Setup Guide

Set Up Your Hail Protector

One-time assembly takes about 20 minutes. After that, deployment is 5–10 minutes each time a storm approaches.

First setup: ~20 min Each deployment: 5–10 min

Phase 1

One-Time Assembly

Do these steps once when you first receive your Hail Protector

Get storm alerts before hail arrives -- the free Hail Protector app gives you the warning time you need to deploy your cover.

Key Features

Real-time hail tracking -- Live NEXRAD radar with hail size, distance, and speed. 30+ min warning.
Multi-location monitoring -- Track home, office, and more.
Forecasts -- Hourly and extended for each location.
Vehicle status -- Mark each vehicle Covered or At Risk.
Hail history -- Total events, max size, peak season for your area.

iOSComing soon

Set up the app before your first storm. Add your home address and vehicles so you're ready when severe weather approaches.

Open carefully. Your system may have shipped in two boxes. Verify all components are present:

Hail Protector Cover

Inflatable cover. Silver covers have a white inner layer; black covers are black inside and out.

Blower Assembly

Four-fan unit that inflates the cover. Built-in rocker on/off switch.

Blower Rain Covers (4x)

Dome caps that keep water out of the blower grilles.

AC Adapter

Wall power. Unlimited runtime. Recommended for home use. Requires an outdoor-rated extension cord.

12V Car Power Cord

Plugs into accessory outlet. ~3 hours runtime. Good for away-from-home use. For extended protection, switch to AC.

Blower Power Wire

Connects power source to blower. Two-pin connectors on each end.

Cord Connection Protector

Weatherproof case that snaps around the AC adapter connection.

AA Battery Holder

Emergency backup only. 8×AA batteries (not included; use new alkaline batteries only). ~30 min runtime.

Accessory Bag

Contains all smaller components listed below.

Tape Measure

Retractable with rubber band hook. Used for undercarriage straps.

Velcro Strip

~10" strip for creating the permanent vent opening.

Rubber Bands (4x)

SUV2/SUV3 only. Secures removed undercarriage buckles.

Don't remove the white foam pads from the blower. They're part of the product, not packing material.

Optional Add-Ons (Sold Separately)

Smart Plug

WiFi outlet to turn blower on/off from your phone. Sold separately.

a. Open the large Velcro flap (~4 ft / 120 cm) on the outside of the cover, near the cinch wand and printed text. The blower holes are also on this side.

Hands opening Velcro flap, showing interior

Do not remove the Styrofoam from the blower. It is part of the product, not packing material.

b. Place the blower inside, fan side up, air outlet at 10 o'clock.

Blower positioned inside cover, correct orientation

c. Stretch the 4 elastic openings over the 4 blower grilles, one at a time.

Close-up: elastic being stretched over one grille

Pull on the elastic, not the fabric. Slide one side under the grille first, then stretch the other over.

Stretching elastic over a grille30 sec

a. Find the grommet on the inner layer, left of the blower.

Finger pointing to grommet on inner layer

b. Leave about a foot of slack inside the cover and tie a loose knot at that point on the wire.

c. Thread the wire through the grommet from inside to outside.

d. Tie a second knot on the outside.

Wire through grommet with knots on inside and outside

Tie a knot on the inside and outside of the cover.

Threading wire + tying knot15 sec

This vent is at one end of the same Velcro flap where you installed the blower. It creates a permanent opening for airflow during inflation and deflation.

a. Attach the Velcro strip to the rightmost side of the flap. This prevents that section from closing and creates an area for air to escape.

b. Close the rest of the Velcro flap.

Trucks and SUVs: Before attaching, cut the Velcro strip to ~6" (15 cm) for a smaller opening.

Velcro vent installed: strip across gap, ~5" opening visible

Keeps water out of the blowers.

a. Place each cover on a grille, mouth facing the Velcro seam (7 o'clock).

b. Seat the 4 knobs into the grille slots. Rotate to 6 o'clock to lock.

c. Repeat for the remaining 3 grilles.

Rain cover being installed onto grille — knob-and-rotate motion

Installing one rain cover20 sec

SUV2 and SUV3 only. All other models (CAR1–CAR3, SUV1): skip this step. SUV1 uses straps like cars.

a. Unbuckle and remove the strap assembly.

b. Fold the empty buckle back on itself. Secure with a rubber band.

Buckle folded back, secured with rubber band

One-Time Assembly Complete

Everything below is your regular deployment routine. First time: 10–15 min. After practice: 5–10 min.

