Last summer we took advantage of New York’s incentives to install pv panels and hook them up to our meter in a net-metering system. We can easily produce enough energy for our house, except when the panels are covered with snow. We have a tall house, and climding the ladder is getting old. Any ideas on clearing snow without going up on the roof?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Lighting up an exterior isn't just about ambiance— it's also about code compliance. Here is what the code says about safety and efficiency when it comes to outdoor lighting.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
Fine Home Building
Follow
-
Fine Homebuilding
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial Now -
GBA Prime
Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
- Home Group
- Antique Trader
- Arts & Crafts Homes
- Bank Note Reporter
- Cabin Life
- Cuisine at Home
- Fine Gardening
- Fine Woodworking
- Green Building Advisor
- Garden Gate
- Horticulture
- Keep Craft Alive
- Log Home Living
- Military Trader/Vehicles
- Numismatic News
- Numismaster
- Old Cars Weekly
- Old House Journal
- Period Homes
- Popular Woodworking
- Script
- ShopNotes
- Sports Collectors Digest
- Threads
- Timber Home Living
- Traditional Building
- Woodsmith
- World Coin News
- Writer's Digest
Replies
My first thought was that heated tile backer stuff - not sure how you'd install it or how it would weather, but it would be cheap enough to try in a small area.
You can't be the only one having this problem. Have you checked with the maker/installer to see if they have a solution? If they don't, then there's a business opportunity here to provide a retrofit solution to everybody who has these expensive panels in snow country.
-- J.S.
Funny thing is, I've been looking for forums or other info on this and haven't come up with much. Most people say wait till it melts. Well, here in the Adirondacks that could be a while!
Paint the panels black. They'll absorb more heat that way, and the snow will melt faster.
What angle are they at? It sounds like they need to be a lot closer to vertical.
Could you rig a rope operatated wiper that you could work from the ground?
Maybe an application of Rain-X in the fall. And retrofitting a plastic blade on a roof rake?
If you feed current back througha PV panel does it heat up?
No, if you backfeed it, it emits sunshine ;-)
Cute. The panels have diodes so you can't backfeed, although we have considered some way of heating the panels. They are attached by rails to our roof, which is a 45 degree angle. This is the optimum angle for our latitude. Don't think we can paint them black - the sunlight would have a hard time getting through the paint!
Didn't mean to send that last message yet.
Our thoughts right now are to install two rails along the top to bottom axis of the panels, rig something to slide on them, and put a light bar across with w wiper on it. The wiper would then be operated by a rope and pulley setup from the ground.
Would you mind sharing some of the dollars involved? What was the cost of the installation, and how big is it?
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
The installation is 2.5 kw - we have 15 panels. The total cost for us will be ~$6000 - 7000. Without NYSERDA incentives it would have cost 18 thou. We got a grant paid directly to the installer, tax credits that can be taken over 4 years, and a extra-low interest loan. Also, we avioded sales tax on the equipment because we are now energy providers. We are producing more power than we use; our usage will be tallied up in early April for the first year's contract at which point Ni Mo will pay US for whatever excess we have produced!
If you want more info, I can direct you to a contractor.