EMP Protection

[HOU_Castle]

Small electronics can be stored in an old microwave.
DO NOT TURN ON THE MICROWAVE.

You could wrap it in aluminum foil, But the aluminum shouldn't be touching or grounded out to metal (conductive) part of the item you're protecting (so I have read), so as a precaution, if you could first wrap the item with non-conductive cardboard paper or cloth first (seems logical to me), and then wrap the foil around it, making sure there is adequate overlap on the seams and no points open. The article below is even saying to use 3 layers of aluminum foil.

DISCLAIMER:
I am not an expert at EMP, in the sense, that I have never done any of my own testing with EMP protection, also EMP can vary widely in its intensity depending on many many factors, I have only read quite a bit and seen lots of You Tube videos on it, so you could call me a 'bench racer' in that regard.

I have taken some trainings at work related to ESD and handling sensitive electronics, and I do know that just walking creates ESD in your body with every step, and it's all around you, and passes to other objects in everything you touch. Even the tools in our datacenter are required to be ESD certified (also benches, ESD mats, etc). As modern day electronic components get smaller and smaller, they become more and more sensitive to EMF and ESD damage, and they usually have ratings in the advanced specs as far as how much internal ESD circuit protection they can provide for.

Reference Article:

Why and How to Protect Your Gear from EMP Attack - Survival Mom

Take these EMP protection measures to prepare and protect your gear from EMP attacks. Includes a link to a FREE EMP Survival e-book!

thesurvivalmom.com

That article even goes to the extreme of possibly recommending to have a redundant array of inexpensive faraday containers with 2 of everything, in case the attacker decides to run a second blast... I guess there's no end to preparation strategy, have to find our happy line of comfort hehe...

Thank you again for your input. Well, Apparently, this would be my weekend tasks. Some articles mentioned not to use any electronic after the 1st EMP blast, and wait for a week, in case there is another 2nd blast. Crazy....

 

[kanelr]

CUDOS to samsonite 801 and others here. i asked these elsewhere yet I think this is the place.
.
Here we are 2-11-23. forget the media, those balloons are likely doing surface contour measurements or collecting low level tech signals that don't go far. Pretty sure everything else can be done from satellites.
So that increases the likelihood of EMP (the surface contour stuff is for that, can't remember the technical term).
An EMP may be a long shot, but it's certainly not a c-theory in view of the globe right now. So like one would for lightening or wind, I would like to at least try and protect what I can.
So in that crazy world would keeping extra diodes in a 'safe" place be adequate for the panels? I can't find info (yet) anywhere that clarifies how hot the (super short) pulse is, regarding over voltaging a chip or resistor, or erasing eproms, or simply physical "overcurrent bloom" for lack of the correct term. I DO NOT think unsoldering is ever an issue, it's
Here is a "thoughts" list any solutions or additions? thanks in advance.
panels- not effected except for maybe diodes?
inverters and or charge controllers- faraday cages- the lines in and out are still a problem
batteries- can we jump the internal BMS components?
microinverters- spares/, shielding?

this is a real can of worms ya know?
It depends who you are but it almost is like you need to start with a big shielded room. years ago i was in one of those to effect some repairs-they really do look like in that mel gibson will smith gene hackman movie

 

[kanelr]

one more thing, I don't think you will receive much advance notice to chuck your charge controllers into a steel bucket wrapped in rubber.

 

[HOU_Castle]

one more thing, I don't think you will receive much advance notice to chuck your charge controllers into a steel bucket wrapped in rubber.

The best thing is to have and to store the spare of critical devices/eqpt in faraday cage. This is going to be expensive, but it is an insurance. Or, you can sell them in the future. I bet these will appreciate in price. Inflation won't be back to 2% for sure.

 

[MurphyGuy]

These guys say yes: sol-ark. It's an option they sell on their inverter and panels. They're an American company (i.e., consumer protection laws apply) and they do work for the military... so it's believable to me. They also have a few fun "let's zap products with EMP" videos...

