Lightning questions

azrc
azrc Solar Expert Posts: 43 ✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I know someone whose system was hit by lightning. He couldn't really tell me any of the details (didn't know) other than insurance bought him a whole new system.

My questions are, is this common? And how effective are surge suppressors and lightning suppressors? Does putting up lightning rods around your system help at all or is the nearby EMP enough to take things out? Would it make a difference if I put grounded chicken wire over the panels?

Thanks, just curious...
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  • JESSICA
    JESSICA Solar Expert Posts: 289 ✭✭
    #2
    Re: Lightning questions
    azrc wrote: »
    I know someone whose system was hit by lightning. He couldn't really tell me any of the details (didn't know) other than insurance bought him a whole new system.

    My questions are, is this common? And how effective are surge suppressors and lightning suppressors? Does putting up lightning rods around your system help at all or is the nearby EMP enough to take things out? Would it make a difference if I put grounded chicken wire over the panels?

    Thanks, just curious...

    azrc:

    I am not an expert, but my house was hit twice 2 or 3 weeks ago.
    You can read the whole story here: http://forum.solar-electric.com/showthread.php?t=9389&highlight=WEIRD+THING&page=3

    [If that is not the correct address, please ask the moderators]

    In my opinion: Lightning suppressors are very effective; you do need a lightning rod (better yet: 2 or 3 of them); but, regarding the "chicken wire" idea, well, to be polite, please discard it right away...

    If I can be of any help, just tell me.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Lightning questions

    lightning is one of those unfortunate things we can't always stop. we can take some measures for sure, but chicken wire over your pvs will not stop a hit and will hinder solar electric production so i agree for you not to do that. grounding the pv frames is, however, a good idea.
    damages seem to be higher in gt systems than off grid systems as the host of the forum reported that it often crept in via the ac lines. in any case the emp can even induce a voltage into the dc side of either gt or off grid noting that a direct strike is apt to destroy all no matter the steps taken. sometimes you get lucky though and the more steps you take to help the better your odds are of something surviving.
    there are many discussions on the forum on lightning that you can dig up and read and some may be under the guise of grounding as well.
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