Do a practice run on a calm day before your first real storm.

Phase 2

Every-Time Deployment

Follow these steps each time a storm is approaching

Back in toward a wall or structure. Leave ~4 ft (120 cm) between the rear bumper and the building. This shields the blowers from wind.

Away from home? Point the nose into the wind. Use buildings or other cars to block the rear.

Antennas: Unscrew metal antennas taller than 4" and stow inside.

Mirrors: Folding in is optional but gives a cleaner fit.

Trucks and SUVs: Two people recommended for deployment due to vehicle height.

The app gives 30+ min warning — enough time to reposition if needed.

Choose a power source for the blower. AC is recommended whenever possible.

Source	Runtime	Best For	Notes
AC Adapter Recommended	Unlimited	Home	Needs outdoor extension cord.
12V Car Cord	~3 hours	Away from home	Won't drain starter battery.
AA Batteries	~30 min	Emergency only	Last resort when AC/12V unavailable.

All three power options laid out side by side

All power sources must remain inside the trunk, hatch, cab, or truck bed at all times. None are waterproof. In truck beds, elevate the power source on a block of wood to keep it above pooling water.

AC Adapter (recommended)

a. Plug adapter into an outdoor-rated extension cord and outdoor outlet.

b. Place the plug connection inside the Cord Protector and snap shut.

c. Drape the blower power wire from the trunk or hatch, ~12" (30 cm) resting on the ground at the passenger rear corner. This creates a drip loop so water runs off the wire instead of into the vehicle.

Cord protector open in hands with cords connected

For pickup trucks: Route the power cable through the corner gap of the closed tailgate. Drape ~12" on the ground at the passenger rear corner.

Power cable routed through corner of closed pickup tailgate

12V Car Cord

Plug into your vehicle’s accessory outlet. Route the cord out through the door seal — modern seals accommodate thin cables without damage.

Some vehicles cut power to the 12V outlet when the ignition is off. If your blowers stop, switch to ACC (accessory) mode or use the AC adapter instead.

Never enter or start the vehicle while the cover is deployed. Exhaust fumes can become trapped under the cover, creating a carbon monoxide hazard.

AA Batteries (Emergency Only)

Insert 8 new alkaline AA batteries into the holder. Place in trunk or truck bed. Connect wire. Runtime is approximately 30 minutes.

Close the trunk or tailgate.

Optional Add-On: Set Up the Smart Plug (Sold Separately)

The Smart Plug (sold separately) lets you turn the blower on and off from your phone.

Why use it:

Turn the blower on from inside your home when the storm alert hits.
Shut the blower off after the storm passes without getting wet.
Run the blower 30–60 minutes after rain to dry the cover.

Setup:

Follow the instructions in the Smart Plug packaging to connect to WiFi.
Plug the Smart Plug into your outdoor outlet (or extension cord).
Plug the AC adapter into the Smart Plug.
Verify by toggling on/off from the app.

Tip: Leave the blower's physical rocker switch in the ON position. The Smart Plug controls power to the whole system -- flip it on from the app and the blower starts automatically.

Warning: The Smart Plug is for use with the AC adapter only. Do not use with the 12V car cord or AA battery holder.

a. Remove cover from storage bag. Bag goes in the trunk.

b. Unfold behind the vehicle, logo side up, with the blower assembly side facing away from the vehicle.

Straps must be unbuckled (cars + SUV1) before deploying. SUV2/SUV3: straps were already removed in Step 6.

c. Lift the bulk onto the roof or pickup bed at the rear. Leave blower on the ground.

Lifting cover onto roof from rear of vehicle

d. Pull forward over the vehicle, alternating sides, until the front edge touches the ground.

Keep the front edge tight to the roof as you pull — prevents wind getting under. Wind >10 mph? Have a second person help.

Pulling cover rear-to-front30 sec

At the passenger rear corner, plug the blower power wire (from trunk) into the blower assembly wire (from cover). Tuck the connection under the vehicle.

Connecting the two-pin plug at rear corner

Plugging connectors together10 sec

This is the most important step. The drawstring holds the cover on your vehicle. Loose drawstring = cover blows off.

a. Pick up the cinch wand and stand 3–6 ft behind the vehicle. Hold the wand at a 45° angle to the rear tires.

b. Pull the drawstring through the wand. Once you feel resistance, check that the cover is secured tightly around the front tires — right where they meet the ground.

