Australia has been experiencing bushfires recently. It has caused damaged to the lands, wildlife and the environment. For people living near the areas with bushfires, it can also mean damage or even loss of properties. But the immediate effects that concern everyone are the ash fall and soot that the fires produce. While it can cause hazards to health, it can also create problems on properties.
A lot of homes in Australia have been installed with solar panels and during and after a bushfire, securing and maintaining them is the homeowner’s concern.
Here are some precautionary measures you can follow to secure the safety of the solar panels and your households when there is a bushfire.
During a Bushfire
When there is an ongoing bushfire in your area, burning cinders can cause a fire in your roofs and damage the solar panels. As a precaution, shutting down your solar system, specifically, the solar inverter would be the best move.
If you are unsure how to do it, you can call your installer or the manufacturer of your solar panels for instructions on how to do it.
If they are unavailable, you can refer to the manual and follow the steps on how to shut down solar inverters. It usually involves two steps which ask you to:
- Turn off the main switch of the solar supply or the AC isolator which can be found near or below the solar inverter.
- Switch off the DC isolators situated below or near the solar inverter.
Here are additional tips you can follow when shutting down your solar system.
- Remember to switch off the AC isolator first before turning off the DC isolators to avoid any malfunctions or accidents. If you mistakenly switch off the DC isolators while carrying a high voltage, it might cause fire or injuries.
- To have a visual of your system, you can also send pictures or make a video call to someone, so they can assist you directly on how to turn off your solar system.
- If you are still uncertain and nobody can instruct you how to turn it off, better shut down your system at night when it is not functioning.
After a Bushfire
After a bushfire, there can be ashes and soots that have covered your solar panels. A thin layer of this soot may not pose a problem as long as the production of energy is still the same, so cleaning them is not required.
When the soot layer is too thick, and there is a decrease in the energy output, cleaning the panels with a hose is allowed.
Below are some things you should remember when cleaning off the soot in the panels:
- It is safer to use the hose from the ground and no need to climb up the roof when cleaning.
- The best time to do the cleaning would be early in the morning or after sunset when the panels are not hot.
- You should not use high water pressure because it might cause damage to the solar panel’s glass. Let the water fall on the panels like raindrops.
- If there is no available water, you can remove the ash from the ground using a broom with a long stick.
- You can also hire professional cleaners to ensure that the solar panels are cleaned thoroughly.
If you need solar panel or solar panel accessory replacements, please visit our website today to see our full collection of solar products. For assistance, call us at 1300 620 290, or send us an email at info@solarshoponline.com.au.