While solar panels have adequate protection against the elements of nature, the weather and nominal strikes and impacts, they’re not indestructible. And considering that every now and then, you do get a display of what is known as freak weather, protecting your solar panels from hail can get very crucial. Let’s look at how can you protect solar panels from hail and whether or not solar panels are protected from the various effects of extreme weather, from hail to snow and even sandstorms that can presumably affect the performance of the solar panel and affect the generation capacity of the panel.
Since solar panels are out there in the elements all the time, the protection they do with is rather rudimentary and can leave something to be desired for. With hailing, size matters. During a hailstorm, especially in Pakistan, the rain starts off with big-sized hails that wreak havoc on everything in their way; and since solar panels are angled towards the sun for peak times, usually, the damage to solar panels can be substantial should they not be protected. Which is why, today we’ll discuss how can you protect solar panels from hail.
How can you protect Solar Panels from hail?
Solar panels in Pakistan, from the best solar companies, have adequate protection. However, for those times when the hailing is just too destructive, you will need additional protection. Lets look at some ways with which you can protect your solar panels from hail.
i. Get the right panels
By the right panels, we mean solar panels in Pakistan that have been rated as ‘resistant to damage from hail’. These include solar panels rated UL 61730, UIC 61730 and IP68. With panels rated the first two, you get tested panels that have gone through hail damage sequences and have returned satisfactory results. This includes subjecting panels to hail testing measuring 3 inches, with an impact speed of 150kph. This means that these panels will not only survive any freak hailing you might have, but will continue generating power. IP68 protection means that should the surface get cracked, the accompanying water does not damage the panel. Look for these panels if you want protection from hail.
ii. Use methacrylate sprays
Methacrylate is sort of a spray-on monomer that can be used on your solar panels to provide them with an extra layer of defence in case of hailing. The best part of these sprays is that even after they have been applied on the solar panel, it will continue to receive sunlight and will continue power generation without any affect to its efficiency. However, you would want to make sure that the right amount is applied to the panels, as excessive methacrylate can cause a panel to lose efficiency and generate less power.
iii. Adjust the angles of your panels
Another way with which you can protect your solar panels from hail damage is by adjusting the angle of your panels. While many solar panels are fixed in place during installation at an angle optimizing sunlight, the same angle can cause lots of damage to the panel. Newer systems have automated panel angle adjusters, wherein you can control and modify the angle at which solar panels rest. Changing the angle to keep the impact site away from the length of the panel will help mitigate the damage away from the solar cells that do the job. Using these automated panel angle adjusters also require a bit of situational awareness; changing the angle during a hailstorm and then forgetting to put them back in the previous angle the next day isn’t really good for your solar energy system.
iv. Use a fine wire mesh to keep the panels safe
A physical way of keeping the panels safe from those punishing hails is by attaching a fine wire mesh around the surface of the panel to keep the hails from impacting the solar panels. This is a good solution in actively and physically preventing the hail from reaching the surface of the panel without affecting the efficiency of the solar panel. Using a fine wire mesh will allow the sunlight in, obviously, but will keep the hails from impacting the surface and damaging the panel.
v. Using protective covers
Since hail is part of a rainy season, where your panels will not generate any substantive energy, you can always use hard shell covers to protect the solar panels from the impact of the hail. You will need to put them up in advance using information from the weather forecast, but once you do that, your panels will be safe from any hail damage at all.
Solutions from the best solar company in Pakistan
With the best solar energy company in Pakistan, you will have panels that will be tested against any such impact damage. Aside from hail, they will also be protected against dust ingression, water damage and any other environmental factors that might physically affect the panel and degrade its generation capacity. Beacon Energy has solar energy solutions that use the best solar panels in Pakistan, geared for all weather eventualities you might face. The weather might get bad, but your solar energy generation potential and energy reliability will always stay at the max with Beacon Energy.