Cleaning solar panels

[transatlantic]

I have a few solar powered water fountains in my garden where the panel is under the spray of the fountain. The solar panel is now covered in a white mist which I assume is limescale as we live in a hard water area.

I'm going to pick up some Limescale Remover on the way home from work, but was wondering if there is anything better? as I haven't had much luck with the supermarket limescale removers in the past.

 

[Rorschach]

White vinegar, cheap and works well.

 

[mbartlett99]

Best place is ebay to get it cheap in bulk - just bought 20l for £14. Use it a lot at work and its just about the only cleaning product in my house.

 

[Bm101]

Best place is ebay to get it cheap in bulk - just bought 20l for £14. Use it a lot at work and its just about the only cleaning product in my house.

What, white vinegar?
Genuine query not some snide comment to be clear!
I use a'toilet cleaner' at work on glass scale. Generally when it's been off some leaking waste pipe that has been left for 10 years and is inaccessible other than abseil and is 5mm thick. It's probably faster/stronger than vinegar etc but it's nasty industrial gear. Not pleasant to use. I try to keep it off my ropes for obvious reason! For domestic use I'd use white vinegar or citric acid crystals which I use on rust etc now as it's a lot easier to store between use. Another thing I use on glass is a scraper, cheap one is fine, key is sharp new stanley type blades. Got a nick in the plane and you'll scratch the glass/panel. For your 'mist' a soak propped up should be grand.
On solar panels You'd want to be careful, I've seen some that have raised elements etc etc. #You'reNotDaft
Another solution is to use white pads with your cleaner, like brillo type green pads but they won't scratch glass so 'should' be okay on panels.
Green pads can be surprisingly abrasive if you put some muscle behind them.
Hope it helps.
Cheers
Chris

 

[transatlantic]

Cool - I'll try the vinegar. Do you need to let it sit for a while?

 

[Bm101]

Yeh. Just let it work. It's not abrasive enough to cause major damage unless you leave it for 3 weeks.I wouldn't panic. Keep an eye on it though. Be careful of any joints that might allow any fluid ingress obviously. For what you're talkin about i'd think you're looking a few minutes soaking then a rub and rinse. Same as the kettle or shower head.

 

[mbartlett99]

Yup totally serious - white vinegar cheapest. In France they have it in 5L containers in the supermarket; its not a new thing, in fact its one of the earlier cleaning agents.

Mix with water - 80% water - in a spray bottle and you've got a quick domestic cleaner. Clean glass with it + paper = no residue. 'We' use it a lot on yacht interiors (we = the stewardess's) as its kind to delicate finishes, leaves no residue (esp. important when it might need refinishing) and no smell.

Going to be out of town for a few months - put some in your toilets, it'll stop the water going rank and kill some limescale.

Fill kettle with it neat and leave overnight - limescale gone. Showers heads ditto.

Its just weak acetic acid and obviously isn't going to shift heavy buildup quickly - Muriatic acid for that (a bit exciting if you get it wrong). Obviously not a great way to clean marble unless you're into a matt finish.

 

[Bm101]

Thanks. No surprise vinegar and newspaper was granny's favourite for the windows.

 

[transatlantic]

Mix with water - 80% water - in a spray bottle and you've got a quick domestic cleaner. Clean glass with it + paper = no residue. 'We' use it a lot on yacht interiors (we = the stewardess's) as its kind to delicate finishes, leaves no residue (esp. important when it might need refinishing) and no smell.

Do you mean a reduced smell because of the water ratio? or is it a specific formula that doesn't smell? All the white vinegars I have tried even when mixed with water still have a very strong smell. (we tried it for a cat that kept spraying our cat flap, and the vinegar smell was just as bad as the urine smell!)

 

[mbartlett99]

Dunno - not an expert on vinegars - malt vinegar seems to smell more (tastes better too). The cheap white stuff smells when you spray it but quickly disperses to nothing. Hardly going to have a billionaires yacht smelling like a chippy!

 

[transatlantic]

Hardly going to have a billionaires yacht smelling like a chippy!

Which was why I asked if it was something specific! :lol: :lol:

 

[mbartlett99]

No, just cheapest stuff. Never seen the girls be very specific about anything at all tbh, but thats a whole different barrel of monkeys which could go on for days