Person holding cinch wand at correct angle

c. Pull more drawstring through the wand as you walk forward toward the rear tires.

d. When you feel resistance, pull one side at a time to remove the last slack.

e. Wrap the drawstring 3–4× around the wand’s T-end. Loop and pull tight, then loop again.

f. Walk around the vehicle and confirm no more than 1" of play at each wheel.

Drawstring secured at T-end of cinch wand

Large trucks and SUVs: It may not be possible to fully reach and tighten the rear tires. As long as the front tires are secured and the rear cannot slip off, it’s OK to proceed.

Don’t walk away until it’s tight at every wheel and locked at the wand.

Drawstring stuck? Check it’s not caught under a wheel. Untie, reposition, re-cinch.

SUV2/SUV3: Skip this step. Your straps were removed in Step 6.

a. Use the tape measure hook to pull the strap under the vehicle to the far side.

b. Buckle on the far side. Tighten just until buckles sit slightly under the vehicle.

Don’t overtighten. Straps just hold the midsection low — the drawstring is what keeps the cover on.

Tape measure connected to strap (hook engaged on strap end)

a. Reach inside the right side of the rear Velcro opening.

b. Flip the rocker switch ON.

c. Re-seal the Velcro.

Full inflation: ~5 min (AC adapter). Trucks and weaker power sources: up to 9 min.

Some inner layer showing at the bottom edges is normal at full inflation.

Activate before it rains. Run 30–60 min after rain stops to dry the fabric.

Fully inflated Hail Protector — dramatic hero shot

Fully inflated Hail Protector — alternate angle

Before Removing

If it’s dry out, run the blowers 30–60 min to dry the cover first. To drain water: undo midsection strap, shift cover so water flows to the drainage holes at the bottom edges.

Removal

Switch OFF via rocker switch in rear Velcro opening. To deflate faster, open a Velcro vent on the end without wind blowing into it.
Unbuckle undercarriage straps (cars + SUV1). SUV2/SUV3: rubber bands stay in place.
Untie drawstring from cinch wand. Pull wand out from under vehicle.
Disconnect blower power wire at rear corner.
Pull cover off front-to-rear.
Open the Velcro flap so air can escape. Fold in half lengthwise, then roll toward the blower, pushing air out through the opening.
Pack into storage bag. Criss-cross straps, buckle, and cinch top.

If wind shifted, remove from the side opposite the wind — use the vehicle as a windbreak.

Wipe down undercarriage straps with a rag to prevent dirt buildup.

Drying & Storage

Couldn’t dry the cover first? Unroll and air-dry within 1–2 days to prevent mildew.

Store in a cool, dry, ventilated space. Never outside. Plastic containers need ventilation holes.

Quick answers to common issues. Contact customerservice@hailstormproducts.com or 1-855-511-4245 if not listed.

Cover blew off

Drawstring wasn't tight enough. Must be at the very bottom of all wheels. Re-read Step 11.

Not fully inflating

Check power source -- AA batteries are weak in cold. Switch to AC or 12V. Confirm rain covers aren't blocking airflow.

Water pooling inside

Fabric is breathable by design. Activate before rain. Run blowers 30-60 min after rain stops.

Connector loose or corroded

Keep connectors dry. Clean corrosion with a dry cloth.

Musty smell / mildew

Cover wasn't dried before storage. Unroll and air-dry within 1-2 days. Store in ventilated area.

Fuse keeps blowing

Check connectors for corrosion or water. Contact support.

Too heavy for one person

For trucks/SUVs, a second person helps. Practice on a calm day.

Step 1 of 14

Specifications

Fabric	Woven breathable polyester
Treatments	UV, water, and IR resistant (reflective silver)
Temperature	-12°C to +70°C (10°F to 158°F)
Voltage	12V DC (100–240V AC with adapter)
Power	60W (5A @ 12V DC)
Airflow	88–100 CFM
Sound	60 dB at 1 meter
Sizes	Sentinel: CAR1–CAR3 (175"–211") · Guardian: SUV1–SUV3 (up to 270")

Need Help?

customerservice@hailstormproducts.com 1-855-511-4245
Mon–Fri, 9–5 CST FAQ & Troubleshooting Warranty Information

1 Back in. Rear of vehicle ~4 ft from garage or wall.
2 Cinch to the bottom. Drawstring at the very bottom of all four wheels.
3 Don't overtighten straps. Drawstring holds the cover on, not straps.
4 Pull one side at a time. Removes the last slack when cinching.
5 Activate early. On before rain, run 30–60 min after to dry.