Hail and Solar Panels

[texas0322]

Install solar panels on Friday, Huge hail storm with 70 mph winds on Sunday morning  I'm scared of what I will find when the sun comes up.

 

[tx2sturgis]

The van (or whatever) might get dented, but the panels will be fine.

The metal UNDER the panels will be fine. So there IS that.

Now, if you get baseball sized hail...um...well you will have a lot more damage than just the solar panels.

 

[texas0322]

The van (or whatever) might get dented, but the panels will be fine.

The metal UNDER the panels will be fine. So there IS that.

Now, if you get baseball sized hail...um...well you will have a lot more damage than just the solar panels.

That makes me feel better. I’m new to this so I never even thought about hail. It was golf ball size and smaller.

 

[Technomad]

Is it right to assume the top of solar panels (rigid ones) are polycarbonate, and not actual glass? I’ve seen it referred to as glass before.


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[Scout]

I think i would find something to park under.

 

[John TF]

Problem is with so many manufactures , even worse so many of them in china , you can not be sure of there quality .
Known quality brands , join with the worlds " standards " .
I would to go looking for " the standard " but there was one and it was something like a specific size hail , maybe 3" was what the glass on solar panels was spouse to resist breaking .
In todays market , its standard that cheap / chineeze junk is [ not ]
Again generally speaking , there are no framed panels that are not glass , but then some took flex-able panels & mounted them on a stiff substrate , Uni-solar I've seen the smaller ones do this , I have a bunch of Uni-solar flex , and different sizes , none are framed .

 

[highdesertranger]

mine have been in pea size hail a few times no problems. all the rigid panels I have seen are glass. I don't even want to see baseball size hail, that's scary. highdesertranger

 

[tx2sturgis]

Last year, my van got pelted by golf ball to tennis ball sized hail. The van got dented but the solar panel survived.

Framed, glass solar panels normally use low-iron tempered glass....and obviously its possible to get an inferior product, (or some kind of cheap float glass) but I think most mainstream panels will survive most normal sized hail that your vehicle's window glass will survive. 

If the hail is big enough to break your $100 solar panels, it will probably destroy your $500 windshield.

 

[lenny flank]

Is it right to assume the top of solar panels (rigid ones) are polycarbonate, and not actual glass?  I’ve seen it referred to as glass before.

I think they are tempered glass. Polycarb would yellow over time and reduce the panel efficiency.

They're specifically designed to withstand all but the biggest hail.

 

[Almost There]

I had to phone Renogy when I had a problem with removing stains and smell of dog piss from my portable panels.

Renogy panels, at least, are tempered glass on the top.

Depends on the manufacturer what the strength of the top layer is.

BTW, I was told I could clean them with anything I wanted...including glass cleaner if need be. Scented rubbing alcohol did the trick for removing the smell!...   Dogs aren't attracted to my panels anymore...

 

[texas0322]

Mine are 100 watt Renogy's. They appear to have made it through the storm okay. I don't see any cracks or breaks or anything. I think I got lucky as we had just slightly smaller than golf ball size hail but they had some a little North of where I am that was a little larger than golf balls and lasted a while.

Thanks for the responses guys. It was a stressful night laying in bed listening to it in my apartment and wondering what was going on outside.

 

[frater secessus]

Install solar panels on Friday, Huge hail storm with 70 mph winds on Sunday morning

Your timing sounds like mine:  I got my panels installed the day before the big eclipse. 

 

[NoMadYesHappy]

"...Scented rubbing alcohol did the trick for removing the smell!..."

I've used scented alcohol for lots of stuff.  Mine smells like 20 year old Scotch!  Aye, lad!  

 

[safarivan]

I have mine mounted flat on the roof and it was a concern not only from the hail but I often camp in the forests too so the wind often breaks off huge dead tree limbs an lots of others that are smaller but much bigger an heavier than any kind of hail so what I did was I got some of the corrugated metal siding that metal buildings (garages, shops, etc.) are made of and cut it to fit the area you need to protect. use small c-clamps or other type of clamps. I actually use the ones designed to clamp truck camper tops on since they are aluminum and light.

I keep them in place when on the road since my alternator charges both house and start batteries and they are kinda big to be storing inside anyway.

I also use them on as an awning top sometimes.