What the hail is going on!

solar_dave
solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
Just had the worse hail storm I have seen in 20 years come through here. All 3 cars damaged, about half the screens on the house damaged, new building stucco has holes blown in it, some roof tiles pieces on the ground, BUT looks like the solar panels survived!!!!

Comments

  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!

    sorry for losses, but it's to bad everything else wasn't built as well as your pvs were.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!

    Ouch!
    Does this happen often in your area?
  • tonystewart
    tonystewart Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!

    Was there any warning from the weather service prior to the storm?
  • SkiDoo55
    SkiDoo55 Solar Expert Posts: 414 ✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!

    Sorry to see that you go hit with a storm like that. Sounds like everything is repairable. The actual hardest to fix right is the car roofs. Went thru a storm like that back when I was in Utica, NY. Damaged lot's of new cars on the dealers lots and tore off lots of vinyl siding. At least you solar system made it and will be producing when the sun comes out. Hope no one was injuried.
    GT3.8 w/4600W Trina 230W, TX5000 w/5000W ET-250W, XW4024 w/1500W ET-250W, 4 L16, 5500W Gen. (never had to use) Yet!!
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!

    Glad the PV glass held up. Nasty looking hail.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!
    Ouch!
    Does this happen often in your area?

    The last storm I saw like this was in Denver and have never heard of hail like this in AZ. No real warning from weather service, I guess the local news did broadcast as it was happening. The house across the street has major shingle damage, watched the tabs flying off in the wind.

    Left VM with the insurance gal. I think there is some roof damage but the PV stuff looks intact, will need to see the sunrise to see if it the PV comes back to life. I did find a couple wiring clips on the ground and should get the PV company back to review the install.
  • SkiDoo55
    SkiDoo55 Solar Expert Posts: 414 ✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!

    Checked your link looks like PV is working Great 9 KWH to the grid and almost 20KWH so far delivered for the day:D
    GT3.8 w/4600W Trina 230W, TX5000 w/5000W ET-250W, XW4024 w/1500W ET-250W, 4 L16, 5500W Gen. (never had to use) Yet!!
  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!
    SkiDoo55 wrote: »
    Checked your link looks like PV is working Great 9 KWH to the grid and almost 20KWH so far delivered for the day:D

    Now I pout! :(:(:( looks like all the Canadian Solar panels are busted, now that the sun is high I see the cracks in all of them. At least they are covered minus my $1000 deductible.

    They are still outputting but they won't last for sure. Wonder if the insurance company will leave them once replaced. Might be an interesting project or eBay them.
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!

    that's really bad news.:grr ouch!:cry: i was going to say when it rains it pours, but that's a bit inaccurate in your case for when it hails it hurts, many times over.
  • jcgee88
    jcgee88 Solar Expert Posts: 154 ✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!

    Your picture #4 is amazing!

    Sorry for your losses, though. I guess that's why we
    all carry homeowners insurance!

    John
  • AntronX
    AntronX Solar Expert Posts: 462 ✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!
    solar_dave wrote: »
    Now I pout! :(:(:( looks like all the Canadian Solar panels are busted... They are still outputting but they won't last for sure.

    Are they generating same output power as before? Solar cells should be encapsulated in clear EVA film behind glass. This film should keep cells sealed even if glass has cracks. Call the manufacturer and ask how they seal their panels. They may work just fine for their designed life even with cracks.

    How did your other panels do? How different are they from cracked panels? Can you measure glass thickness? Can you describe how cracks look like? Are they long or short and jagged? I want to see if manufacturer used non-tempered glass.
  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!
    AntronX wrote: »
    Are they generating same output power as before? Solar cells should be encapsulated in clear EVA film behind glass. This film should keep cells sealed even if glass has cracks. Call the manufacturer and ask how they seal their panels. They may work just fine for their designed life even with cracks.

    How did your other panels do? How different are they from cracked panels? Can you measure glass thickness? Can you describe how cracks look like? Are they long or short and jagged? I want to see if manufacturer used non-tempered glass.

    All I can tell from the ground is that the panels have a strange reflection that I didn't see before that looks like cracks, and I am not crawling up on the roof to find out as long as the insurance company is coming to do it. I have my receipts for the Canadian solar panels add early this year so I suspect it should be an easy sale to the insurance company adjuster.
  • FL SUN
    FL SUN Solar Expert Posts: 94 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!

    Sorry to hear of your "hailacious" experience. I too remember a fierce fall hailstorm in Denver many years back.

