I just opened the box and found a couple of issues. In order to get it set up this solar panel brush requires several additional steps which are not shown. First, and most importantly, contrary to the instructions, there was no opening in the telescoping handle near the brush head to allow the hose to exit. I will have to drill out an opening and install a grommet to protect the hose. Secondly the so-called faucet connector will not work on a standard American hose bib. You will need the fitting or fittings necessary to connect a male hose bib and terminates at a half-inch IPS male fitting in order to connect their quick connect. It seems to me that should be something that comes with the unit. Once I get these things done, we’ll see how it goes with the unit and I will update the review.
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Solar power has been green energy revolution, actively decreasing our global carbon footprint, and helping to offset some of the damage caused by non-renewable energy sources. When maintained properly, solar panels can produce high amounts of electricity (find out the power generating capacity of solar panel) without damaging the environment, whilst saving you money year-in, year-out, for many years to come.
Solar Panels require little maintenance aside from regular cleaning in order to work at maximum efficiency. Rain water alone is insufficient in cleaning, and so a versatile scrubbing brush tool is required. We review the best solar panel cleaning pools available today, with feature breakdowns, pros, cons, and reviews.
Solar panels require little maintenance, and can last many years without requiring replacement parts. However, one thing all solar panels do require, in order to operate at maximum efficiency, is regular cleaning. A dirty solar panel may be producing 15-25% less electricity than a clean one. In other words, the importance of solar panel upkeep cannot the overemphasized. The cleaner your solar panels are, the more efficient they will be, the more electricity you’ll produce, and the more money you’ll save. Read our article to learn everything about the solar panels’ lifespan.
When looking for cleaning tools and supplies to keep your solar panels sparkling, you’ll be glad to learn that there are myriad products available to you. In this list, we discuss our top five choices for solar panel cleaning tools, examining their features, pros, and cons. You can also check out our article on what solar cell efficiency involves for detailed information.
It’s our hope that by the end of this article, you’ll feel ready to make an informed decision and an educated purchase. Let’s dive in.
Let’s take a brief look at our top picks across a small range of categories.
Best Value
The Camco Flow-Through Wash Brush is a super affordable alternative to the more up-market options on this list. Straightforward and simple to use, it has a telescoping handle (47 to 74 inches) which easily locks into place, allowing you to reach all corners of your solar panels. Connect any standard hose and use the On/Off button on the handle to regulate the flow of water.
Best Brush-Only Design
The EVERSPROUT 20-foot scrub brush and squeegee is without doubt one of the finest solar panel cleaning products on the market. Extending up to 20-foot, whilst remaining lightweight, this brush allows you to reach roof-mounted panels from the ground with ease. The built-in squeegee allows you to easily wipe water away, though note that this brush does not enable to user to pump water directly through it, as do other competitor products.
Best Deluxe
If you’re looking for the very best solar panel brush and cleaning tool your money can buy, then look no further. The EQUIPMAXX water-fed pole is made from aerospace-grade aluminium, and has sturdy brass fittings allowing you to securely attach your outdoor faucet or hose, with which you can then wash, brush and clean your panels in one. Extending from 6.5-20 feet, you’ll have no problems cleaning solar panels wherever they’re installed. Rave reviews from customers suggest that this is the very best solar panel cleaner out there.
Whilst these products are fairly straight-forward, it’s worth taking a brief look at the inner workings of the brushes and flow-through panel cleaners reviewed in this article, so that you are fully aware of what you’re looking at.
Generally speaking, solar panel cleaning tools consist of a long, telescoping (extendable and retractable) pole with a brush at one end and an easy-grip handle at the other. Some of these tools can be connected to a hose or outdoor faucet so that you can pump water through the pole and out at the brush end to enhance the tools’ cleaning potential.
Whilst small variations do exist from product to product, there are some standard parts and processes which we’ll now discuss.
The brush end of solar panel cleaning tools holds a soft-bristled brush, sometimes with two layers of brushes (one for lifting dirt, one for brushing it away). The bristles are designed to be soft enough that they’re not liable to scratch the surface of your expensive solar panels (obviously an important feature). In short, the brush head works as does any domestic brush.
The pole onto which the brush head is attached is telescoping, meaning that it can be extended up to a maximum reach, clipped into place there (so that it is secure), and then retracted for storage or for more accessible cleans. The reach range of solar panel cleaning products varies greatly, from just 4-6ft, to 6.5-20ft. The poles are made of a wide range of materials, all lightweight, with the very best being made from aerospace-quality aluminium (strong and light).
The handle of solar panel cleaning brushes tends to be made of material which makes it easy to grip, usually some sort of foam or plastic.
