Super-Effective Ways to Protect Solar Panels from Hail

methods for defending solar panels from hail stones

One of the best renewable energy sources now accessible is solar energy. The fact that it may be used by both small and large organizations is its strongest feature.

It does have certain limitations, one of which is the potential for damage owing to unfavorable weather conditions, despite its sustainability.

Solar modules may sustain damage if they are subjected to severe weather, such as hailstorms.

The photo from Solar Power World that is seen below shows the degree of harm that a hailstorm did to solar panels.

You don’t need to worry too much, though, since in this piece we’ll show you several incredibly effective strategies for shielding solar panels from hail.

we can guarantee that if you do these things, hail storms will never damage your solar modules.

Okay, let’s get started right now!

Solar panels and a hailstorm

Hailstorms, as defined by Wikipedia, are thunderstorms that produce hailstones. These hailstones arrive at the earth as spherical ice pellets.

A hailstone can range in size from 5 millimeters to 15 centimeters and weigh as much as 0.5 kg.

Imagine a hailstone with a diameter of about 5 cm. Is it possible that it will harm your modules?

A solar module may become inoperable if a hailstone damages the cells inside it after striking its surface.

Therefore, it is crucial to make the right preparations in a timely manner to avoid regret. I’ve listed seven strategies in the next section for you to make your solar modules stand out even in really strong hailstorms.

How can solar panels be shielded from hail?

This article discusses several precautions you may take and some fast patches you can do to shield your modules against hailstorms.

Let’s begin:

1. Choose premium modules

Make sure you only work with companies you can trust if you’re going to install solar panels on your house or want to add more.

Make sure to only purchase well-known or high-quality brands. Avoid businesses that sell subpar modules in order to increase their profit margins.

You can easily look for the best solar brands in your nation, Illumac is here.

Your primary priority should be to select us as high-quality brands. You will continue to gain from doing so in the near future.

No worries, you can still consider the following criteria even if your property already has solar panels.

2. Appropriate Setup

You should also verify whether or not your panels are put properly. During hailstorms, installing them at a 90-degree angle will result in the most damage.

For the installation of solar modules, you should never attempt this yourself. Additionally, make certain that nuts and bolts are securely fastened to endure hail and storms.

3. Keep an eye on weather reports

I believe that staying informed about the local weather might be a terrific method to organize everything in advance.

There are many smartphone applications on the market right now that offer weather forecasts. You may easily use them to determine whether or not a hailstorm is a forecast for your location.

One of my favorite and most reliable weather predicting applications is Accuweather. You can try it as well. Carrot Weather, Weather Up, and Yahoo Weather are additional apps that you can use.

You can simply cover your modules in the event that a hailstorm is predicted, as is the case now.

4. Use protective covers for hail

The solar modules can also be well protected from hail by using hail protective coverings.

High-volume air is used inside of them as a hail protection device. Cars are where a hail protection cover is most frequently used. But these covers for your solar modules are also available for purchase.

The only drawback is that because these coverings restrict sunlight, you cannot use them constantly. Before you cover your solar modules, you need to know in advance whether hailstorms or other inclement weather are expected.

Well, if you regularly follow weather forecasts, you can use them.

5. Coat the surface of the Modules with Methacrylate

An organic polymer called methacrylate can be used to coat the surface of PV modules. This layer functions similarly to how your smartphone’s screen cover does.

One of the greatest ways to prevent damage to solar cells even in severe hailstorms is to apply a thin layer of methacrylate that enables sunlight to pass through.

6. Consistent Upkeep & Quality Checks

Along with employing coverings or a layer of methacrylate as protection, you should also carry out routine maintenance and quality checks.

Although it is not necessary, it can be a good idea to check your solar panels once a month.

You should examine if solar modules are functioning correctly or not, and whether their general shape is fixed or warped, when completing quality checks.

If not carefully inspected, the structure of solar modules can easily be broken during strong storms.

7. Use contemporary solar modules.

Last but not least, you can also experiment with various solar module kinds that offer better security & more efficiency.

One of these innovations is a 3D solar array created by MIT that promises to provide 2000% more electricity and cut your energy costs in half.

If you’re curious, you can view this in-depth video guide here.

In addition, we have discussed triangular, rotating, and transparent solar modules. You could also try them.

Insurance Protection for Solar Panels

You might also think about getting your solar modules insured if you reside in a region that is particularly vulnerable to hail. In the event that hail causes damage to your panels, having insurance is very advantageous.

But be sure to verify what companies are covered in the insurance policy before applying. I’m referring to whether or not weather-related damage is covered.

Final Quotes

One of your finest choices might be to install a solar power system. But it’s important to keep them safe, and it might be challenging in bad weather.

One of the unfavourable weather conditions that can seriously harm solar modules is hailstorms. The modules’ cells can be broken by hailstones that can be up to 15 cm in diameter.

I’ve covered some incredibly efficient strategies in this article to shield your solar panels against hail. I hope this advice will be useful to you.

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