EMP Protection

[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 introduced in the 1986 Star Trek movie “The Voyage Home”, transparent aluminum is now (almost) reality. Learn how researchers are using transparent aluminum compounds to produce 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 introduced in the 1986 Star Trek movie “The Voyage Home”, transparent aluminum is now (almost) reality. Learn how researchers are using transparent aluminum compounds to produce 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?

 

[MurphyGuy]

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?

Nope..

The only thing you need to do to protect your equipment from a solar EMP (which shouldn't even be called an EMP), is to unplug from the grid. That's all you need to do. Oh, and maybe have some fire extinguishers to stop your neighbor's home from catching your home on fire when it burns down.

Nuclear EMP and Solar EMP have about as much in common as frogs and sharks.

To protect your equipment from the conductive component of a nuclear EMP, you can either unplug from the grid or install an appropriate surge protector with a nanosecond response time (Siemens FS140)

To protect your equipment from the radiative component of a nuclear EMP, it needs to be inside a Faraday cage. And while it is possible to fabricate a Faraday cage with operating equipment connected to the outside world, it is not financially practical for the average person, and it still isn't as good as a sealed cage.

 

[SilverbackMP]

Nope..

The only thing you need to do to protect your equipment from a solar EMP (which shouldn't even be called an EMP), is to unplug from the grid. That's all you need to do. Oh, and maybe have some fire extinguishers to stop your neighbor's home from catching your home on fire when it burns down.

Nuclear EMP and Solar EMP have about as much in common as frogs and sharks.

To protect your equipment from the conductive component of a nuclear EMP, you can either unplug from the grid or install an appropriate surge protector with a nanosecond response time (Siemens FS140)

To protect your equipment from the radiative component of a nuclear EMP, it needs to be inside a Faraday cage. And while it is possible to fabricate a Faraday cage with operating equipment connected to the outside world, it is not financially practical for the average person, and it still isn't as good as a sealed cage.

My day-to-day system is getting Midnight Solar lightening fuse protectors on every line coming in/exiting all buildings and the POE switches are getting DITEK surge arrestors. Connections between buildings will be fiber (conduit already in).

It’s the backup equipment that I trying to figure out how to store…ideally that would be in an ICF bunker with blast doors, but that’s $$$$$ and a few years off. Part of my infrastructure plans but it’s low on the list.

 

[MurphyGuy]

My day-to-day system is getting Midnight Solar lightening fuse protectors on every line coming in/exiting all buildings and the POE switches are getting DITEK surge arrestors. Connections between buildings will be fiber (conduit already in).

It’s the backup equipment that I trying to figure out how to store…ideally that would be in an ICF bunker with blast doors, but that’s $$$$$ and a few years off. Part of my infrastructure plans but it’s low on the list.

Take the backup equipment, put it in a cardboard box and neatly and tightly wrap it with aluminum foil. That will give you about 45db of protection.. If you want more protection, wrap the foil box in a thick plastic bag, then add more foil to the outside. Do NOT let the two layers touch.

Blast doors? If you're worried about the blast from a nuclear weapon, it won't matter how well your backup equipment is stored.

 

[SilverbackMP]

Take the backup equipment, put it in a cardboard box and neatly and tightly wrap it with aluminum foil. That will give you about 45db of protection.. If you want more protection, wrap the foil box in a thick plastic bag, then add more foil to the outside. Do NOT let the two layers touch.

Blast doors? If you're worried about the blast from a nuclear weapon, it won't matter how well your backup equipment is stored.

Like I said, the bunker is low on the list.

I use Army “Priorities of Work” in everything from business to infrastructure. And the last step in that methodology is “continue to improve positions.“

 

[JJJJ]

Found this interesting.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Previous video recommends using aluminum tape to seal lids on garbage cans for improved shielding.

 

[PreppenWolf]

Very large solar flares can destroy everything regardless if it is plugged in or not. There is no protection against something bigger than Carrington. Even a house disconnected from the grid would likely have wires arc, melt and start fires. Large flares create large magnetic fluctuations that will heat metal regardless of whether it is grounded. Similar to how induction heating works.

Pray we never have a direct CME while yoy are alive because it would likely kill 90% of all humans by simply destroying out ability to move energy and thus make food.

 

[Wv lew]

Nope..

The only thing you need to do to protect your equipment from a solar EMP (which shouldn't even be called an EMP), is to unplug from the grid. That's all you need to do. Oh, and maybe have some fire extinguishers to stop your neighbor's home from catching your home on fire when it burns down.

Nuclear EMP and Solar EMP have about as much in common as frogs and sharks.

To protect your equipment from the conductive component of a nuclear EMP, you can either unplug from the grid or install an appropriate surge protector with a nanosecond response time (Siemens FS140)

To protect your equipment from the radiative component of a nuclear EMP, it needs to be inside a Faraday cage. And while it is possible to fabricate a Faraday cage with operating equipment connected to the outside world, it is not financially practical for the average person, and it still isn't as good as a sealed cage.

As a licensed professional electrical engineer, I have to disagree…..if you are saying what I think. An electromagnetic pulse will induce a current in your wires regardless of whether you are connected to grid or not. For large wires it probably won’t be an issue but small wires such as the ones on chips and boards, it will act like a fuse basically and overload and melt. Maybe we are saying the same thing.

I agree with your faraday cage assessment. Would work but not practical.

I have thought long and hard about possibly running a large conductor over top of all my
Equipment and tieing it directly to ground, such as a shield but hanging above the solar panels and the inverter etc . But as you know one shield would not necessarily be enough as possible induction is a function of many variables.

Ideally if you knew it was coming and had some sort of conductive blanket to throw across the equipment and tie to ground, I think this would act best. Not sure if they make such a thing but
It would have to be big enough like a tarp made of conductive material or atleast conductive hatching tied to ground.

Hope that makes sense.