1. 1. What Is An EMP?

      1. Electromagnetic pulse
      2. Short burst of electromagnetic energy
      3. May be created by
         1. Solar/geomagnetic storms
         2. Nuclear detonation
         3. Other weapons
      4. Nuclear EMP consists of
         1. E1
         2. E2
         3. E3
      5. Solar/Geomagnetic storms only contain E3
      6. Nuclear EMP (more details)
         1. E1
            1. Quick high voltage burst peaks in as little as 5 nanoseconds, short duration, high energy
            2. Is probably the most likely to damage your electronics or solar components.  It happens so fast that even lightning arresters are typically not able to clamp down fast enough.  For instance, the Midnite Solar SPD is rated to clamp down in as little as 15 nanoseconds, which is great for lightning, but it’s not fast enough for E1.
         2. E2
            1. Similar to nearby lightning strike, moderate duration max of 1 second, moderate amount of energy
            2. This is probably the easiest to protect against, since most systems have lightning protection of some form built in.  However, the main difficulty with E2 could be the fact that E1 has already gone before it and potentially has damaged the equipment that would normally protect against lightning or E2.  So even this is not a sure shot.
         3. E3
            1. Similar to solar/geomagnetic storm, lower energy, long duration up to hundreds of seconds
            2. E3 is most likely to affect the power grid and anything with long lengths of wire acting as an antenna.  And because the effects of E3 can last for a couple of minutes, my understanding is that the bulk of expected damage from E3 would be from overheating and damaging transformers and similar equipment on the power grid.  Some of these extremely large transformers can take months to replace.  Unlike a nuclear EMP, an EMP that is caused by a solar or geomagnetic storm only consists of the E3 component.  Nuclear EMPs have all 3, which is why they are more destructive.
      7. How large of an area can an EMP affect?
         1. Depends mainly on these factors
            1. The source of the EMP (space weather, nuclear, etc)
            2. The amount of power the EMP is conveying (kilovolts per meter)
            3. The height at which the EMP occurs
            4. Other factors like the current condition of earth’s magnetic field
         2. An EMP is pretty much line of sight, which means it would have to be rather high in the sky in order to reach a large area.  Typically you hear of nuclear EMPs being extra-atmospheric (or detonated above the atmosphere) but it is possible for an EMP to be detonated at lower altitudes.  While this would likely affect a smaller area, being at a lower altitude could make it significantly worse for that area by adding other components like damage from the blast itself and radiation and things like that.If the burst altitude was 30 miles, the affects area would be a 480 mile radius.  If it is detonated at a height of 120 miles, you now get an affected radius of 1,000 miles.  And a blast at a height of 300 miles is what it would take to cover the footprint of the continental United States.  Bear in mind that the area of coverage is only one factor.  It also has to be strong enough to do a lot of damage.Also bear in mind that since an EMP is line of sight, if you have a mountain in the way, that could a huge help for you locally.  There would still be the overall effects on the nation and your general area, but it’s possible that your specific location could be spared by geography.

How would an EMP affect life in our modern society?

1. Nuclear EMP
   1. We don’t really know what the full impact would be for sure.  There are so many variables, such as the power of the EMP, your proximity to it, atmospheric and magnetic conditions of the earth around you at that moment, etc.  Some have surmised that all modern cars would instantly stop running, planes would fall out of the sky, and anything with a microchip would be toast. This would be the worst case scenario that Congressman Bartlett was speaking of earlier.  But once again, that’s the worst case…there are so many variables that it isn’t always cut and dried.  For instance, with the automobile situation, something as simple as the direction your car is facing could affect the outcome.  Whether or not it is running when the EMP occurs is another factor, along with whether it is being garaged in something like a metal garage that could offer some protection.  Even things like nearby mountains or the condition of the earth’s magnetic field can impact the outcome.
   2. Various small scale automobile tests have occurred, but in the most well known test, the budget didn’t even allow for testing the cars to the point where they were damaged.  What kind of a test is that?  In my opinion, it was a pretty lame test.  There are SO many variables and unknowns that can’t be anticipated, and there really has not been a good solid large scale real-world test since we came into the computer age (at least that I’m aware of).  The problem is that doing a real nuclear test is extremely dangerous from a number of standpoints and is NOT a good idea.  That’s why there have not been more.  All this is to say that it would be foolish of me to try and delineate exactly what would and would not be impacted.  So I just want to make sure you realize that this is not an absolute thing that we are dealing with here.