    I see you also have Ningbo panels in your signature. Did they survive?

    Ironically, I ordered 6 Ningbo 230's, which arrived today. (:D) I had my heart set on Canadian Solar modules of the same wattage because they are supposedly beefier, but they were out of stock, so I had to settle for the Ningbo's instead. Maybe not such a bad thing after all.
  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!

    Actually the Ningbo are heaver than the Canadian ones and they seem to look fine.
  • nvyseal
    nvyseal Solar Expert Posts: 108 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!

    You know, i'm beginning to think this is just the life of people named Dave. You just get a little ahead and think you're going to make a little something for all the extra effort you put into it, and somebody or something takes that away.

    Just like my work. We finally had a good month which put us just a bit ahead, and my power cutter goes down. can't buy parts for it because of its age, just a new cutter, a 12,000 setback.

    Hope things work out for you solar_dave

    -Dave
  • SkiDoo55
    SkiDoo55 Solar Expert Posts: 414 ✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!

    Dave were you the one that sent in the video to the Weather Channel that they showed about all of the severe weather that is occuring in AZ last night and today??
    GT3.8 w/4600W Trina 230W, TX5000 w/5000W ET-250W, XW4024 w/1500W ET-250W, 4 L16, 5500W Gen. (never had to use) Yet!!
  • BilljustBill
    BilljustBill Solar Expert Posts: 219 ✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!
    solar_dave wrote: »
    Just had the worse hail storm I have seen in 20 years come through here. All 3 cars damaged, about half the screens on the house damaged, new building stucco has holes blown in it, some roof tiles pieces on the ground, BUT looks like the solar panels survived!!!!

    Man, I understand what you're going through!! About two years ago, we got hit with 30 straight minutes of golf ball size hail. I didn't have any PV panels then, but it really beat up everything...from the riding lawn mower to a 30 yr. Owens-Corning asphalt shingles that were only 90 days old.

    While you are recovering from that kind of damage, let me help you with some ideas to go over with your insurance adjuster.... Anything thing that is on your property that is beat up is subject to repair or replacement. Fascia damage on the house, dents or broken vinyl trim holding in the glass in the aluminum windows, Bar-B-Q Grill itself or damage to the vinyl cover, TV antenna, pot plants, sides of the fences and even the chipped or split tops of wooden fence pickets. If your panels' aluminum frames are dented, you should get some money for that.

    I took a standard size yellow tablet and then divided the lot into four sections. Each grid had its own listing of damage, so when the adjuster comes you can remember to cover all the damage in each sector. Crazy it may sound, but by the time I covered everything, I had enough to offset not only my deductible, but also the 1% non-recoverable damage. Plus, the 2,000 sq.ft. house and three out buildings cost just over $42,000 in damages.

    I replaced the both the old and new 30yr asphalt shingle roofs with a "Hail Resistant" asphalt shingle. The brand and name is GAF/Elk Armor-Shield II. It is a lifetime shingle, but it has just three bundles per square instead of four bundles. It cost about $30 a square more... But...your insurance company will offer you a nice discount to your homeowners policy just because you use those type of shingles. In my case, it cut my homeowners yearly policy cost by $503!!! It took me less than 3 years to recover the extra cost, but the discount continues as long as the shingle is on the house...

    Plus, if this is going to be your home for then next few years, no telling what oil is going to sell for or what asphalt shingles will cost in the future. If another hailstorm hits, you'll get the same quality roof replaced, but you'll only be out your deductible. If, by chance, you are thinking about a metal roof as a replacement, ask your insurance company. Metal costs a lot more, but most insurance companies will not replace metal roofs if they are just dented-up... It's got to be leaking or holes knocked through the metal... AND... they don't have to replace the roof just because the new section of metal's paint doesn't match the rest of your dented up roof... If you have R-panel metal roofing on any outside buildings, be sure that they pay you for the grade you have. If you go back with new R-panel, check out panels painted with "KYNAR" paint. It last much longer, and if you haven't spent the $1,500 tax credit on extra insulation or a new EPA wood stove, you can get the tax credit because of that paint...

    If you are interested in more of what to know and say to your adjuster, PM me and I'll send you the list of things I used.....
    Bill
  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: What the hail is going on!

    Thanks for all the support guys! I expect to see the adjuster this week Thursday or Friday. The wife and I are in New England at a reunion color tour combination trip.

    I didn't send the video in but I am sure there are some awesome video of the storm around.

    I have dealt with insurance adjusters before, just not the extensively. I like your pointers on dealing with them.