Patent ID: 8813303

Claim:
A solar panel rows cleaning system with electronic descent control and potential energy recovery system, the solar rows being inclined and each have an upper end and a lower end in a width direction of the solar row, the cleaning system comprising: a movable frame movable in a length direction of the solar row; at least one cleaning apparatus mounted on said frame and moveable in the width direction of the solar row; at least one DC motor/generator for moving said at least one cleaning apparatus upward in the width direction and configured to be driven by the force of gravity when said at least one cleaning apparatus moves downward thereby causing said at least one DC motor/generator to operate as DC generator and generate DC output; an electronic switching device for switching the DC output of said at least one DC motor/generator when operating as a generator on and off to create an alternating current; a battery; a transformer and a rectifier through which the alternating current passes to charge said battery while said at least one cleaning apparatus moves downward, said electronic switching device, said transformer, said rectifier and said battery creating an impedance load on said at least one DC motor/generator when operating as a generator, to thereby generate a braking force that controls rate of descent of said at least one cleaning apparatus.