Is it possible to protect your Solar System against EMP?

[Dagoth Ur Does Solar]

Keep in mind people, this isnt the chit chat forum.
Do NOT make posts directed at a member if your opinions focused on the topic not the person

Fair enough- let me rephrase to stay on topic given the thread title:

Even if it were possible to insulate a solar system against an EMP event of the magnitude everyone has been discussing (catastrophic, nationwide/worldwide, potentially multiple subsequent events)- maybe? Presumably not, if it's powerful enough?

To me, this is like the conclusion many came to in the small-turbine wind power thread... Below a certain threshold, it's not really reasonable/economical to do (i.e. a tiny wind turbine). If you ask me, I'd think there's far better ways to spend time and money to prepare for an EMP than building out multiple, inert backup systems stored in Faraday cages that are sitting there waiting for a unicorn event.

Spoiler: etc etc

I also feel like I should add that Katrina is a sore spot for those where actually affected by it/the government response to it (or have friends and loved ones who were). Hearing "you're just being paranoid if you think something like that will ever happen again", as you imagine, can be frustrating. Especially in a thread about something like a massive, end-of-the-world EMP, of all things.

 

[AlaskanNoob]

If you ask me, I'd think there's far better ways to spend time and money to prepare for an EMP than building out multiple, inert backup systems stored in Faraday cages that are sitting there...

What ways do you advocate instead?

 

[Dagoth Ur Does Solar]

What ways do you advocate instead?

I don't want to derail the thread further, as I think it in general would be better suited for a "prepper" thread- but let me preface it by saying if time, money, and space is not a constraint, build all the Faraday cages and EM shielding you can! Have at it, I'm not here to tell you what to do.

Without going down the rabbit hole, I think if you want multiple redundancies, I would strongly be considering those redundancies in regards to plans for food, water, shelter, arms, etc. Just throwing an example out, but rather than relying on a set of solar panels and a spare electric water pump that *hopefully* would survive an EMP, I think I'd rather have plans for multiple alternatives- water purification/filtration, rainwater collection, manual pumps, etc.

Anyways, as I said, I won't derail this further with non-EMP hardening talk. My point was mostly that everyone should try to be reasonable/realistic in expectations. Not sure I'd spend time and effort building my underground basement bunker while living in a 10-year floodplain. Would love to take it to a general prepping thread, though.

 

[AlaskanNoob]

I don't want to derail the thread further, as I think it in general would be better suited for a "prepper" thread- but let me preface it by saying if time, money, and space is not a constraint, build all the Faraday cages and EM shielding you can! Have at it, I'm not here to tell you what to do.

Without going down the rabbit hole, I think if you want multiple redundancies, I would strongly be considering those redundancies in regards to plans for food, water, shelter, arms, etc. Just throwing an example out, but rather than relying on a set of solar panels and a spare electric water pump that *hopefully* would survive an EMP, I think I'd rather have plans for multiple alternatives- water purification/filtration, rainwater collection, manual pumps, etc.

Anyways, as I said, I won't derail this further with non-EMP hardening talk. My point was mostly that everyone should try to be reasonable/realistic in expectations. Not sure I'd spend time and effort building my underground basement bunker while living in a 10-year floodplain. Would love to take it to a general prepping thread, though.

You think giving the options you think are better for defeating EMP than faraday cages would derail the thread about defeating EMP?

 

[Dagoth Ur Does Solar]

You think giving the options you think are better for defeating EMP than faraday cages would derail the thread about defeating EMP?

I think I'm being misunderstood, or have poorly communicated my point. I am not suggesting on how to protect equipment against an EMP. I am suggesting there are more useful things to spend time and money on than trying to protect against an EMP.

Going down the rabbit hole of prepping in general is off topic, which is what I meant by "derailing the thread."

 

[AlaskanNoob]

I think I'm being misunderstood, or have poorly communicated my point. I am not suggesting on how to protect equipment against an EMP. I am suggesting there are more useful things to spend time and money on than trying to protect against an EMP.

Going down the rabbit hole of prepping in general is off topic, which is what I meant by "derailing the thread."

Okay, I see the confusion. Thanks.

If you ask me, I'd think there's far better ways to spend time and money to prepare for an EMP than building out multiple, inert backup systems stored in Faraday cages that are sitting there...

 

[Real007]

EMP issues are very real for all commercially spec'd electronics - the US Electric Grid is, as are all grids around the world, quite vulnerable to natural and man made events.

Sunspots/Solar Cycle | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center

www.swpc.noaa.gov