   3. I think it is safe to say that a nuclear EMP that occurs at sufficient height and is of sufficient strength, would be one of the most debilitating disasters that could occur in the US.  Let’s just think through one little aspect of your life and trace the impact of an EMP.  Let’s look at your ability to drive.  While there are varying thoughts on how many cars would be damaged by an EMP, almost everyone recognizes that there would be a goodly percentage of casualties if it is strong enough.  And if you happen to be driving when the EMP occurs, your chances of damage just went up.  But let’s give you a best case scenario.  Let’s say your car was not turned on when it happened and it was parked in a metal garage that may have shielded it a bit.  The next question is how are you going to get gas for your car?  Crude oil has to be pumped out of the ground, transported, refined, transported again, distributed to the gas station, and then pumped into your car. And on top of that, the roads have to be clear enough for you to get to the gas station.  Each step of this process requires electricity to a greater or lesser extent.  And that’s just to get gas for your car.  If the power grid has been compromised by an EMP, what are you hoping to do in town?  Don’t expect to be buying groceries (if there are any left).  Really, don’t expect to be buying much of anything.  And for that matter, would the roads even be clear enough for you to drive anywhere in your undamaged car?  If many others were impacted by the EMP, the road may be impassible.  And that’s not to mention the cars that ran out of gas while waiting for the road to clear up.
   4. Once again, we are talking about a worst case scenario of a strong enough EMP that is close enough to you.  But as you can see, the EMP issue is much bigger than simply shielding your stuff—you know, your car, your electronics, your solar system.  Even if everything you own is undamaged, your life will be dramatically impacted if critical infrastructure like the power grid or transportation is damaged or shut down.  Yes, you heard me right.  Even if you have your own off grid solar system, your life would be incredibly affected if everyone else lost their power.  You’ll hear a LOT of sources out there that are trying to sell you on the idea of protecting your stuff from an EMP, like that is going to magically solve this issue.  But I’m just trying to shoot straight with you and give a dose of reality.  Sure, protecting your stuff from damage is very important.  I’m all for that!  Many of our important household systems would not function without power, so let’s keep the homestead running for sure!  We need that water and other things that may depend on our power system.  But I just want you to realize the bigger implications of an EMP.  This is much bigger than just you!  So while I do believe it’s a great idea to prepare for an EMP, the bigger issue is getting your family into a more self reliant lifestyle that doesn’t depend on “the system” for your next meal or drink of water or for warmth in the winter.  We have become so incredibly dependent on other entities, that any sort of disruption could be catastrophic.  That’s a REALLY bad idea.  Actually, it’s madness!
2. Solar / Geomagnetic Storm EMP
   1. These storms can produce effects similar to the E3 portion of a nuclear EMP, but they don’t have the quick powerful burst of the E1 or the lightning-like effect of E2.  Remember, E3 has the greatest effect on long wires like power lines, and it lasts for a relatively long period of time.  Because of this, a geomagnetic storm would probably have the most significant effect on the power grid, melting down transformers and other components.
   2. There have been a couple of famous geomagnetic storms in the last century or two.
      1. The largest was the so-called “Carrington Event” in 1859, when the storm was so intense that it disrupted telegraph lines and sent sparks flying.  There was so much sparking that telegraph operators even reported fires being started.  Of course, due to the lack of technology, the Carrington Event had very little practical effect on their lives.
      2. It would likely be a VERY different story today.  For instance, do you remember the 1989 solar storm that knocked out Quebec’s power and left 6 million people in the dark?  The Quebec power grid went from normal operation to complete collapse in 92 seconds as a result of this solar storm.
