If you have a solar farm on your property, you might think it's self-sustaining. To a certain extent, that's true. But, your solar farm does need routine maintenance. Without routine maintenance, you could end up facing expensive repair costs. If you're new to solar farm maintenance, you might not know what needs to get done. Read the list provided below. You'll find four items that should be included on your solar farm maintenance checklist. 

Start a Weed Control Program

If you haven't implemented a weed control program for your solar farm, now's the time to do that. You might think that weeds aren't a problem for your solar farm. That's not the case though. Weeds can cause some serious problems for your solar farm. If the weeds grow too high, they can block the solar panels. If that happens, your solar farm won't be as productive as you need it to be. Weeds can also increase the risk of fires, which can destroy your solar farm. To avoid those risks, stick to a routine weed control program. 

Keep Conduit in Good Repair

Take a look around your solar farm. You'll see quite a bit of conduit. That conduit is designed to protect the cables and wires that keep your solar farm running. If the conduit gets damaged, there's a good chance that your cables and wires will get damaged as well. That's why your maintenance schedule should include conduit inspections. Make it a habit of checking the conduit each time you head out into the solar farm. If you see any damaged conduit, take care of the repairs right away. 

Plan Monthly Inspections

If you're implementing your solar farm maintenance plan, don't forget to add monthly inspections. These inspections should be in addition to the quick inspections you give each time to visit the solar farm. During your monthly inspections, you'll want to check your transformers for leaks. You'll also want to inspect for signs of damage caused by wild animals, or by vandalism. Any issues should be addressed as fast as possible. 

Utilise Infrared Imaging

When it comes to solar farm maintenance, don't overlook PV cells. PV cells are an essential component of your solar farm. But, shorts and misfires can be difficult to identify. That's where infrared imaging comes in handy. To make sure that all your cells are functioning properly, utilise infrared imaging as part of your maintenance routine. Infrared imaging will show you which cells have shorted out. 

For more information about solar farm maintenance, contact a local company.