If you want to protect your solar power system solar panels and solar inverter from lightning that is possible but it will cost extra.
Does lightening hitting solar panels damage it.
Since the metal panel frames and racking of the solar array are located on the roof the egc will direct a strike to the solar array to ground and may reduce additional damage to the building.
The first thing to consider is how likely a lighting strike is.
Lightning damage the following solar panel came from a system that was struck by lightning somewhere and no longer works.
However it is likely that if there was a direct hit the lightning would damage the egc and other metal components exposed to the strike.
So it s no surprise that lightning activity and surge related over voltage abnormalities are identified as leading causes of solar project downtime.
Most electrical and electronic damage in both grid tie and off grid solar electric systems is not due to a direct hit.
But most lightning damage is preventable.
Here are some of the most cost effective techniques that are generally accepted by power system installers based on decades of experience.
What kind of damage can lightning cause.
Your solar power system can be damaged by direct strikes or more likely voltages induced by nearby lightning strikes.
In fact direct hits are rare.
Lightning strikes whether direct or indirect can result in both down time and expenses in identifying and replacing damaged parts.
When it comes to solar panels there s one persistent myth which is that putting solar panels on your home can actually attract lightning to your home.
Right off the bat i ll give you the answer.
Most damage occurs from nearby hits usually within a few hundred feet.
In the case of the solar industry the costs are found in damage that happens when lightning strikes the exposed panels along with the associated surge that the strike produces.
A damaging surge can occur from lightning that strikes a long distance from the system or even between clouds.
They re almost asking for a lightning strike which can damage or destroy solar panels inverters and other critical equipment.
As well as damaging the electronics in the box in the back of the panel where the connecting.
Solar farms are just big fields covered with conductive material.