Sol-Ark SA-12K Hybrid - Is it worth the cost for EMP Hardening?

[robbob2112]

Did you read this thread? It indicated that the the EMP proofing on the Sol-Ark is more than just the magnets. They also use a bunch of TVS diodes. Anyways, it is a good read.

EMP-proofing my system with tvs diodes design idea

I've been back-of-the-envelope designing supplemental EMP and transients protection for my system using tvs diodes in conjunction with the Midnight lightning arresters (I can build them cheaper than just buying them, but they're inexpensive and the time savings is worth it). I recently saw...

diysolarforum.com

 

[AntronX]

It's snake oil geared towards non EE educated prepper types with more money than brains.

 

[Warpspeed]

Do you utilize any surge or lightning or emp protection on either your solar or HAM system? If so, what products have you found worthwhile when considering cost, magnitude of potential damage, scale of potential outage or attack

No, its not really possible to do very much that is actually going to work in extreme circumstances.

Unfortunately a good Ham Radio site is also going to be an exposed site.

 

[G00SE]

No, its not really possible to do very much that is actually going to work in extreme circumstances.

Unfortunately a good Ham Radio site is also going to be an exposed site.

Thanks for the response. I’d been digging into the midnite SPD and emp shield devices and can’t ever seem to iron much in terms of tangible advice in that process. Begun resigning myself to similar thoughts to your sentiment but I chalked that up to my own ignorance

 

[robbob2112]

Search for the motorla grounding standard for communications equipment. The actual specs are also a good read.

We all know if you are looking to survive a nuclear war it is gonna cost a lot and you will send several copies of all your equipment stored is ghe equivalent of a faraday cage. You need multiple copies of everything because there is no way to call the vendor for warranty service.

So what we should try to prevent is EMP from near lightning strikes from causing issues as well as solar flares. Most of that is taken care of with grounding and everything being either burried or inside metal conduit that is grounded correctly. One reason to have a ground rod at remote panels.

I doubt there is much that can survive a direct strike, but I know from personal experience some thihgs can. I have a 40ft weather station mast and I took a direct strike. The weather station exploded into fragments then the strike rode the cat5 cable into the poe adapter and the switch. From there it took out everything hooked up directly. I know my mistake was improper grounding on the mast.

Since then I added a ground rod at the base and a bare copper 2awg wire up the center of the mast with a few strands played out as coronal points and tied it electrically to each section of the mast. So, from the top to the bottom to a ground rod then every 16 foot a new clamp around the wire connected to another 8ft ground rod. Eveutually tied it to the house ground.

I also installed a pass-through cat5 device that protects against strikes

https://www.l-com.com/surge-protector-outdoor-high-power-10-100-base-t-cat5-lightning-surge-protector-rj45-jacks

A few other devices along the same lines for the land line and coax inputs and a TVVS attached to the main breaker panel.

Since then I have taken a near strikes and one that burned down one of the three coronal points I left sticking up. The idea of the coronal points is it takes a lot of energy to melt the copper strands. The points sticking up are more likely to be the source of the lightning. It also destroyed the ethernet protector but didn't penetrate the house or hit anything else. I also had a second cat5 protector inside before it got to the switch that was fine.

Nothing else in the house was touched. Can't prove a negative but the technology works for near misses and I would suppose it could be extended for use with solar.

 

[wheisenburg]

I have these at all the major entry points into my system. I have AC coupled solar. So:

1. Grid connection
2. AC combiner connection.
3. House connection.

Within the rest of the system most of the wiring is all inside metal conduits. Will it survive the Zombie Apocalypse? Probably not. I guess true EMP has some longer duration waves than a lightning strike.

Midnite Solar MNSPD-300-AC - Inverter Supply

Shop for Midnite Solar MNSPD-300-AC at Inverter Supply for best prices online. Midnite Solar MNSPD-300-AC, Midnite Solar, MNSPD-300-AC, 300V AC Surge Protector Device, Midnite Surge Protectors

www.invertersupply.com

 

[robbob2112]

Will it survive the Zombie Apocalypse? Probably not. I guess true EMP has some longer duration waves than a lightning strike.

Midnite Solar MNSPD-300-AC - Inverter Supply

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It will survive the walking dead, the question is are you practicing your crossbow?

 

[robby]

Lightning protection and EMP protection are entirely different things.
I am one of those Ham Radio guys (VK3ALY).
I have also professionally been involved with designing lightning protection for multi million dollar projects.

LEMP vs HEMP is not the same protection but there are many crossover points.
In any case I am not that worried about HEMP. If that is happening what the hell is the point of your Inverter working if your being irradiated.

 

[G00SE]

If that is happening what the hell is the point of your Inverter working if you’re being irradiated.

how else is @Will Prowse going to post review videos of post apocalyptic inverter quality comparisons

 

[MURPH-COMPLEX SYSTEMS]

Newbie question here is there nothing to use as lightning arresters or a TVVS type protection for the lines from the roof? Something like a wire through a glass tube and neon or argon in it. A strip of wire along the inside of the glass that is grounded.. is lightning hits is arcs through the gas and grounds. L-com.com has a bunch of stuff like that for antenna and cables of all sorts. But I haven't seen any conversations about it here.

I'm hearing good things about "emp shield" may be worth looking into.. I may get one soon and test it out myself also I just saw a video on YouTube released a couple hours ago on survival dispatch@youtube where a guy hit it with approximately 360k volts and it kept running. He used a homemade Marx generator with about 4-5 amps .. supposedly has a max short current rating of 280kAmps. It can also sustain mulitiple type 1-4 emp level events but one lightning strike, has a 25,0000$ insurance warranty policy and a 50$ deductiblefor replacement after lightning strikes...but I'm curious about paralleling multiple dc pv spds for the same effect for lightning anyways not for emp though? Is this a possibility? Has anyone ever tried it? Please advise on both aspects of this post if any first hand knowledge is available. Thanks

 

[AntronX]

I'm hearing good things about "emp shield" may be worth looking into.

It's a bunch of MOVs potted in a box and sold for a lot of money.

 

[Warpspeed]

MOVs are slow devices, and make for a very soft voltage clamp.

Can a mattress stop a bullet ?
It should.
Its very soft, and thick, and can absorb a lot of energy.
Therefore simple logic suggests a mattress should easily stop a bullet eh ?
A mattress might dull a punch from Mike Tyson, but it won't stop a bullet.
Different thing entirely.

People just fail to comprehend the sheer speed and power and electrical violence of a military grade EMP pulse weapon.
If these things ever get used we are Fck'd.

 

[AntronX]

People just fail to comprehend the sheer speed and power and electrical violence of an EMP pulse weapon.

I don't care how fast EMP is if your wires have inductance.

 

[Warpspeed]

I don't care how fast EMP is if your wires have inductance.

Good luck with that.

 

[robby]

People just fail to comprehend the sheer speed and power and electrical violence of an EMP pulse weapon.
If these things ever get used we are Fck'd.

I understand the power of a HEMP but as I said if it reaches that stage your electricity is the least of your problems! An event like that can only happen during a full blown nuclear war.
Now LEMP on there hand is something to worry about and that is what the Sol-Ark with EMP shielding has been tested for and can survive.
Is it worth it? Not in my book but I would not turn down one if the price is right.

 

[Warpspeed]

I suppose it depends on what is being offered, and how much extra it costs.
I am not familiar with EMP resistant solar hardware, so cannot really comment.

I have done some professional design and testing for lightning protection at the Melbourne Telecom high voltage lab, but that is a very different thing to EMP.