Survivors? 1 1/2" hail this morning

Photowhit
Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
Had 1 1/2" hail this morning, Here's a photo of some car damage, hail (an hour after the hail) and the panels which don't appear damaged. Might have edge damage which will spread during the day, no close inspection, it was still raining. Attachment not found.
Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
- Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.

Comments

  • unseenone
    unseenone Solar Expert Posts: 61
    What town was that?
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Williamsburg MO south about 6 miles.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • unseenone
    unseenone Solar Expert Posts: 61
    Thanks It is nice if there was no damage to the panels, that's amazing. The car won't be fixable without replacing the roof probably. I hope it wasn't too new.
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A little more info, the hail apparently was coming in/angled from the north. So it hit the panels at a glancing angle. A friend who had a camper parked next door had a side window knocked out! The dents on the north side of my car are as bad or worse than the roof!
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    go out and buy a lottery ticket !
    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 ,

  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Just one more, my car parked 10 feet from the panels, My neighbor lost windows in 2 out of 3 cars, my parts car did get a crack in it's windshield.Attachment not found.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • Sun-Wind-Keeper
    Sun-Wind-Keeper Registered Users Posts: 11
    I hope the damage doesn't creep further on your property as this can takes days to search and find problems from my experience.

    Three years ago we had ~2.5" spiked hail here in western North Carolina while I was driving home. Only one hit my truck roof but it sounded like a brick landed on it while I was driving. Back home looked like a meteor shower had just passed with punch marks in the ground, window framing damaged and dents on my steel roofs. My pv's also survived ..both wind generator nose cones were punctured and the oak adirondack deck chair and cedar sauna looked like someone hit them with a baseball bat!

    I have a large carport....24' x 26'....if I was home my truck would have been better off!

    Good luck to anyone this spring with hail and lightning issues!

    Cheers soon...Tom
  • solarix
    solarix Solar Expert Posts: 713 ✭✭
    How come people are so concerned about hail damage on solar panels (which is extremely rare) but with a mainstream product like you know - cars - it is accepted as normal. How come cars don't have to pass tests for 1" hail at 90mph? Another instance of a traditional product allowed to have poor quality, but oh no - solar has to handle the nth degree of testing, warranty and regulatory codes. We have to compete on an unfair playing field with cheap, unrenewable, polluting energy sources and are yet burdened with a lot of extra hassle. Its great to have the best product and high quality which does in fact pay off in the long run, but I can tell you the average Joe six-pack doesn't want to wait that long.
  • AuricTech
    AuricTech Solar Expert Posts: 140 ✭✭
    solarix wrote: »
    How come people are so concerned about hail damage on solar panels (which is extremely rare) but with a mainstream product like you know - cars - it is accepted as normal.

    I would imagine that at least part of the reason for the disparity in attitudes is that a hail-damaged car is usually still drivable (though it might need to have glass replaced), while a hail-damaged PV panel is much more likely to cease to function.

  • H2SO4_guy
    H2SO4_guy Solar Expert Posts: 213 ✭✭✭
    I am also in Missouri and went through that hail storm. About quarter size hail and no damage to any of my 4 different type of panels. I was pretty happy about that. Sure didn't want to see any spider-webbed glass on the roof! They are pretty sturdy, Mine were flexed a bit getting them on the roof and never a problem. Pretty tough!
    12K asst panels charging through Midnite Classic 150's, powering Exeltechs and Outback VFX-3648 inverter at 12 and 48 volts.  2080 AH @ 48 VDC of Panasonic Stationary batteries (2 strings of 1040 AH each) purchased for slightly over scrap, installed August 2013.  Outback PSX-240X for 220 volt duties.  No genny usage since 2014. 
  • pleppik
    pleppik Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭✭✭
    solarix wrote: »
    How come people are so concerned about hail damage on solar panels (which is extremely rare) but with a mainstream product like you know - cars - it is accepted as normal. How come cars don't have to pass tests for 1" hail at 90mph?

    Among other reasons, solar panels are expected to last 25+ years, and you can't put them in the garage when the weather looks threatening.