In India, electricity which is produced through coal plants is highly expensive and is expected to increase in the coming future. There’s a massive problem of power cuts as they are awfully frequent and one cannot completely depend on diesel generators due to their high costs & if look at its broader perspective; then it causes a lot of harm to the environment. People have to think about the alternative ways of fulfilling their needs for energy because if you clearly examine, you can observe that the demand-supply gap for electricity has broadened in these few years in the country, which can lead us to a very difficult situation.

The government of India has been smart enough as they have considered this circumstance and kept this on their priority list; MNRE, i.e. the Ministry Of New And Renewable Energy, is focusing on promoting the Solar PV Systems installations all over the country, under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission in India, it aims to make people aware of its existence & advantages. However, many people across the country have understood the need for Solar PV Rooftop Systems installations at their homes, offices, apartments, complexes etc. They have understood the fact that it’s cost-effective in the long run & sustainable.

“We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature’s inexhaustible sources of energy – sun, wind and tide.  I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.” – Thomas Edison.

 A Solar PV Rooftop System requires low maintenance and is the best investment because it comes with a life span of 25 years or even more than that if it is maintained properly. It’s a long-lived asset of yours, but that doesn’t mean you will forget about it after the installation process is over. As time passes by, Solar PV Rooftop Systems gets old; due to this, its O & M means Operation & Maintenance of it becomes essential. If regular maintenance is accomplished, the performance of the solar power systems improves. It’s not surprising why solar operations & maintenance services have gained a lot of attention from the solar community all over the world.

Once you have installed the Solar PV Rooftop System, the installer is likely to hand over the details of how to perform the regular maintenance of the system to you to ensure that everything is working systematically. The information which is provided by the installer must include insights about the main inverter fault signals & key troubleshooting guidance, along with the details of the cleaning procedure of solar panels.

 Solar Operations & Maintenance services will involve maintenance of the main elements of a Solar PV Rooftop System such as Solar Panels, Battery, Charge Controller, Inverter, Wiring and connection.

Solar Panel

 People often have a similar perception about solar panels that they don’t need much care & attention. However, this is not true. There is a need to examine the solar panels occasionally to make sure that the panels are functioning correctly. Don’t worry as it is not a big task that you have to do. All you need to do is to keep the surface area of the panels clean and ensure that the solar panels are not covered with dirt. Also, there are no moving parts which is why it’s a lot easier. Always remember that any build-up of dirt, dust, bird’s nature calls or gum resins can directly have an impact of about 15% on the production of the energy and efficiency of the system. Every three months, you should examine the modules to see whether there has been an occurrence of fungus on & around the array. Make sure that no shading of the array has occurred because of the growth of trees in the surrounding area.

Here are some tips that you can follow to maintain your solar panels:

• You can use a garden hose to clean the solar panels.
• Never spray cold water when they are hot; it can cause a lot of damage.
• If the solar panels need more cleaning and a garden hose is not that helpful, then you can go for a sponge to make them clean.
• Resist yourself from using a metal brush to clean the surface of the solar panel, and never use detergents.
• Confirm that the panels and supporting frames are absolutely secured.
• Ensure that the fittings and cables at the panels and the inverter continue to be attached securely.

Maintenance Of The Batteries

When it comes to batteries, they need check-ups on a regular basis with utmost care so that their life span is extended. It is often recommended to the owners to administer regular assessments and cleaning of batteries. If you don’t have much time because of your daily work, then a visual inspection can also be a good choice for the analysis of the battery. The things that you have to take care of are to verify if there is an electrolyte leak, cracks in the batteries or if there is a presence of corrosion at the connectors & terminals. The system’s batteries must be clean, dry and free of corrosion & electrolytes. Once in a month, the cleaning of the batteries must be done.

Charge Controllers Or Regulators

 Renewable energy sources need Charge controllers/Regulators. The controller or regulator needs to be established in a dry, clean and ventilated area. The Charge Controller/Regulators is an electronic appliance that facilitates regulating the voltage of the charging source’s energy production to the introduced battery bank. The regulators have been explicitly designed to separate or reduce the charge current when preset voltages are reached. When inspecting the regulators, you need to keep certain things in mind, always examine the controller/regulator for any detached wiring located on the terminal connections. Clean the unit and remove all the excess dust with a dry cloth. Reach out to the installer instantly if the charge controller is not indicating any signs of charging.

Maintenance Of The Inverter

The inverter must be placed in a neat, dry, and airy area which is isolated from the battery bank. Some operational checks can be performed, such as inspecting the inverters visually, scanning connections for resistive joints, always trying to check the DC voltage which is applied to the inverter input, ensuring that all the cooling vents are free of debris, checking that the LED lights are functioning appropriately, wipe out the dust using a dry cloth and also assure that there is enough free space around the units for cooling intentions.

 

Conclusion

So, Solar PV Systems can be defined as a piece of electrical equipment that needs to be maintained regularly for using it safely and efficiently. According to the instructions provided by the manufacturer, regular maintenance should be performed. There are several advantages that one can get from maintaining the Solar PV Systems. Decent care secures the life cycle of a Solar PV System, and it can be preserved for a really long time. By doing this, the actual conditions of the solar power system can be sustained, while there may be compensation for ordinary wear & tear. In this article, you must have learned that Solar PV Systems expect very little maintenance when compared to the other electrical devices, for instance – Diesel Generators. Nevertheless, always remember every other thing requires maintenance, and so do your Solar PV Systems. These systems, too, need regular check-ups and protection.