Sol-Ark's EMP protection is for lightening strikes, not nuclear EMP.

As for consumer protection laws, regarding such protection, how would that work after a nuclear emp has fried the entire country?

The EMP from a high altitude nuclear weapon will arrive in two forms. The first is the conductive component. This is the part that couples into metal conductors and travels down the wires and into your home. You need a surge protector with a nanosecond response time to react to it. These types of surge protectors are available and cost a couple hundred bucks. The Siemens FS140 is probably the best one available, but I'm assuming companies like Sol-Ark have probably engineered their own or copied the Siemens model. These conductive EMP protection devices should do a fine job at sending the pulse to ground.

The 2nd component of a high altitude nuclear weapon is the radiative pulse. This is basically just a high amplitude radio signal that also has a nanosecond waveform. Short of a Faraday cage, there is no stopping it... period.
The radiative component will directly couple into the chips, transistors, and electrical pathways of any microprocessor device.

 

[sunsurfer]

One option is to keep parts protected offline. Wait a week or two before hooking them up. Hopefully, no one notices you have power.

 

[kanelr]

Sol-Ark's EMP protection is for lightening strikes, not nuclear EMP.

As for consumer protection laws, regarding such protection, how would that work after a nuclear emp has fried the entire country?

The EMP from a high altitude nuclear weapon will arrive in two forms. The first is the conductive component. This is the part that couples into metal conductors and travels down the wires and into your home. You need a surge protector with a nanosecond response time to react to it. These types of surge protectors are available and cost a couple hundred bucks. The Siemens FS140 is probably the best one available, but I'm assuming companies like Sol-Ark have probably engineered their own or copied the Siemens model. These conductive EMP protection devices should do a fine job at sending the pulse to ground.

The 2nd component of a high altitude nuclear weapon is the radiative pulse. This is basically just a high amplitude radio signal that also has a nanosecond waveform. Short of a Faraday cage, there is no stopping it... period.
The radiative component will directly couple into the chips, transistors, and electrical pathways of any microprocessor device.

Hi good stuff thanks. so do we know if the layers of materials that comprise a solar panel, not the diodes, the lasagna of metals glass and plastics, would get fried like a capacitor or something? I am looking to fathom the actual science here

 

[MurphyGuy]

Hi good stuff thanks. so do we know if the layers of materials that comprise a solar panel, not the diodes, the lasagna of metals glass and plastics, would get fried like a capacitor or something? I am looking to fathom the actual science here

You're not the first to ask this question. Current research suggests that solar panels in operation will be damaged by the EMP, but will still output some power. The experiment I saw showed a 50%(?) reduction in output. That same research suggests that solar panels which are not being used (like sitting on a shelf), will most likely be unharmed.

The research I am quoting was performed by quasi-amateurs, not a professional testing lab. This research used an EMP generator that does not produce the full range of frequencies of a real nuclear EMP. To be fair, there are no man made contraptions which can simulate a real EMP. Sandia (?) probably had the most advanced EMP simulator, but even it could only produce a single pulse on a single frequency, albeit a much better controlled one.

The problem is that it is not as simple as just fancy math or a computer simulation. And the consequences and problems of producing a real EMP are so severe that we just don't do it.

The US Gov performed a series of test back in the 50's or 60's (reference Star Fish Prime) where they detonated nuclear weapons at high altitude, and one in space. It blew out and destroyed 1950's electrical gear 800 miles away in Hawaii. We didn't have transistors in everything back then.

Here's some more information.. this is a source you can trust for good information on a lot of subjects. This guy is a professional engineer and one of the better youtube channels.

 

[kanelr]

You're not the first to ask this question. Current research suggests that solar panels in operation will be damaged by the EMP, but will still output some power. The experiment I saw showed a 50%(?) reduction in output. That same research suggests that solar panels which are not being used (like sitting on a shelf), will most likely be unharmed.

