Solar Panel durability to impact

[DonnieSuits]

I have a neighbor who has a very tall walnut tree (at least 75 - 100 feet) that overhangs my roof, therefore I can not cut it down and he will not remove it. The tree will not block the sun due to it being north of the structure but the tree does drop walnuts the size of tennis balls through out the summer and fall seasons. These walnuts will hit the solar panels. Are solar panels built to take this type of impact day after day and year after year???

Here is a picture of my neighbors nuts

IMG_9437.jpg

[J.P.M.]

Provided a bunch of walnuts don't hit simultaneously, continuous strikes probably won't increase the probability of damage from walnut strikes by virtue of there being a lot of them - again provided each strike is discrete. Other stuff like sap or falling leaves that block irradiance might be a concern.

Around here, unless it's a protected species or some legacy tree, if a tree overhangs your property, you can cut the overhanging portion.

[RichardCullip]

I'm with J.P.M. here. I'd be tempted to cut back some of the overhanging branches unless, of course, you are enjoying the free walnuts too much to forgo the harvest.

[solarix]

PV panels are rated for 1" hail at 90mph so will probably handle soft walnuts.

[SunEagle]

I see another problem. I use to have black walnut trees in my yard. The sticky sap while clear left a black ink mark where ever it sat. So while your panels may not break from the impact the walnut sap may stain them which would reduce production.

[J.P.M.]

I see another problem. I use to have black walnut trees in my yard. The sticky sap while clear left a black ink mark where ever it sat. So while your panels may not break from the impact the walnut sap may stain them which would reduce production.

Off topic: My ex's mother was rather advanced in age and lived in rural northern AL on ~ 40 acres of kind of isolated and somewhat neglected land. Long story but she found out from a furniture maker who knocked on the door one day wanting to "buy a tree" that about 20 or so of those acres were covered with very old, quite large but mostly healthy and probably first growth black walnut trees. She and her grandchildren lived very well after that.

[SunEagle]

Off topic: My ex's mother was rather advanced in age and lived in rural northern AL on ~ 40 acres of kind of isolated and somewhat neglected land. Long story but she found out from a furniture maker who knocked on the door one day wanting to "buy a tree" that about 20 or so of those acres were covered with very old, quite large but mostly healthy and probably first growth black walnut trees. She and her grandchildren lived very well after that.

Well times have changed. The trees were in my dads yard and he was visited by the city people who indicated he needed to do everything in his power (and pocket) to keep the dozen black walnut trees safe because they were on an endangered list.

Oh this was in New Jersey about mid 1960's

[Mike90250]

Walnuts fresh off a tree, have a pulpy shell and I doubt they will shatter a panel. But the residue/sap would be a problem

[reader2580]

Don't at least some states allow trimming of a neighbor's tree back to the property line? I have heard of some ridiculous looking trees because the neighbor trimmed their side of the tree exactly to the property line.

[J.P.M.]

Don't at least some states allow trimming of a neighbor's tree back to the property line? I have heard of some ridiculous looking trees because the neighbor trimmed their side of the tree exactly to the property line.

Yes, unless other considerations take precedence such as protected species or other things. Enough trimming of overlap to a property will probably kill a tree. Just sayin'.