Hey everyone! I'm about to have a solar system installed in a country where I have to make some compromises due to limited resources. One major concern for me is the lightning protection system since I live in a densely populated area. My concrete house has a roof height of about 25 feet, and the solar structure will extend about 16 feet above that, at a 12-degree angle. I plan to install a lightning arrestor on a rod above the solar panels, but I have a few doubts.
First, I'm worried that the insulator pad will not isolate the arrestor from the metal frame effectively, especially during rain. I could instead mount the rod about 3 feet away on concrete, which brings up new concerns about potential flashover and damage to the concrete due to moisture and rebar.
Secondly, I've learned about the 45-degree protection cone a lightning rod provides. Given that my grid size is about 30 by 20 feet, it seems like the rod wouldn't cover much of the solar panels at all. If I heighten the rod to 10-15 feet, it might protect more, but still not fully.
Lastly, I've read that lightning rods could actually increase the likelihood of being struck by lightning even while providing safe conduction to the ground.
So, I'm unsure whether to go without a lightning rod, install a 15-foot rod on the frame, or set it 3 feet away from the frame. What do you recommend?
1 Answer
Hey! Your setup sounds interesting, but I totally get your concerns. With your solar array being really high up, a lightning protection system might be essential just to safeguard the structure itself. While it's true that many people don't install lightning protection on regular solar arrays, your unique height could make it wise to consider it.
Where I live, we usually install Surge Protection Devices (SPDs) to protect equipment from nearby lightning surges. It’s generally more common than full structural lightning systems. Honestly, I think grounding your solar panels and using SPDs could be sufficient without a lightning rod, especially since your system is residential and deals with lower voltages. Just ensure everything is grounded properly!