diy solar

diy solar

Is there a hail-resistant type of panel?

smizles

New Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2022
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Total solar newb here, but I have a bit of a technical background if you need to discuss stresses and strains in case that helps. I live in Southwest Ohio where small amounts of hail come suddenly and frequently and larger baseball sizes coming 1-3 times per decade. We also get 70+ mph winds nearly every season.

Q: Are there any specific designs, features, specs, etc. I should be looking for in a panel, mount, rooftop electrical equipment, etc. to resist these perpetual risks when designing my system?
 
Most solar panels are hail resistant. Very few (if any) are hail proof. When looking for panels for the top of my camper I looked for a high Pa number. Mine are rated at 5631 Pa (117 psf). I believe this is specifically oriented towards wind stress. This was important to me because I drive 70 MPH down the highway and through Wyoming the winds there can be brutal. The manufacturer's brochure for this rating says that the panel is tested to UL1703 standards. But that standard is related to fire testing, so I don't know how that comes into play.

The panel also has a "Hail Safety Impact Velocity" rating of 25mm at 23 m/s. Is that good? I don't know, but my camper has been hailed on and since the panels are mounted flat (horizontal) they take the full brunt of hail.
 
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