Winter Maintenance Guide for Solar-Powered Monitoring Systems

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December is upon us, and for many Canadians that means dusting off the toque, finding the shovels, and saying goodbye to the sun until spring.

However, many automated monitoring systems need to keep running. If yours rely on solar energy, now is the perfect time to ensure your systems are in good working order.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Less sun means less power. Plan a visit to clean your panels from gunk and dust to maximize efficiency.
• The sun is lower during the winter. Adjusting the panel tilt angle slightly steeper helps optimize exposure and makes it more difficult for snow and ice to stick to them.
• Check all cabling. Ensure cables are secured and connectors are in good condition.
• Review system performance. Analyze your system performance by reviewing the logs from your solar controller. Many systems can output reports to your phone through Bluetooth.
• Verify your battery profile. Apply a voltage cut-off at around 12V. Low power is one of the biggest risks for electronic damage.
• Monitor battery health. Lithium batteries allow deeper discharge and recharge more quickly, making them ideal for winter. Acid-gel batteries typically need to be replaced more frequently.
• Plan more frequent site visits. Keep panels clear of snow and ice for maximum performance and proactively swapping batteries for recharged ones. Don’t forget your pocket voltage reader.

Stay safe out there!