VP2 daytime FARS solar panels

[hydrowx]

I noticed that my solar panels on my daytime FARS are a bit cloudy, that is the covering is not so clear anymore. My unit is about 3 years old. Is this normal? I'm concerned that it may reduce the efficiency of the panels. I also have a soil temp/moisture unit and anemometer transmitter and both of those solar panels show no signs of this although they are not as old as the VP2.

[Stronghurst]

Have you used Windex to clean them?  Don't, the ammonia will "eat" the plastic.

Mark

[hydrowx]

Have only used water and then very infrequently.

[aardvark]

I haven't gone out and looked at mine  but now I have a reason to do so.

The plastic could be degrading.  I know that on my Jeep, the plastic lens over the headlights were fogging over due to degrading of the plastic material.

You could ask Davis if they had suggestions or comments.  IS, the plastic over the ISS part of the cover also foggy?

I have never cleaned the cover.. I figure it will rain on it and do the job, unless some bird poops on it, then only water.. but birds haven't done that..yet..

[niko]

Here's my ISS solar panel after 3 years in the Northern California sun:

[niko]

The plastic could be degrading.  I know that on my Jeep, the plastic lens over the headlights were fogging over due to degrading of the plastic material.

Not to get off topic but you can fix those almost as good as new with a bit of work, 3M and others sell polishing kits to do it.

[looney2ns]

Wow Niko, is yours the way it looks...cracked and parts of it have fallen out?

[niko]

Wow Niko, is yours the way it looks...cracked and parts of it have fallen out?

No, it's not that bad. I snapped the pic without climbing up there but I think it's a surface plastic film that has delaminated/wrinkled, most likely the dark bits are where the film is still attached to the cell. I'm sure it doesn't help the efficiency but that's not really a problem with the ISS (unlike the FARS).