# dumb question from a newbie



## mike_dubb (Oct 14, 2013)

Would solar energy system work after an emp?


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## SDF880 (Mar 28, 2013)

mike_dubb said:


> Would solar energy system work after an emp?


Not a dumb question at all, I have wondered the same thing! From my very limited knowledge of an EMP anything electronic and with circuitry is at risk to burn out. I would guess that would include solar panels and inverter systems too? I have 2 large metal trashcans that I lined (lid too) that I keep all my small electronics in that I don't want zapped if that day comes. I need to read more on the solar issue and if anything can be done to safeguard it.


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## Rigged for Quiet (Mar 3, 2013)

In a word, no, if it was a system out in the open doing what it's supposed to do. The panesl themselves are little more than diodes and the inverters have solid state circuitry as well.

A system would have to be stored in a hardened location/manner and brought out afterward.


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## mike_dubb (Oct 14, 2013)

ok. so safegaurding is required. i assumed because of the system being somewhat simple(compared to like a cellphone or something to that hightech nature) that it wouldnt be affected.


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## SDF880 (Mar 28, 2013)

I have read even something as simple as the newer LED flashlights would burnout from EMP so it sounds like solar panels would too. I guess failure of electronics may vary just from the severity of the EMP event itself. A weak or weaker event may not zap everything? Hope we all don't have to find out!


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## jimb1972 (Nov 12, 2012)

Will an EMP burn out electronics that have no power supplied to them? (I am thinking alternator on garage shelf)


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## scramble4a5 (Nov 1, 2012)

Great question. I just read the book "One Second After" and EMP was the reason for the SHTF.


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## SARGE7402 (Nov 18, 2012)

However older things like wind turbine generators - like from the 70's and incandescent lamps will just keep on going


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

If it is a solar EMP your panels will be fine if you are not connected to the grid - you will have notice so you should disconnect them.

If, on the other hand, the EMP is from a high altitude burst of a nuclear bomb then all semi-conductor will be toast - whether they are working or not unless they are protected from the E1 pulse. ( hard, if not impossible to protect a solar array but you can protect an alternator fairly simply.


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## USPrepperSupply (Oct 15, 2013)

An EMP in the high atmosphere is the scenario that scares me the most. I can get by without help, but I sure would like some stuff to work with my alternative power (which would also be knocked out).....


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## BigCheeseStick (Aug 7, 2013)

In 1859 a solar flare gave off enough EMP that the open circuit of the telegraph sparked enough to light surrounding papers on fire, burning down buildings.

When It Comes to Solar Storms, We Don?t Even Know How Bad It Might Get | Observations, Scientific American Blog Network

View attachment 2917


Modern electronic _anything_ has _*much*_ smaller more fragile circuitry than this. Without protection... Wha Whaa.

Rick is 100% right about storing stuff in grounded metal cabinets, but still needing to isolate items inside from the cabinet itself. Your gun safe is a great option if you ground it. Even believe it or not... One of those cheap ugly metal backyard tool sheds is excellent protection if properly grounded (HINT an atv inside there is protected).

http://www.lowes.com/pd_148269-25-V...L=?Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

BigCheeseStick said:


> In 1859 a solar flare gave off enough EMP that the open circuit of the telegraph sparked enough to light surrounding papers on fire, burning down buildings.
> 
> When It Comes to Solar Storms, We Don?t Even Know How Bad It Might Get | Observations, Scientific American Blog Network
> 
> ...


Go to this sight; Electromagnetic Pulse Protection - EMP - Futurescience.com ; study it and the links it provides and then come back and amend your post...


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

I read that in 1859 the railroad tracks acted like a big antenna and gathered the power from the EMP and set cross ties on fire 
in places. --Damn


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

And that was from a large but not an extreme solar event! It only carried the E2 and E3 pulses. An HEMP would do what it did and wipe out unprotected semiconductors over a wide area too.


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