How Do Solar Panels Stand Up To Hail

Are solar panels hail proof is a common question that we receive.

How do solar panels stand up to hail.

The solar industry s top solar panel manufacturers have long understood the need for solar panels that can withstand extreme weather conditions like high winds and hail. Mother nature will always find a way to cause trouble however the most noteworthy panel replacement are has had to take care of was due to people not the weather. The short answer is yes and as you ll see below there are a number of factors that go into this determination. Here in central virginia you may have noticed a few homes with solar panels on the roof.

Solar panels are strong enough to resist damage from most hail. At first glance these flat grid like panels may appear to be fragile. Can your solar panels stand up to hail. We take our high speed camera to the westpak testing facility where we fire balls of ice at different velocit.

How do solar panels stand up versus hail. Homeowners who have invested in these means of long term renewable energy want. Generally solar panels can endure hailstones up to one inch in size 25mm at a falling speed of 50 miles per hour. Solar panels and hail.

If that s not enough proof that the panels can stand up to hail check out this video. We do know of one solar pv system in cardston that had broken panels from the hail storm. Solar panels have a tempered glass covering that is made to withstand some of the harshest tests and weather conditions. In most cases solar panels are tested and certified to withstand hail of up to 25 mm one inch falling at 23 meters per second approximately 50 miles per hour.

However solar panels are made to be durable and long lasting. Similarly solar panels are typically mounted facing south at angles 18 degrees to 45 degrees. It took nearly a decade before are solar has had to replace a panel due to hail damage. That being said we learned that solar panels are not 100 safe when tennis ball and baseball sized hail hit a southern alberta town called cardston.

The june 2018 storm that dropped tennis ball sized hail across the northern front range finally cracked select west facing panels. How much hail damage can a solar panel endure. But if you live in an area where large hail is common there are a few things you can do to minimize your risk. Solar panel manufacturers test their products to ensure that they are capable of withstanding hail storms.

In fact manufacturers actually test their solar panels to ensure that hail storms won t be an issue. How do solar panels stand up to a hail storm.