make sure it’s performing consistently and to its full potential. Monitor the level of power it generates over time and determine its average, so you have a baseline for its performance. If you notice your system is consistently performing below this baseline, then it may be a sign that your system needs maintenance and servicing.
Inspect Regularly
Make it a habit to check on your solar panels often. Check for any damage or dirt that can affect its performance. You should also inspect your solar panels closely at least once every six months to make sure they’re in good condition and to identify any chips or cracks.As far as cleaning goes, you’ll be glad to know that you don’t need to clean them too often since most tilted solar panels are usually cleaned naturally by the rain. (If you have flat-laying panels, you may need to check and clean these more often). However, if your property has trees nearby, you may need to get up there and remove leaves, branches and bird droppings from time to time to keep your solar panels in peak performance.
Invest in System Upgrades
Perhaps the best way to get the most of your solar power system and maximise its potential is to invest in new parts and solar panel upgrades. The most common upgrades that homeowners often include solar storage units, new converters, or simply more solar panels. These new parts not only help your system reach its full potential, but it can even increase it.
Have It Professionally Checked
If you want to be absolutely sure that your system is working at its best, then don’t hesitate to have it checked by professionals. Professional technicians can identify issues that you may not notice (or be aware of), and they can offer the right solutions for addressing these issues. They can also provide tips and advice on how to improve your system based on your goals and preferences.For your complete peace of mind, we offer a solar maintenance service that can guarantee your system’s performance and safety. This service includes a comprehensive 8-point system check (checking all internal and external components) and a professional clean of your panels.
Remember: The better you maintain and take care of your system, the more likely it will consistently perform at its best.