   3. Here is what the National Academy of Sciences has this to say about the potential effects of severe space weather…
      1. “…the impacts of severe space weather events can go beyond disruption of existing technical systems and lead to short-term as well as to long-term collateral socioeconomic disruptions. Electric power is modern society’s cornerstone technology, the technology on which virtually all other infrastructures and services depend. Although the probability of a wide-area electric power blackout resulting from an extreme space weather event is low, the consequences of such an event could be very high, as its effects would cascade through other, dependent systems. Collateral effects of a longer-term outage would likely include, for example, disruption of the transportation, communication, banking, and finance systems, and government services; the breakdown of the distribution of potable water owing to pump failure; and the loss of perishable foods and medications because of lack of refrigeration. The resulting loss of services for a significant period of time in even one region of the country could affect the entire nation and have international impacts as well.”
         (National Academy of Sciences.  Severe Space Weather Events: Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts: A Workshop Report.  The National Academies Press, 2008, pp. 2-3
   4. Lloyd’s of London, a global insurance company, issued a report on “Solar Storm Risk To The North American Electric Grid”.
      1. A Carrington-level, extreme geomagnetic storm is almost inevitable in the future. While the probability of an extreme storm occurring is relatively low at any given time, it is almost inevitable that one will occur eventually. Historical auroral records suggest a return period of 50 years for Quebec-level storms and 150 years for very extreme storms, such as the Carrington Event that occurred 154 years ago.
      2. As the North American electric infrastructure ages and we become more and more dependent on electricity, the risk of a catastrophic outage increases with each peak of the solar cycle. Our society is becoming increasingly dependent on electricity. Because of the potential for long-term, widespread power outage, the hazard posed by geomagnetic storms is one of the most significant.
      3. The total U.S. population at risk of extended power outage from a Carrington-level storm is between 20-40 million, with durations of 16 days to 1-2 years. The duration of outages will depend largely on the availability of spare replacement transformers. If new transformers need to be ordered, the lead-time is likely to be a minimum of five months. The total economic cost for such a scenario is estimated at $0.6-2.6 trillion USD (see Appendix).

How would an EMP affect a solar power system?

1. First, the most accurate answer is that we don’t really know for sure what would be affected and to what extent it would be damaged, since there haven’t been any widespread powerful EMPs in a high tech civilization like ours since we entered into the computer age.  As Congressman Bartlett described earlier, the last time the US did a nuclear test above the atmosphere was in 1962 over Johnston Island…
   1. Starfish Prime
      1. The operation was called Starfish Prime, and everyone was shocked to find that the test affected Honolulu, which was around 900 miles away!  It took out or impacted much of the limited infrastructure that they had back in those days which was susceptible to EMP.  Back then it wasn’t very much, so the main impact was blowing out street lights and taking down the communications system.
   2. K Project
      1. The Russians also did an EMP test over Kazakhstan in 1962.
      2. In recent years, they have provided very limited access to the data for this project which they called the “K Project”.   The findings were that, in spite of an inferior warhead design and low intensity from the blast occurring at high altitude, the following occurred:
         1. Power generating stations burned out due to their transformers being compromised.  One station even burned down as a result.
         2. Underground power lines were fused and rendered inoperable
         3. Overhead power lines were knocked out due to insulators burning out
         4. Long distance telephone lines shut down
         5. And even many of the 1962 era electronics were damaged in spite of much higher tolerance for EMP than our modern devices.
      3. Bear in mind that both Starfish Prime and K Project were run long before the digital era that we live in.  It’s a very different world now.
      4. Lots of people have surmised what would happen now.  Some people have built small scale EMP simulators which are supposed to simulate the effects of an EMP on devices.  But we don’t really know for sure if the simulators they are using are giving us an accurate and realistic idea of what would happen in an actual EMP.
      5. So the bottom line is, no one really truly knows from experience what effect an EMP would have on an off grid solar system.  But I’m going to give you my perspective, based on years of exposure to this issue.  But once again, this is just an educated guess…
2. Solar Components Most Vulnerable to EMP
   1. Solar Charge Controllers
      1. I believe your solar charge controller would be in the greatest danger, since it is connected to a wires that are typically running at least 100’ if not several hundred feet from the solar array.
   2. Inverters
      1. Next would be the inverter.  I think it’s likely that it would be taken out by an EMP.  Both the inputs and the outputs of the inverter are connected to wires that could act as antennas to channel the EMP into the inverter.
   3. Lithium Batteries (the on-board electronic battery management system)
      1. Batteries should be okay, unless they are lithium batteries which have an on-board electronic battery management system built into them.  That is what would be likely to die.