The research I am quoting was performed by quasi-amateurs, not a professional testing lab. This research used an EMP generator that does not produce the full range of frequencies of a real nuclear EMP. To be fair, there are no man made contraptions which can simulate a real EMP. Sandia (?) probably had the most advanced EMP simulator, but even it could only produce a single pulse on a single frequency, albeit a much better controlled one.

The problem is that it is not as simple as just fancy math or a computer simulation. And the consequences and problems of producing a real EMP are so severe that we just don't do it.

The US Gov performed a series of test back in the 50's or 60's (reference Star Fish Prime) where they detonated nuclear weapons at high altitude, and one in space. It blew out and destroyed 1950's electrical gear 800 miles away in Hawaii. We didn't have transistors in everything back then.

Here's some more information.. this is a source you can trust for good information on a lot of subjects. This guy is a professional engineer and one of the better youtube channels.

thanks! I have a decent rapparte with a LifePo4 factory sales rep and will ask about jumpering the BMS; if I can get them to discuss it....

 

[kanelr]

So this is what I sent to our battery supplier
"Hello... ...we are assessing the general system weaknesses in the solar energy systems of homes we design, and we are developing different protocalls. The subject of CME, lightening and EMP damage has been presented. We would like to have some technical information from many of the manufacturers whom we shop with. May I ask your technical person a few questions about your batteries? These would not be warranty or service questions but rather conversation about contingency utilizations, such as bypassing BMS devices and similar "emergency only" strategies.
Thank you.
(and then came the amenities etc)
I will post their reply when I ask how to jump bypass the internal bms

 

[MurphyGuy]

thanks! I have a decent rapparte with a LifePo4 factory sales rep and will ask about jumpering the BMS; if I can get them to discuss it....

The BMS will most likely not survive an EMP hit unless you put it in a Faraday cage.

 

[MichaelK]

I keep my solar panels in a lead lined vault to protect against EMP. Still not sure why my batteries aren't getting charged.

That's a mistake. Use transparent aluminum instead. The aluminum allows the panels to function, and the aluminum can be grounded. How to make TA is explained more fully in "Star Trek, the Journey Home".

 

[MurphyGuy]

That's a mistake. Use transparent aluminum instead. The aluminum allows the panels to function, and the aluminum can be grounded. How to make TA is explained more fully in "Star Trek, the Journey Home".

Actually, transparent aluminum is a real thing now.. and so is your communicator

Aluminium oxynitride - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Video: Transparent aluminum—from Star Trek to (almost) reality - The American Ceramic Society

First seen in a Star Trek movie, transparent aluminum is now reality. Learn how Air Force researchers use the material to create lighter, thinner armor.

ceramics.org

 

[MichaelK]

Actually, transparent aluminum is a real thing now.. and so is your communicator

Who's working on the transporter?

 

[LydMekk]

I need to make a new tinfoil hat...

 

[MurphyGuy]

Who's working on the transporter?

We are also making progress on that too...

Scientist have already successfully "teleported" quantum particles.. In other words, we're already doing it at the subatomic level.

Baby steps.

 

[Bkord]

The BMS will most likely not survive an EMP hit unless you put it in a Faraday cage.

My batteries are in a in an ungrounded eg4 server rack sitting on wood blocks. Would this make a ok faraday cage?

 

[SilverbackMP]

Actually, transparent aluminum is a real thing now.. and so is your communicator

Aluminium oxynitride - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Video: Transparent aluminum—from Star Trek to (almost) reality - The American Ceramic Society

First seen in a Star Trek movie, transparent aluminum is now reality. Learn how Air Force researchers use the material to create lighter, thinner armor.

ceramics.org

Sapphire (aluminum oxide in a crystal) isn’t far off of being transparent aluminum.

 

[MurphyGuy]

My batteries are in a in an ungrounded eg4 server rack sitting on wood blocks. Would this make a ok faraday cage?

Nope.. probably not.

 

[SilverbackMP]

Nope.. probably not.

What about a foot of concrete and 4-5 feet of earth? Enough to protect against a solar or nuclear EMP? Or would a cage still be required?