How are solar panels maintained? Who much does it cost?

The increase in light has caused many families to be interested in installing solar panels. In this article we tell you about its maintenance and how much it costs, among other points of interest.

Solar panels are responsible for transforming solar energy into electricity. This is possible because the sun’s rays hit the plates, which have semiconductor materials, and what they do is transform the energy they receive into electricity. This is a procedure that is possible through so-called solar cells.

He solar panel installation price It will depend on the type of installation to be carried out: the number of plates that are required, the type of use, etc. An installation of 3-4KW solar panels for domestic use will cost around 4,500 euros. This cost can be reduced by 50% thanks to subsidies from the Spanish government and the European Next Gen Funds, with which the cost of the installation will be recovered in a few years.

What is the maintenance of solar panels?

Solar panels normally have a useful life of 30 years, during which some malfunctions can occur if the correct preventive maintenance is not applied through actions such as cleaning and also a simple visual inspection of the panels that can help us to identify any problems.

care and cleaning

Solar panels have to be cleaned three or four times a year. If it results in the plates having a thick layer of dirt, it can affect their ability to achieve absorption by the solar cells. Therefore, at certain points it may be important to resort to cleaning them.

Check structure and support

In addition to cleaning, which is key so that they do not lose up to 8% of their effectiveness, it is advisable to temporarily check the state of the anchors to the roof or that the plate supports are firm. In short, it is about being able to verify that they are properly fixed in order to avoid detachments.

Solar Inverter Review

Checking the status of the solar inverter is also important. In this sense, attention must be paid to this part because it is the most delicate of the entire installation. It is important to check that there is no humidity that can surround it and that the environment is always between 0º and 40º C.

Technical maintenance

Once a year it is recommended that non-preventive technical maintenance be carried out, which is generally carried out by a specialized company. Thus, the specialists will be in charge of checking aspects such as the open circuit voltage and the short circuit current, and the tightness of the connection boxes that are in the solar panels themselves.

Every two years it will be necessary to check the state of the grounding of the solar panels, doing the same at a time when the ground is dry and always checking that it does not exceed the recommended values.

Continuing with technical maintenance, every five years it will be necessary to carry out a general revision of the general electrical panel and also of the intensities of the cables.

Although general maintenance is very simple, technical inspections are necessary periodically to check aspects such as the output voltage and intensity of the plates, also check if the inverter works correctly and if the batteries are in good condition.

The price will depend on the conditions of the installation. For example, if you want to technically check the state of the solar panels in a domestic installation of up to 5 kW, the cost can be about 150 euros, while if the installation is around 250 kW, equivalent to about 60 panels solar, the price can rise to 400 euros. But, as we say, it will depend on each installation and it is best to obtain a personalized quote for each case and type of installation.

Useful life

Although the useful life of a solar panel also depends on the condition of the roof on which it is installed, the truth is that the useful life of this type of panel is estimated to be about 30 years. During this time, in general, the only thing that may need to be replaced is the inverter, which is in charge of converting the direct current of the plates into alternating current.

With Plenitude you can count on a customer service that pays the utmost attention to your needs and to any type of problem: the solar panels have a 25-year guarantee, and you can count on an assistance service in case of breakdown.