# Pic's of snow problem on panels



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

I have mounted upper and lower panels. It's a little hard to see but when I mounted the 
upper panels I made sure that the panels stuck out over the edge of the roof. The hope
was that when the snow fell off the top panels it would knock the snow off the lower panels.
I also made sure that the upper panels were directly over the lower panels.

The upper panels on the roof are almost straight up and down and they still have the same
problem. I have lowered the lower panels so they are straight up and down and the result
was the same. So I guess I'm still working on figuring out to have self cleaning panels.

Were going to get another 2 feet tonight. GEZZZZZZZZZ 
Ideas? 


Even the small solar spot light (all the way to the right) has "8 covering the panel


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

Surf board wax, Pam, hmmm not sure have you found any advice on the net?


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## txmarine6531 (Nov 18, 2015)

Don't they make heated cord? I think it's at a very low temperature so it doesn't burn stuff. Easy Heat® 30ft Water Pipe Heating Cable (AHB-130) - Heat Tape & Accessories - Ace Hardware


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

txmarine6531 said:


> Don't they make heated cord? I think it's at a very low temperature so it doesn't burn stuff. Easy Heat® 30ft Water Pipe Heating Cable (AHB-130) - Heat Tape & Accessories - Ace Hardware


210 watts or about 2 amps for one stretch of cable. Can you swing that kind of juice Budget-Preppin?


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

at the end of the day, the best thing to do.. is get a pole and uncover them by hand


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

GTGallop said:


> 210 watts or about 2 amps for one stretch of cable. Can you swing that kind of juice Budget-Preppin?


I think I could swing that. Or use my small 800 watt generator. Maybe just do the
top panels and see if it knocks the snow off the lowers when it falls down

Can you believe that the panels still charge? Not much but they can keep up with some led lights


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

How about a plexiglass overhang above them, sort of like how the eave of a roof keeps rain/snow off a wall. Position high enough it does not block the sunlight.


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## SGT E (Feb 25, 2015)

Cheap tarps or garbage bags over the night before a snow? Id remount them behind my house to draw less attention and allow clearing while standing on the ground.


Otherwise Maine marine has the problem solved.....Gonna cost you $$$ otherwise!


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

Good luck with that, I always cleared mine in the snow manually.

Have you tried icing, like a thin layer so that there is less friction on the panels.

What I could suggest is mounting them on a swivel spring.

So that as the weight increases the panels turn, until the snow gets knocked off due to forcing the panel to rotate with the weight on the bottom rather than the top.

Then when the weight goes off (set to around the starting weight of the panels, the spring turns the panels back upright

\s <-- turns inward on bottom to /s then --> to \


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Have them on pivots so you can turn to the backside when it snows. Could set it up with servo motors


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

Here is a pic of the spring loaded system I thought of








You could also try some type of level catch spring loaded system, of course generating enough force to shake it off is the issue

something like this might also work, if you set up a counter balance of sorts so that when snow increasing weight it winds the spring down then it fires up and down and up until the snow falls off











The second one is very close to my idea.

This is likely an easier system. Just picture a screen door that is flat with it opening to the ground, then closing itself when the snow is off






\ | / __ ? / | \


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

Broom


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

Hydronic hot water system fired off a wood boiler.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

they have squeegees and long extendable squeegee handles at the home stores like Menards you going to need a long one so spend the big bucks and get one they're typically red made out of fiberglass I think they might be as much is 75 bucks but you will be able to reach the pedals and pull the snow off


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## chocks141 (Nov 21, 2015)

I went to Lowe's and picked up a painter's extension pole, has the same threaded end as a broom handle. I screwed an 8" soft bristle car wash brush on it. I think the pole was like 70 bucks and extends out to 20 feet, the brush was less than 10 bucks.


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## quinnbrian (Mar 6, 2014)

Maine-Marine said:


> at the end of the day, the best thing to do.. is get a pole and uncover them by hand


You might think it's funny....but I uses a pool pole and the sweeper attachment, works great . LOL Give her a try.


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

Telescoping painters pole with small push broom screwed on the end for my 2 cents.


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