<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Wingdings;
panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Trebuchet MS";
panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoAcetate, li.MsoAcetate, div.MsoAcetate
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
span.BalloonTextChar
{mso-style-name:"Balloon Text Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text";
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>It’s not our install, but I know of a 1MW+ job using First solar modules in Toledo that has several golf ball related module failures a year (sometimes more than a few/month). There is a nearby driving range where the people there supposedly bet whether they can hit the array or not….<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Also we have a job in Indiana where a local neighbor drives golf balls directly into the 3MW array from an adjacent property (not sure which neighbor, the Sheriff has been notified). So far in the 3 months the system has been in, roughly 7 modules have been damaged. It appears to only happen when the ball hits near the edge of the glass, as those are the only places that damage is visible on broken modules.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>So I’d have to say that golf balls are capable of damaging modules, but it would likely take a good hit, near the edge of the glass to break them. They still produce after the hit, but will eventually cause a ground fault when they get wet and conduct to the frame. That’s how we found a few modules with bullet impacts in Cincinnati </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1F497D'>J</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>With Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Daniel Young, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional<sup>TM</sup>: Cert #031508-90<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Mark Westbrock<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, October 09, 2015 11:35 AM<br><b>To:</b> RE-wrenches<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Hailstorm damage<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Jason,<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>We have several systems in close proximity to golf courses and have seen one case of damage. The damaged module is in an array mounted at a 10 degree tilt. One damaged module (that we know of) in six years for this particular system. The home is about 50 meters from the edge of a driving range and about 200 meters from the tees for the driving range. I was surprised by the damage because of the low tilt of the array and the distance from the tees.<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>I know it would be more helpful if I could tell you how many golf balls have hit the array and NOT damaged a module, but I have no idea.</span><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>Cheers,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>Mark<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>[reposted with smaller photos]<br clear=all><o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>----<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b>Mark Westbrock</b><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Branch Manager & Employee-Owner<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>NM EE98J Journeyman Electrician<br>NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>NABCEP Certified PV Technical Sales<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Positive Energy, Inc.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>510 S. Main St.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Las Cruces, NM 88001<br>office: 575-524-2030<br>cell: 575-640-2432<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:westbrock@positiveenergysolar.com" target="_blank">mw@positiveenergysolar.com</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.positiveenergysolar.com" target="_blank">www.positiveenergysolar.com</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Fri, Oct 9, 2015 at 6:09 AM, Jason Szumlanski <<a href="mailto:jason@floridasolardesigngroup.com" target="_blank">jason@floridasolardesigngroup.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"'>Not to hijack the thread, but the timing is perfect for another related question I had. A client approached me about putting solar panels on a golf course maintenance building. The pitch is 2 in 12 and the location is supposedly not in the typical direction/are where golf balls are likely to be hit (most likely because I don't have a membership there). The question will naturally come up about golf ball strikes. We have several systems along fairways on residences and have not had any reported issues. Does anyone else have systems in the cross-hairs of errant golf balls? If so, any feedback on resistance to strikes?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'></span><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"'>Jason Szumlanski</span><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'></span><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'></span><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"'>Florida Solar Design Group</span><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'></span><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></div></body></html>