Polyphaser builds high speed surge arrestors--some of which are EMP rated--and some of which are military spec. They probably have a bit of that "definitive information" that Drake mentions, but maybe this is back in some dusty lab instead of front & center on the website.
Interesting thread, all. Be sure to report back to the List as you learn more...so we can all learn more... Jolliness~ Mick Abraham, Proprietor www.abrahamsolar.com Voice: 970-731-4675 On Sun, Mar 20, 2011 at 12:49 PM, Drake < [email protected]> wrote: > Hi Ray, Allan and All, > > That is a very informative article. Our utility, American Electric Power > (AEP) is taking steps to deal with the problem before it hits. This will > include the ability to remotely disconnect areas of the grid and reconnect > them from other sources. > > As I understand the issue, the EMP is caused by magnetic fields streaming > through our environment. As a generator creates power when a wire cuts > through a magnetic field, the moving field will create currents and voltages > in conductors. Long electrical power lines will be strongly affected. > > Also affected are the conductors in micro chips and other electronic > devices. The tiny conductors in computers can be burned by small electrical > impulses, as evidenced by the fact that care must be taken when working > inside a computer to ground your hand on the frame. A potential, generated > by walking on a nylon carpet and arcing from your finger, can destroy your > computer's processor. In a similar fashion, the conductors in a great > number of electronic devices are susceptible to damage by potentials > resulting from rapidly moving magnetic fields. As micro chips are in so > many products these days, many things will not operate after a major EMP > event, including the electronic ignitions in automobiles. > > In military context, an EMP may be generated in order to shut down a > society by producing a high altitude nuclear blast. It is an effect that > has been studied at length. We have not had any major, naturally occurring > EMP activity since the micro electronic age began. > > My concern for the list is what the effect on PV systems will be. Having a > spare inverter may not help, because it could be damaged even though it is > not connected. But what about PV modules? They have very small conductors > within them. Could a significant EMP produce enough potential to damage > modules? If this were to become an issue, who would be liable for the > damage? Lightning potential can be shunted to ground by proper grounding > procedures. I'm not sure the same would be true for potential generated > inside the busses of a module by a pulsed magnetic field. > > It would be good to get some definitive information about these issues. > > Drake > > > At 02:34 AM 3/20/2011, you wrote: > > Hi Allan; > > http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/7819201/Nasa-warns-solar-flares-from-huge-space-storm-will-cause-devastation.html > http://science.nasa.gov/heliophysics/big-questions/how-does-solar-variability-affect-human-society-technological-systems-and-the-habitability-of-planets/ > http://science.howstuffworks.com/solar-flare-electronics.htm > http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/showthread.php?t=10548 > > > Should I shield all my electronics under my lead batteries, or is this our > next Y2K non event? > > Ray > > > > > On Mar 19, 2011, at 11:58 AM, Allan Sindelar wrote: > > For those of us less aware of solar flare issues and what we might expect > that relates to PV, could someone provide a good link to educate us? > Thanks, Allan > > *Allan Sindelar* > * [email protected]* > NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer > NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional > New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician > *Positive Energy, Inc.* > 3201 Calle Marie > Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507 > *505 424-1112* > * www.positiveenergysolar.com* > > * > * > > On 3/19/2011 11:48 AM, R Ray Walters wrote: > > Hi Drake; > > No, I don't have answers, just more of your same concerns. I had a high > altitude (12,500 ft) installation damaged recently, possibly by a solar > flare in Feb; we lost a C40 charge controller. > At this point, I don't know if the flare was the cause or not, but I would > expect more problems at higher altitudes. > So far, my internet research says that the panels and batteries would be > ok, but we might expect damage to electronics similar to the induced high > voltages caused by lightning. > Would grounding help? (I, too, also considered the Faraday cage....) > > NASA is predicting the solar storm of a generation for 2012-2013, and I > read of a similar EMP incident in the 1800s that set telegraph equipment on > fire. > I think very long utility lines and transformers at the ends of those lines > are the most vulnerable, so this could be more of GridTie issue? > > R. Walters > [email protected] > Solar Engineer > > > > > On Mar 19, 2011, at 8:53 AM, Drake wrote: > > Hello Wrenches, > > I had an inquiry concerning the effect of EMP on photovoltaic systems. We > are heading for a period of solar activity that likely will produce this > effect. According to a local AEP (American Electric Power) representative, > the utility is spending a lot of money to counter this anticipated problem. > Additionally, nuclear related issues are moving back to the front burner. > > It is clear that the pulse would damage an inverter, but possibly it could > be put in a Faraday cage. But a number of questions arise. > > - Would the pulse damage the modules? > - Could the large currents and voltages induced by EMP damage the > conductors in the cells? > - Even if the inverters were surrounded by a Faraday cage, would > induced currents & voltages from the modules harm the inverters? > - Would series fuses and surge protectors be adequate protection. > > Has any research been done in this area? Does anyone know answers to any > of these questions? > > Thanks, > > Drake > > Drake Chamberlin > Athens Electric > OH License 44810 > CO license 3773 > NABCEP Certified PV > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: [email protected] > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: > [email protected] > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: [email protected] > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: [email protected] > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > Drake Chamberlin > Athens Electric > OH License 44810 > CO license 3773 > NABCEP Certified PV > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: [email protected] > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > >
_______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: [email protected] Options & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org
