How do solar panels handle hail?

[hedge]

I'm dipping my toe into the solar pool. I am starting with a modest system but a bit concerned about hail. I'm thinking of building some sort of covers to put over them if a hail storm is expected.

Is this necessary or am I worrying about nothing?

[BoonHauler]

FLY 4 FUN wrote:
mine say rated for 1" hail at terminal velocity. At that size my rv roof, vents and the truck will all be destroyed....so have no concerns over my panels with all but the worst hail.

This is such a true story, last thing I'm worried about is my panels.

[westend]

Pea sized hail here, last night. The 235 W module, tilted, just got rinsed.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Hahahahahahahahahaha

Try a 10 lb green coconut falling from 30'

[FLY_4_FUN]

mine say rated for 1" hail at terminal velocity. At that size my rv roof, vents and the truck will all be destroyed....so have no concerns over my panels with all but the worst hail.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Like I wrote earlier

There's hail

Then there's

HAIL!!!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XeTqp_HRIs

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Boon Docker wrote:
Hey Mex, nice set up you have there. Do you share it with the neighbors?

Sheesh. One of my neighbors "accidentally" acquires my hens. So using corn, rice, sunflower and squash seeds as a lure I "accidentally" clean their hen house clock. I could just imagine solar panels "with legs".

The Kyoceras atop Quicksilver are secured with 1/4" stainless "security Torx" screws and red Loctite.

[JiminDenver]

They tell us that Denver is the hail capital and we have lots of solar here. A few years back we had a storm that took out roofs, siding, windows, damaged cars and even got our trailer totaled. I couldn't find any damaged panels.

So it if will go through the windshield of your car, it will damage your panel too. Please don't build covers and risk injury trying to protect your panels. What it takes to harm your panels will kill you.

[BoonHauler]

SolarWorld has the best panels for hail impact. They're called 'Protect', or 'SolarWorld Sunmodule Protect''series.

I have their 275 watt version on my hauler. They're 'Glass-Glass' technology, a 2mm glass front laminated to a 2mm rear glass.

Here's a video clip

[free_radical]

Im wondering if permanently mounted cover made of Lexan for example,would affect solar panels productivity??
Im guessing not..
Depending on thicknes Lexan should protect them nicely..

[Boon_Docker]

Hey Mex, nice set up you have there. Do you share it with the neighbors?

[KD4UPL]

To meet the UL rating a solar panel must withstand a 1" ice ball at 70 MPH. So, anything up to that you should be good.
One of our installations was subjected to "baseball size hail" last summer. It damaged 32 panels.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

YEAH BABY!






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[jolooote]

Solar is only practical if mounted in your LIVING ROOM and ALL bed rooms are filled with batteries and control equipments. lol

[austinjenna]

This occurred in Alberta, Canada...

That will buff right out!