Systems, vehicles, and methods for maintaining rail-based arrays of photovoltaic modules

A method for maintaining photovoltaic modules, the method including:

• providing a first elongated rail including first and second support surfaces and a first mounting surface disposed between the first and second support surfaces, a first array of the photovoltaic modules being coupled to the first mounting surface and raised relative to the first and second support surfaces;
• disposing a first maintenance vehicle on the first and second support surfaces, the first maintenance vehicle including a first cleaning head, a first actuator, a first motor, and first and second support legs;
• suspending the first cleaning head over the photovoltaic modules of the first array using the first and second support legs, the first and second support legs being movably coupled to the first and second support surfaces so as to laterally and sequentially move the first cleaning head in a direction parallel to the first elongated rail and across each of the photovoltaic modules of the first array responsive to actuation of the first motor;
• and
• vertically moving at least a portion of the first cleaning head between a disengaged position spaced apart from the photovoltaic modules of the first array and a first engaged position in contact with at least one of the photovoltaic modules of the first array responsive to actuation of the first actuator,
• the first cleaning head further including:
• a second motor;
• a brush;
• a fluid reservoir;
• a wiper;
• and
• a second actuator,
• the at least a portion of the first cleaning head including the brush contacting at least one of the photovoltaic modules of the first array when the first cleaning head is in the first engaged position responsive to actuation of the first actuator,
• the method further including rotating the brush along an axis parallel to the photovoltaic modules of the first array responsive to actuation of the second motor,
• the method further including dispensing fluid from the fluid reservoir onto at least one of the photovoltaic modules of the first array responsive to actuation of the second actuator,
• the wiper contacting at least one photovoltaic module of the first array when the at least a portion of the first cleaning head is in the first engaged position, the method further including at least partially drying the at least one photovoltaic module of the first array via the contact with the wiper,
• the method further including vertically moving the at least a portion of the first cleaning head, responsive to actuation of the first actuator, to a second engaged position in which the brush contacts at least one photovoltaic module of the array and the wiper does not contact the array.