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Would an EMP impact an inverter?

5K views 24 replies 13 participants last post by  1911_Kid 
#1 ·
Am I correct in assuming that an unprotected inverter would be subject to damage in the event of an EMP?

Thanks for your answers.

Cal
 
#7 · (Edited)
??
DC batts that are maintained by solar panels.
EMP not gonna kill a AGM batt.

But yep, a general consumer inverter will die under EMP. Perhaps it survives if you invest in mu metal ;)

Or buy/make a mu lined case where you can store your needed electronic gadgets & equipment.

and btw, EMP's are ez to make. i am still kinda baffled as to why no city has been hit by one yet. a few basic concepts of amps, shape charge, and sonic boom. know those 3 and you have EMP.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Can only venture a guess: That it probably depends on the design/circuitry of the inverter. Very old, pre-1960s equipment would probably survive. I wouldn't expect the same with modern circuitry (at least not in consumer-grade equipment).

Not pretending electrical expertise; will be interested to read comments by anyone with an expertise in this area.
 
#4 ·
An inverter changes DC to AC, possibly better explained as converting battery power to standard household voltage. An electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) will be superimposed on lead lengths between the battery and the inverter as well as lead lengths on the circuit board and wiring within the inverter itself. This pulse creates current on the line that wants to go somewhere, usually to earth ground. The current will go through circuit devices which will be destroyed or damaged as the excessive current flows through them. I would suggest placing the inverter in a metallic enclosure (Faraday cage) and installing overvoltage (surge) suppressors on the DC current input lines (close to the inverter). You may also want to put surge suppressors on the inverter output lines (close to the inverter). YMMV.
 
#5 ·
There is no definitive answer to your query; the only honest answer is somewhere between "maybe" and "it depends". .

It depends on the specific piece of equipment, the type, inttensity, and source of the EMP, the distance to "ground zero", any interfering materials....
 
#8 ·
Thanks Mr Walsh
I got an interesting history tidbit

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_1859

In June 2013, a joint venture from researchers at Lloyd's of London and Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER) in the United States used data from the Carrington Event to estimate the current cost of a similar event to the U.S. alone at $0.6–2.6 trillion.



it's interesting to me that educated suppositions on the subject range from "no big deal" all the way to "TEOTWAWKI"

confirming what you said and WCC alluded to;

"no one knows"



..L.T.A.
 
#11 ·
If there was an emp all the millenials will go nuts when their I-phones don't work.

Not to get off track but how many young people even have a clue to start a fire and then cook a meal over it. With all the technology we have no one knows basic skills anymore. You can't google it when the cell towers are fried
 
#19 ·
Actually, there are theories that much of the energy that made it into the atmosphere would in turn hit the magnetosphere and strech it some and then reflect back at the earth. A rubber band type affect. Luckily most energy would never make it into the atmosphere but skip off it.
 
#22 · (Edited)
This is a prepper sub forum.
If preppring for EMP then invest in mu metal over steel(iron), line cases with it, hide your needed electronic stuff in the case. A cell phone is likely not a good item to store, cell towers will not survive. Personal radios (FRS and the like) will be useful. Inverters will be useful if you dont have DC electrical items. Solar panels will be useful. A laptop may be useful. Store the useful electronics in mu/iron lined case(s).


Mu metal + steel (iron) is the best shield.

That's the best way I think you can try and mitigate EMP.

Another good read https://www.kjmagnetics.com/blog.asp?p=shielding-materials
 
#24 ·
LWolken

Mag fields dont need to have resonance with a "antenna". A mag field cutting across a wire of any size shape form will induce a voltage across such wire.

With very small "wires" and very voltage sensitive BJT FET (etc) junctions, mag fields will wreak havoc.

A very large cylindrical mag field that is compressed (hence magnified) can be like a sniper 50cal at distance, "deadly" to "whatever" it hits.
 
#25 ·
LWolken

Mag fields dont need to have resonance with a "antenna". A mag field cutting across a wire of any size shape form (with few exceptions) will induce a voltage across such wire.

With very small "wires" and very voltage sensitive BJT FET (etc) junctions, mag fields will wreak havoc.

A very large cylindrical mag field that is compressed (hence magnified) can be like a sniper 50cal at distance, "deadly" to "whatever" it hits.
 
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