   4. Solar modules??? (maybe the diodes?)
      1. There is debate about whether solar panels would be okay or not.  My personal opinion is that they probably would be okay.  The vast majority of sources I have found, think that solar panels will be okay.  And if they were not, it would probably be the diodes that burn out.  Diodes are easily changed if you have an inexpensive spare on hand.  Just ask me at the end and I can refer you to info on how to do that.
   5. Fuel powered backup generator?
      1. depending on the level of sophistication, your fuel powered generator could be impacted, but my opinion is that following a few precautions would likely save it as well.  For instance, if you don’t use your generator very much (and you shouldn’t need to with a properly designed solar system), then simply unplug the generator after using it, rather than only turning the breaker off.  Physically disconnecting that wire will help tremendously.  You have just unplugged a long antenna that could channel damaging energy into your generator.
3. Misc Things To Consider
   1. Radiated vs Conducted EMP
      1. This sounds really technical, but it’s pretty simple.  Imagine energy flowing through the air and hitting your solar panels.  That would be the radiated effects of an EMP.  Now imagine several hundred feet of electrical wire that acts as an antenna.  That wire picks up the effects of the EMP and conducts them to any devices that tap into this wire.  That is the conducted effect of an EMP.  It’s what flows through the wires.  Based on small scale tests, the conducted effects of an EMP seem to be much more hazardous for your equipment than the radiated effects.  So in other words, what is flowing through the wires is generally more serious than what is flowing through the air.
   2. Long wires act as antennas, creating higher risk for anything connected to them
      1. Believe it or not, small scale tests indicate that some tiny electronics like a cell phone may actually do okay in an EMP.  That’s because they are so small and there are not any long wires connected to them.  On the opposite side of the spectrum, a power company may have thousands of miles of electrical wire strung out all over creation, and that can act as a massive antenna.  In other words, anything that is connected to the power grid will probably be affected and will be much harder to protect.  This can include grid tie system.  That’s right.  An off grid system is in an much better position to withstand an EMP than a grid tie system.  Not immune, but much better.  And the shorter your wire runs, the better.  This will mostly affect the wire that connects the solar array to your charge controller and battery bank, as that is typically the longest wire run in an off grid system.
   3. Can breakers stop an EMP?
      1. E1 portion of EMP peaks in only 5 nanoseconds!
      2. Typical breaker reacts in 30 milliseconds (best case)
      3. Midnite Solar breaker - 5 to 160 milliseconds
      4. 5 milliseconds = 5 million nanoseconds!
      5. Breakers simply are not fast enough
   4. Can lightning arresters stop an EMP?
      1. You may also be thinking of lightning arresters.  Wouldn’t they stop an EMP in it’s tracks just like they do with lightning?  The trouble is that even a good lightning arrester (or Surge Protection Device) can’t entirely protect your equipment from a direct lightning strike.  It is mainly for protection from nearby strikes that are close enough to be damaging, but are not actually a direct hit.  And even if a lightning arrester could completely protect you from a direct lightning strike, the speed of an EMP is faster than lightning.  So for instance, this very nice Midnite Solar SPD has a response time of 15 nanoseconds, which is excellent when it comes to lighting.  But as we’ve already mentioned, the E1 portion of EMP can peak in 5 nanoseconds.  In addition, don’t forget that the E2 portion of an EMP comes within a tiny fraction of a second of the E1 portion.  So this lightning arrester may still be recovering from the E1 blow the tit just took when the E2 hits it.  Will it be able to withstand an assault like that?  Who knows?  So while good lightning arresters and grounding is essential for lightning protection, it probably won’t protect your system from the entire effects of an EMP.

Strategies for keeping solar power operational after an EMP

1. 3 Main Strategies Overview
   1. Proper grounding practices
   2. Good lightning protection
      1. Grounding and lightning protection is is a huge topic that is hotly debated.  So while I will give you my opinion, please realize that there are other trains of thought on the most effective method for handling it.  But meticulous grounding and lightning protection is our first line of defense.  It can help dramatically with nearby lightning strikes.  And in my opinion, the tips I will share have the potential to help with some forms of EMP, for instance:
         1. if it is a weak EMP
         2. or if you are on the outer fringes of it
         3. or if it’s an EMP caused by extreme space weather like a geomagnetic storm.