Whilst not included in all solar panel cleaning products, the best tend to be compatible with outdoor faucets and hoses in one way or another. Hoses and/or faucets may usually be screwed onto the handle-end of the solar panel cleaning tool, from which they send water up the telescoping pole to spray out of holes in the brush end. This water functionality enhances the cleaning experience by ensuring that dirt is not only lifted and brushed away, but washed away with clean, fresh water, too. Some solar panel cleaning tools even have ON/OFF buttons to regulate the flow of water as and when needed.
Now that you know what components go into the construction of solar panel cleaning brushes, let’s answer a few questions you need to consider before purchasing one.
The accessibility of your panels will be the biggest factor affecting your decision to buy a panel cleaning kit. As we stated earlier, cleaning tools for solar panels tend to have telescoping poles of varying lengths. It’s the length of the pole which you need to consider. If your panels are mounted on the roof of your house to catch the most sun, then it’s very likely you’re going to need a tool which can extend up to 20 feet. However, if your panels are ground mounted, say in your garden, then you could of course get away with a cleaning brush which has a much shorter extension range.
Explore our article to discover the optimum facing for solar panel efficiency.
Most of the tools on this list are compatible with hoses and outdoor faucets, but that’s not the case for every item reviewed here. Before you buy, it’s worth considering whether you want the ability to wash your panels with water directly through the brush or not. If your panels are roof-mounted, water-compatibility is probably a good option, since you can’t always rely on rain water, and it would be hard to get up there with a bucket of water yourself. However, if the panels are more easily accessible, then you may feel you only need a dry brush.
As always, budget is a necessary consideration for most of us. Thankfully, these tools tend to be pretty affordable, especially in relation to the panels. Most come in at under $50, with still others as cheap as $25-30. The difference tends to come from functionality and materials used, and whilst not always true, in this case a little more cash does seem to buy you a more quality product.
Having taken a look at our top picks in three categories, and addressed the inner-workings and considerations relating to these products, it’s time we took a more in-depth look at the best solar panel cleaning tools on the market in 2021-22. We’ll examine their main features, reviews, pros, and cons.
The Camco 41960 is a simple brush with an aluminum handle that has a button to regulate the water that flows through the handle. The brush is designed to clean cars, boats, RVs, and other items, but works great for cleaning solar panels. The aluminum handle is sturdy and can telescope to reach closer or further, depending upon the application. The brush is 10-inches wide and has firm and soft bristles for scrubbing dirt that is caked on and brushing it away. Note that the short reach of this brush makes it unideal for inaccessible and roof-mounted solar panels. It’s attractive price, however, made this our ‘Best Budget’ category winner.
Adjustable handle length
Wide brush head with versatile application
Wash head does not swivel while in use
Easy on and off switch to regulate water flow
Different bristles with varying stiffness
It is not specifically manufactured for cleaning solar panels
Telescoping handle only extends to a maximum of 74-inches long (about 6ft)
Does not include water tank or hose
The EVERSPROUT scrub brush is a simple telescoping pole with a detachable scrub brush on the end. The head is rubber, not hard plastic, which means that it should never scratch your solar panels during use. The EVERSPROUT also includes a built-in squeegee on the end for effectively cleaning and wiping glass surfaces, once they’ve been washed (though note that the brush itself has no water compatibility for washing). The handle can extend up to 12 feet long, giving it a reach of approximately 20-feet when used from a standing position. The EVERSPROUT also comes with a 1-year warranty. This scrubber is multifunctional and of simple design. We awarded this our best in ‘Brush-Only’ category.
Soft bristles with a no-scratch rubber head
20-foot reach at full extension
Comes with a 1-year warranty
Weighs only 1.5lbs
Flip tab locking for telescoping pole ensures it is secure at full-extension
Pole tends to bend at longer lengths of extension
Does not allow water source to be attached
Parts are mostly static and non-adjustable
This telescoping brush setup is very sleek and effective. It allows the user to connect the pole to a garden hose so that water can be sprayed out of the brush head for cleaning. The pole extends up to 20 feet, though even without extending it is still a good 6.5 feet long. The included hose is 17 feet long from the base of the pole, giving great manoeuvrability. The material the included hose is made from is more lightweight than an average garden hose, allowing for maximum flexibility. The bristles on the EQUIPMAXX tend to be a little on the soft side but are still effective. Overall, this model is exceptionally made and very durable: we awarded it our ‘Best Deluxe’ category winner.
