DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF AN AUTOMATIC SOLAR PANEL CLEANER WITH A SPRINKLER SYSTEM

Abstract

The efficiency of the solar panels refers to the amount of sunlight that can be converted by a solar panel to electricity, the more sunlight absorbed means the more electricity produced and the better the solar panel efficiency. It is always ideal to plan for a periodic cleaning of the solar pan'el to remove the dirt and dust accumulated on top of the surface of the solar panel, so that the solar panel functions properly and none of the sunlight get lost. To increase the efficiency of the solar cells, the panel must be kept clean at all times, so as to provide a wide surface area for absorption of energy from the sun This project explores the use of a microcontroller programmed for automatic cleaning of the solar panel so as to eliminate the risk of injuries, damages of roof tops or even the solar panel surface and to provide a less stressful and a more reliable means of cleaning the panel. v