      2. But please bear in mind that there are some things that are beyond your control and may not be feasible to completely protect against 100% of the time (at least with a reasonable budget).  I’m talking about things like a direct lightning strike or a powerful EMP from a nuclear blast.
      3. If you are faced with a lightning strike or an EMP that overcomes your first line of defense, then my 3rd strategy comes in
   3. Have cheap spares of vulnerable components stored in a protected container
      1. There are so many variables with EMPs, and there is so little real world data or large scale tests.  I just don’t trust the claims that some are making, that their system is “hardened” against EMP.  So in my mind, it’s so much simpler, easier, and more foolproof to just get some cheap backup components and store them in a protected container.  Then if your existing components are damaged for any reason, you have a backup on hand.  We’ll talk about this more in just a minute.
2. Grounding (DETAILS)
   1. As a baseline, everything (including grounding) should be wired to code
   2. Multiple ground rods at main grounding point (near breaker box/power room)
   3. 8-10’ long 5/8” copper ground rods X 3, in shape of a triangle with each rod at least 15-20 feet apart
   4. All 3 rods connected with loop of #6 bare copper wire (or whatever you are using to connect ground rod to breaker box)
   5. Additional ground rod(s) should be installed at solar array (if mounted away from house), and generator, and any outbuildings with electrical wiring.
   6. All ground rods in other locations must connect directly to the main ground rod
   7. Use metal conduit on wire that connect solar array to house or wire that connects generator to house
      1. Be sure to use metal conduit around the wire that connects your solar array to house.  You could also do it for the wire that connects your generator to the house.  This metal conduit can help to slow down induced surges as well as provide some electromagnetic shielding.
3. Lightning Protection (DETAILS)
   1. The purpose of a lightning arrester is to detect a surge, clamp down, and redirect the energy from that surge into a safe direction (in other words, into the ground).  But you only want that to happen if there is a real bonafide dangerous surge.  It also needs to be able to clamp down quickly enough to prevent damage to your equipment.
   2. Lightning arresters are not a 1-and-done thing.  You will want several of them on your system in order to adequately protect it.  And the rule of thumb is that you want the surge to hit the lightning arrester BEFORE it hits a piece of vulnerable equipment.  And if possible, you want it as close as practical to the equipment that it is protecting.
   3. Here is an example of where I would recommend placing your lightning arresters:
      1. In any solar combiner box(es)
      2. In the DC disconnect (power center) at the input of wire from solar array (in other words, just before the solar array input connects to the charge controller)
      3. At (or close to) inverter’s DC input (from the batteries) OPTIONAL
      4. At (or close to) the inverter’s AC input (from a generator or the grid)
      5. At (or close to) inverter’s AC output (running out to house breaker box)
      6. At (or close to) your fuel powered backup generator
   4. Midnite Solar SPD is my favorite lightning arrester. It comes in 3 different configurations for different voltages and is rated to clamp down in as little as 15 nanoseconds, which is good for lightning.
4. Have a Spare For Vulnerable Components
   1. Solar Charge Controller(s)
      1. You can find inexpensive charge controllers all over the internet.  Just make sure that if your current charge controller is an MPPT model, your spare must be also.  And also make sure the size of the charge controller (in other words, how many amps it can handle) is the same or better than your main charge controller.
   2. Inverter(s)
      1. And for an inverter, once again, inexpensive spares can be had for not much money.  Just make sure it is built for the same voltage as your battery bank and that the size (or number of continuous watts it can produce) is similar to what you have if possible.  Since this is a spare that you hopefully will never need, I’m not even all that concerned about whether it is sine wave or modified sine wave.
      2. My spare inverter is a Xantrex TR3624.  It’s modified sine wave but it’s solid and has a decent charger on it.  And at least in our area you can periodically find used inverters like this on Craigslist periodically for not much money.  I’d rather have something like this than one of those cheapo Chinese sine wave inverters that don’t have a charger built in.
   3. Several solar panels???  Or spare diodes for solar panels
      1. Finally, solar panels if you want to be extra cautious.  But personally I don’t think your solar panels will be damaged.  If so, probably only the diodes would blow, which can be replaced easily.  If you are interested in that, just ask at the end and I can try and connect you with more details on that.
