Lab Films Ice Balls Cracking Solar Panel Glass

High-speed footage from a New Mexico federal laboratory shows how severe hail impacts damage double-glass solar modules.

Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Severe Weather

Lab Films Ice Balls Cracking Solar Panel Glass

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Researchers at a federal laboratory in New Mexico filmed ice balls striking solar panel glass at 300,000 frames per second. The first plausible crack formed an average of 126 microseconds after impact.

Why it matters

The findings show how hail energy translates into glass damage in photovoltaic modules, information relevant to panel durability in hail-prone regions. The test results indicate where damage thresholds lie for different module designs.

The laboratory fired a 2.2-inch ice ball weighing about 2.8 ounces at about 76 miles per hour, delivering roughly 46 joules, compared with a 1-inch baseline certification ball at about 51 miles per hour. Impacts of 20 joules or less did negligible damage, while double-glass modules cracked around 25 joules.

The details

Researchers fired ice balls from a steel barrel across a padded test bay at upright modules in a frame. Stereo high-speed video and digital image correlation measured glass deflection, and ice fragmentation partly obscured the impact site.

Article on the hail impact testing findings published November 8, 2026.

Seasonal Patterns

The baseline certification test uses a 1-inch, roughly 51 mph ice ball, while this study pushed to a 2.2-inch, 76 mph impact to find where double-glass modules begin to crack. That comparison marks where standard certification leaves off and severe-hail performance begins.

Owners of double-glass solar modules in hail-prone areas should check warranty terms and inspect panels after severe storms for cracks. Modules that cracked at around 25 joules may warrant closer inspection after large-hail events.

The takeaway

Hail damage to solar glass depends on impact energy, and modules can fail well below the standard certification test. Checking panels after severe hail can catch cracks early.