I returned home on June 19th to discover that one of our solar panels had shattered while we were away on a trip, and a subsequent inspection revealed another panel shattered as well. We've reviewed our security footage but found no signs of tampering or anyone near our property. Our neighbor across the street is an older man who keeps to himself, and while we haven't had any interactions with the neighbors two streets down, we find the situation unsettling. We moved in about four months ago but have yet to install our privacy fence or secure the panels in place. We live in a quiet, rural area where not much happens, which makes this all the more perplexing. The cameras only captured us leaving and returning home, and they usually detect movement better than that. Notably, the first panel, which already had damage, now shows additional impact points. We initially speculated that the panels might have been hit by something, maybe a BB or real gun, but there are no projectiles found. Extreme heat crossed our minds as an explanation, but the weather was actually cloudy that day. We're hoping this is just bad luck rather than a neighborly issue. Any insights or theories on what could have caused this would be really appreciated!
2 Answers
It definitely sounds like someone could be intentionally damaging your panels, but it's also worth considering natural causes. Do you have any birds hanging around? Sometimes crows or magpies can peck at things, which could explain the hits. If you have a thermal camera, it might help to check the area and see if there are any hot spots on the panels. It's strange that your security cameras missed the action, though. Maybe the heat or other environmental factors played a part, but a BB gun could be a possibility too.
Yeah, I’ve seen birds do some real damage. You might want to look into protective covers for your panels too.
Wow, that's really unsettling! If it were something environmental, you'd expect to see some sort of residue or debris. It's weird that the panels would shatter without any signs of blunt force. Have you tried asking your neighbors if they've noticed anything unusual? Even just casually could help clear up any doubts about neighborhood troublemakers.
Good idea, SolarMax22! Sometimes just talking to the neighbors can bring some interesting info to light. It might ease your mind too.
I agree with TechieTim22! Those birds can be surprisingly destructive. It's also possible that the cameras just malfunctioned or didn't capture the action. Have you thought about placing your cameras in a different spot to cover more area?