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Lumatic · 05-16-2018, 07:54 AM

What are your thoughts about protecting rood mounted solar panels from hail damage?

dznf0g · 05-16-2018, 07:59 AM

Quality panels are tempered glass and designed for hail events. I am sure that VERY large hail may break, but the AS is probably totaled in that case anyway.

Look at your panel website for specs and/or call them. This question also supports consideration of agreed value insurance, as an appraisal includes add-ons such as solar panels.

uncle_bob · 05-16-2018, 08:43 AM

Hi

Hail comes in a lot of sizes. If you get into the basketball sized stuff, the roof on your house may not be up to withstanding it. A flat panel will be more vulnerable that the roof on a house. Unless you are going with 1" steel plates, I'm not quite sure what you *could* fully protect them with.

At some point on the list of "rare once in 1,000 years" events ..... you just make sure the insurance policy is paid up.

Bob

TheGreatleys · 05-16-2018, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lumatic

What are your thoughts about protecting rood mounted solar panels from hail damage?

My thoughts are: my panels are rated for larger hail than any other part of the coach, and they're easy to replace if broken. The solar panels are the least of my worries in a hail event.

Too tall · 05-16-2018, 10:59 AM

If you are close to the trailer and KNOW this is about to happen than a couple sheets of good old cardboard will help. No promises.

Lucy Goosy · 10-26-2018, 09:23 PM

I am wondering if they make any type of solar covers. Then my next question is how the heck do you put them on the panels when needed. Throw a rope over and climb up and over to cover them? Hum better have another glass of wine and pray for sun.

Paprika · 10-26-2018, 10:17 PM

"my panels are rated for larger hail than any other part of the coach, and they're easy to replace if broken. The solar panels are the least of my worries in a hail event."

Exactly. Before the panels break, the aluminum roof will have been damaged to the point where your insurance company may total the RV. As I recall, standard tests for solar panels include one inch hail at 50 mph, baseballs, and so on.

The only time I've ever seen a solar panel break was when one of mine was right next to a radio antenna that was struck by lightning. Even with the glass shattered across the whole panel (but held together by its bonding layers), the panel still put out about 90% of its rated power. Insurance paid for a new replacement panel, so I gave the damaged one to a friend. As far as I know, it's still in use eight years later.

**Rocinante** · 10-27-2018, 07:24 AM

My cheap plastic Airstream skylights will shatter from hail long before my solar panels suffer damage.

uncle_bob · 10-27-2018, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucy Goosy

I am wondering if they make any type of solar covers. Then my next question is how the heck do you put them on the panels when needed. Throw a rope over and climb up and over to cover them? Hum better have another glass of wine and pray for sun.

Hi

I believe it's called a barn and you pull into it before the hail starts ....

I'd bet you will see damage to the outer skin of the RV before you have significant damage to the solar panels.

Bob