   4. Store inverter and charge controller in metal trash can with lid.  Seal lid with aluminum tape.  Place it in a protected place.
      1. Once you have the spares, I’d suggest getting a metal galvanized trashcan with a lid.  Line it with cardboard or something non-conductive.  Place your spare components inside.  Put the lid on and seal the lid with aluminum tape.  Small scale tests seem to indicate that the trashcan would be far less effective without sealing the lid.  Then I’d like to see you put that trashcan down in your basement or in a metal garage or something like that to add some additional protection.  And honestly, just the fact that those components are not hooked up to any external wires will help tremendously to save them.  And if you do choose to put away a few spare solar panels, I’d just put them in the garage or basement.  Not being hooked up to wires will likely be enough of a protection.

Basic Necessities

1. If a large scale EMP occurs and it’s powerful enough
   1. life as we know it will probably end—at least for quite a while.
   2. It will be important to keep your power on so you can continue to operate the critical systems at home, like water for instance.
   3. But just bear in mind that you’ll have a LOT more to deal with than just your own power system.
   4. Probably everyone else’s power will be gone over a very very large area, including businesses.  Yes, some of them may have backup generators, but how much fuel do they have on hand?  And that’s assuming that their backup equipment survived the EMP.
   5. There may be very few people who are able to drive (and even if your car runs, what about getting gas?).
   6. There may be very little if any truck transportation happening (which means no food at the grocery store or fuel at the gas station, etc).  And without power or transportation, most other utilities and critical infrastructure would be unable to function for long, even if their systems were unaffected by the EMP.
   7. So what I’m trying to say is, we in the modern world have become so dependent on everyone else, that even if you have your own power, that doesn’t accomplish much if you have nothing to eat (for instance)?
2. In our dependent society, we really need to take a look at our basic necessities of life and work toward getting in a position where we could provide for those if needed.
   1. Water
   2. Food
   3. Heat/Shelter
   4. Etc
   5. These are the basic necessities that we cannot live without.  And you’ll notice that power is not on the list.  It’s not a basic necessity in and of itself.  But, because of our current modern lifestyle, we live in such a way that some or all of these basic necessities require electricity in order to work right.  For instance water.
3. Water
   1. Most water systems in America depend on electric pumps in some form in order to function.  Even a remote country homestead.  If the water source is a well, chances are that an electric pump is being used to access that water and deliver it to the house.
4. Food
   1. Growing & raising food is a huge topic that so many of us have little experience with.  Now is the time to start learning and begin this process, so you can not only have a more secure source of food, but also a higher quality source of food.
   2. You can grow a garden or orchard without power, but most locations require irrigation at some point in time during the growing season.  And with the way that most folks are set up, that means an electric pump.
5. Heat
   1. I think I’m safe in saying that most homes are heated with a heater that requires electricity in some form, whether it is an electric heater or another type of heater that just needs an electric fan in order to distribute the heat.
6. Why power is important
   1. These are your basic necessities.  And the vast majority of you who are attending this class are depending on electricity for at least one (if not more) of these necessities.  So you are faced with either preparing to live non-electrically or you’ll need to be able to produce your own power.  Honestly, having power available makes everything so much easier!
   2. Our off grid solar system enables us to have plenty of running water, a cold fridge and freezer, lights, computers, kitchen appliances, and a host of other conveniences, while at the same time cutting off our dependence on the power company.  Really, just about the only way you would know that we are off the grid is if you saw the solar panels.  And hey, if you do it right, you won’t have another power bill.  How would you like that?
   3. But for this to work, you have to do it right.  Believe me, you don’t just call up a solar company and say “sell me a solar system”!  I’ve seen that done many times, and that approach is destined to failure, even when the solar company supposedly does a quick pseudo “design”.  It doesn’t usually end well.
   4. If you are going to go off the grid, you need to do your homework ahead of time and do this thing intelligently.  But the good news is that if you are willing to invest some time and energy, you can successfully go off the grid without dramatically changing your lifestyle AND without it costing a fortune.
7. So if you are not currently set up with an off grid solar system, I want to tell you about a resource that will make this transition off the grid SO much easier, so much less expensive, and so much more successful for you.  See the next section for details.