can you use polycarbonate instead of glass

[NUKEMED68]

we are looking at covers normally they use glass but glass can break polycarbon is thinner and extremely durable has anyone used it?

[DeltaFox 25]

It has to be Ultra vilot Plastic

[NUKEMED68]

thanks for the info

this is one of the questions we had appreciate the info

[DeltaFox 25]

It has to be museum type of plexiglas. i started off with this type but went to glass. Low iron harden glass.

[Jonathan Cole]

Polycarbonate not a good choice

Solar panels use tempered, shatter-proof glass. In 30 years, I have never seen a broken one. (I am sure you could break one if you took a hammer to it.) They also have anti-reflective coatings and surface treatments that maximize the light that penetrates to the solar cells. Polycarbonate it not a good choice because it scratches and will over time be damaged by direct sunlight.

[Mike90250]

I've seen "laid on the ground" break when driven over, and some mid-west hailstorms can take them out. But generally, up to golf ball size hail, they are OK.

I suppose wind blown tree branches and lawn chairs will do damage too.