Extends to 20 feet long
Has water hose compatibility
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Sturdy and sleek design
Lightweight
Has included hose attachment that is 17 feet long and allows for easy manoeuvring
Comes with all necessary components
Manufacturer provides lifetime warranty
Does not include squeegee
Some additional adapters may be needed for hose connection
Depending on your water pressure, a hose clamp may also be needed
If cleaners are to be used, a tank must be used, as the pole does not allow cleaning solutions to be added directly
The DocaPole is a simple squeegee with a washing cloth on the other side of the head. Typically used for washing windows, this pole scrubber is perfect for solar panels as well. The pole can be extended up to 12 feet in length, giving it a maximum total reach of about 17 feet. This particular scrubber is not compatible with a water hook-up, but is easily dipped manually in water, and includes a chenille scrubber head with micro-fibers. The head can be tilted and locked into place to achieve otherwise difficult cleaning angles. With three included squeegee heads and solid customer reviews, this is a great ‘brush-only’ choice.
Micro-fiber scrubber on head
Squeegee built in (comes with three different size heads)
Easily dipped for use of soaps and foams
Locking angle adjustment for difficult angles
Telescopes for maximum reach (20 feet)
No water hook-up compatibility
Can be flimsy when extended to maximum reach
Micro-fiber is great for dirt and smudges, but heavy build up might require bristles instead
The Ulihome scrubber is another model with a micro-fiber scrubber, making it ideal for glass. The squeegee is made of a durable silicone and comes with a sprayer on the head (pre-loaded water/chemicals can be sprayed from the head with the pull of a trigger in the handle). The aluminum handle has three detachable segments that, when attached, make a 58-inch handle (about 4ft long). This design is better for close range application but is durable and simple to use, and relatively affordable.
Microfiber head is great for cleaning glass
Silicone squeegee
Spray nozzle attached to head
Sturdy handle
Can be disassembled for small storage
Only extends to 58 inches (4ft)
Spray nozzle must be depressed manually using forefinger
Microfiber is great for cleaning glass; however, heavy build-up may require bristles for cleaning
Does the cleaning tool come with a hose, or even the ability to be attached to an existing hose or outdoor faucet? Such cleaning tools make the scrubbing and washing of hard-to-reach and roof-mounted solar panels much, much easier, whilst those without require either a dry-clean or manually retracting and dipping the brush head time after time until the panels are clean.
Is it possible to use cleaning products directly through the brush? Some brushes can be preloaded with your preferred glass cleaner or cleaning product, which can then be sprayed from the head, whilst others are only compatible with cold water, and still others are dry brushes only.
What materials is the cleaning kit you’re looking at made of? Is the pole made of flimsy stuff, or aerospace-grade aluminum? Is the handle easy-grip? Has the brush got soft bristles (ideal for lifting layers of dirt) or a silicon mop head (only good for light cleaning)? Depending on how often you intend to clean your panels, and how dirty they tend to get, these are important considerations to make.
A product with a warranty (whether 1-year or lifetime) is without doubt more trustworthy than one without. If a manufacturer isn’t offering their customers a warranty, chances are the product isn’t going to last very long before breaking or malfunctioning.
Solar panels don’t require much maintenance, but keeping them clean is essential to their performance. A clean panel can be up to 25% more efficient than a dirty one. Whilst some solar panel owners opt to wash them down with just a hose, this is insufficient and leaves lots of tough dirt and grime on the panels. Taking into consideration the potential reach, functionality, compatibility and price of all the solar panel cleaning kits we’ve reviewed here, it seems clear to us that the very best product available on the market has to be the EQUIPMAXX Water Fed Pole Kit. With a pole extending up to 20-ft, soft yet hardy bristles, and a water-feeder that comes with its own lightweight, flexible hose, this is your best bet if you want to keep those roof-mounted solar panels clean and optimized for performance.
You might also want to explore our article to learn about the available variations of solar panels for those planning to implement solar energy solutions.
Unfortunately, no. Rain can help to clear off a bulk of heavy particulates but does not effectively rid the glass of smaller dirt and grime. Keep in mind that sap, smog, pollen, bird droppings, and other things that can greatly decrease the efficiency of your panels accumulate quickly, and require more regular, deeper cleaning than you can depend upon from rain alone.
To some extent, yes. Cleaners can help to rid the glass of sticky or heavy buildups. Do keep in mind, however, that the wires underneath the panels do not need cleaning and that some cleaners can be corrosive. It is also important to remember that some cleaners can leave a residue. Residue can build up and decrease the efficiency of your panels over time. Check with your manufacturer’s recommendations and restrictions before deciding to use a cleaner, and always thoroughly rinse your panels after cleaning.
This depends upon the accessibility of your panels. If you have a two-story home and your panels are on the roof, for instance, it might be difficult to safely get water and cleaners to the roof without a cleaning kit which has water compatibility/a sprayer head built-in.
A general recommendation is about every three months, however, if you have severe rain, smog, wind, or snow; it might be a better idea to clean them more often, perhaps once a month.
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