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 4 Easy Steps Maintain a Solar Panel Grid Connect System .

Are you interested in learning how to look after and maintain your Solar Panel – Grid Connect System in four easy steps?

Do you want to know the difference between Gross and Net Feed in Tariff?

With the cost of electricity bills increasing, more and more people are turning to solar power for their energy needs. When solar panels are installed it is good to know how to maintain them. It is even better if you understand how you can make money from your Solar Panel – Grid Connect System.

1. Periodic Inspections

Periodic inspections and cleaning of the Solar Panel – Grid Connect can ensure good performance. When carrying out a visual inspection, check for defects in the modules:

a)      Such as any chips

b)      Cracks

c)      Discolouration.

If you have trees close to the house, small particles like pollen or leaf particles may build up on glass surface of the solar panels and may need to be cleaned.

2. Cleaning

In many situations cleaning is only essential during long dry spells when there is little or no rain to provide natural cleaning of the solar panel’s surface. Cleaning involves

a)      Wash with water to clean the surface of the solar panel to eliminate any dust and dirt particles which build up.

b)      For thick grime that is difficult to remove, wash with warm water and a sponge.

c)      Avoid detergents as these may damage your solar panels.

3. Defects

If any noticeable defects are found, make a note their locations on the system in an exercise book. If you have recorded notes it is easier to monitor these defects and to see if there is any further deterioration. When carrying out inspections, pay particular attention to the condition of the array mounting frame and mounting bolts if one is used. In most cases the solar output will not be affected.

4. Inverters

Inverters require little maintenance but it is a good idea to keep them free from dust as much as possible.

a)      Wipe them over with a clean dry cloth.

b)      Check there is no infestation of pests near the inverter.

c)      Monitor the LED indicators to make sure the unit is working correctly if not consult your installer immediately.

Income from solar panels

To determine the income from solar panels there are a number of factors that need to be considered.

a)      It depends on the consumption of electrical power use by the household,

b)      The number of solar panels installed,

c)      The amount of solar energy available.

d)     Shading from trees

e)      Aspect of the roof and pitch

f)       Seasons – Summer provides more intense sunlight than winter.

These factors will determine how much power is exported to the grid, hence whether there is excess power generated to produce power to be sold to the Grid.

Gross feed in tariff and net feed in tariff

You may want to know the difference between Gross Feed in Tariffs and Net Feed in Tariffs? Gross feed in tariff pays for the whole amount of power you generate through your solar panels, while net feed in tariff only pays you for the amount you export to the grid.

Feed in tariffs.

Queensland it is 0.44

Western Australia pays 40 cents per kilowatt.

N.S.W pays 60/20 cents for power with a 7 year program as gross feed.

Victoria the amount they pay for power is 60/25 cents for 15 years net.

South Australia the amount paid for power is 44/22 cents for 20 years net feed.

ACT pays 44/22 cents for any power you generate for a 20 years period and it is gross tariff.

TAS – pays around 20 cents

Germany is around 33.03 ct

UK – The tariff paid to householders falls from 43.3p per kWh of solar electricity to just 21p under the proposals as of 2/11/2011

USA – Feed-in tariffs – Photovoltaic’s & Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)

Tier 1 PV < 20 kW – 21.8 to 27.4

Tier 1 CSP < 20 kW – 26.8 to 33.1

Tier 2 PV 20-100/500 kW – 18.9 to 23.8

Tier 2 CSP 20-100/500 kW – 25.4 to 27.5

Feed-in tariffs – Wind & Hydro-Power

Baseline FIT rate for any RPS-eligible technology under the max. size limit

Tier 1 On-Shore Wind < 20 kW 16.1

Tier 1 In-line Hydropower < 20 kW 21.3

Tier 2 On-Shore Wind 20-100/500 kW 13.8

Tier 2 In-line Hydro-Power 20-100/500 kW 18.9

Overall there is only minimal maintenance required for solar panels. It is easy to identify whether an inverter is working, by checking the LED lights. The solar power produced by sun is used by your household appliances and any excess unused portion is exported to the grid. Excess power is sold to the grid, will either offset the power bill slightly or completely..