Our own snowrakes / snow rake for roofs
Made in Sweden and Germany.

We get a lot of questions from our customers about whether the Snöhyvel SN3 / Snowrake works on solar panels and can the Snöhyvel / Snowrake damage the solar panels. We have collected some information for you here for you to study and there are also researchers who have done tests, for snow removal on solar panels with the Snöhyvel / Snowrake, which we have linked to.

Our first answer to customers when we get the question is to first check with your supplier / manufacturer of solar panels how they want you to remove the snow, and what they can withstand. If you have a low angle on the panels and half a meter of snow on them, you would like to remedy this and they should know that when you ask the question.

Our second answer is that there are many different types of solar panels with different surfaces that can withstand different things.
The third answer is enforcement. Be aware that you can slip on the snow on the ground and drop the Snöhyvel / Snowrake (1.5 kg) on ​​the solar panels if you are not careful enough. We have the tool, but it is you who must handle the tool in the right way. It all depends on what the solar panels can withstand and your own handling.

What many of our customers do, who have solar panels and get lots of snow every winter, is to use our Snöhyvel / Snowrake with wheels (included), so you get up about 2-3 cm from the surface, and then remove the last snow with a rubber scraper and/or brush . Our wheels are a type of nylon plastic wheel, a bit like lego plastic. We have tested rubber covered wheels but they could leave grease stains on the panel. You should also bear in mind that the Snöhyvel / Snowrake usually has snow between the wheels and the solar panel surface, so the wheels do not always have contact with the solar panel surface. There are no sharp screw heads or razor-sharp edges on our Snöhyvel / Snowrakes.

The Snöhyvel / Snowrake called SN3-M 5.7 m feels too heavy to handle on top of solar panels. Our regular and premium product Snöhyvel SN3 with 6 or 8 meter shaft is a little easier to handle and better to use for these sensitive tasks. There are also pictures here where you can see how much the Snöhyvel / Snowrake comes up from the surface thanks to the wheels.

The southern part of Sweden does not get that much snow and there it can be enough to keep up with a combination of brushes and rubber scraper with telescopic handle. But in view of climate change, there will be more and more extreme weather in the future and this may also mean heavy snowfall in the southern part of Sweden. If you only need to remove small amounts of snow, this package includes a telescopic handle, 2 different brushes, a plastic scraper and an angle adapter. (Check with your manufacturer / installer if it is ok to use gentle brushes / rubber blades on your solar panels, for example).

There is also a package that includes a snowrake SN3 for the roof including 8 m telescopic handle, a universal brush and a plastic scraper with an angle adapter. The same package here but with 6 m telescope

We have also attached some links with good information from, among others, Länsförsäkringar (insurance company) who chose the Snöhyvel / Snowrake as the best option for removing snow from solar panels, but that it can also be risky. See also the research study in the subject below "Testing of methods for snow removal in roof-mounted solar installations".
Brief summary of the report is that 1) The Snöhyvel / snowrake was the best way, of the options, to remove large amounts of snow from the solar panels on the roof. 2) The risk to the solar panels they mention is how you handle the tool (handling) 3) The risk of personal injury is mentioned when the snow comes down from the roof. Our advice is that you should not stand directly under the snowrake so that you get the snow on yourself. Sounds obvious but may still be worth mentioning.
See links below. The text is in Swedish.

Solar Energy News (in Swedish)

Länsförsäkringars Forskningsfond - Testing of methods for snow removal at roof-mounted solar installations (Swedish)

Länsförsäkringar press release (Swedish)