Do Solar Panels Attract Lightning?

When you use solar panels, you had better know as much as possible so that you can make the best use of them. For example, someone wants to know whether solar panels attract lighting? Here, in this post, I would like to give you more information about this answer. 

Neither solar panels nor the metal racking of the panels attracts lightning. Many people assume having electrical equipment installed on the rooftop makes their houses perfect targets for strikes. But there is no evidence that can support this assumption.

Neither the metal components of a solar power system nor a metal roof have anything to do with lightning.

The dynamics behind lightning are highly complicated and involve factors like thunderclouds, electric fields, and air currents. The lightning will hit what it wants to, and this can happen at any time.

 

But the fact is that, your 300w solar panel or property is not immune to lightning strikes. The energy of a strike can disrupt and even destroy your solar installation if the conditions are right for it. 

I mean, as long as you have your system installed correctly on mounts designed for high winds, you shouldn’t be concerned about lightning strikes.

We’ll go over what you can do as a homeowner to reduce the chances of being affected by lightning strikes. But first, let’s take a look at how lighting works from a scientific standpoint.

What Is a Lightning Strike, and When Does It Happen?

A lightning strike is a sudden electrostatic discharge between an electrical cloud and the ground. This occurs when there is enough voltage for electrons to accumulate in clouds while they are in contact with or near the earth’s surface.

Lightning can damage our homes, cars, electronic devices, and more. Lightning strikes are most likely during storm season (spring/summer), but they can happen year-round nonetheless.

What Does Attract a Lightning Strike?

Lightning can strike anywhere, but there are things that make your property more likely to get hit.

Location is the first thing that determines the likelihood of a lightning strike. There are published lightning maps that show the likelihood of lightning strikes in different regions.

These maps are usually based on how many thunderstorms occur in a certain area and what type of terrain is present there like mountains with tall trees or flat plains that might dissipate lightning strikes before they hit anything else.

The second thing to consider is where your home’s solar panels will be installed relative to those locations you’ll likely have a higher chance of being struck by lightning.

Do Metal Components Attract Lightning?

Lightning can strike any object including mountains, oceans, trees, and buildings. Metal components are not more or less prone to attract lightning strikes.

You may be thinking at this point, then why lightning rods are made of metal.

Lightning rods are metal in order to offer a preferential path to a strike. They are designed to discharge electric current to the ground with a safer path you choose protecting your structure from damage.

Lightning rods use their height advantage (they’re taller than other parts of your roof) in order to be the first thing that a lightning strike to meet if it lands on your rooftop.

Does Electricity in Solar Equipment Attract Lightning?

No, electricity in solar equipment doesn’t attract lightning. Lightning occurs when there is turbulence in the atmosphere that builds static electrical charge. Lightning can strike the ground, a building, or anything else that has an electrical charge.

Electrical current from solar panels (which is direct current) doesn’t have an atmospheric presence and therefore won’t attract lightning.