Apparent near miss in 2012 of CME

[k0ua]

What about pipelines and things like gas stations? Lots of stuff around a typical gas station with electronics that could spark or flame.

Is this effect like an electromagnetic wave that will induce current flow in conductors with crossing lines of force?

yes, you have described the effect rather well.

 

[k0ua]

From what I understand when talking about other countries building transformers for other countries the 50hz versus 60hz issue comes into play. You can run 50hz transformers at 60hz but you can't run 60hz transformers at 50hz due to heating issues. In the transformer manufacturing space if that is a re-tooling type issue it could bump that 2-year time frame out quite a bit.

I hadn't even considered that little 50hz tidbit. Well I am not a big "worrier", and I darn sure don't have time to worry about a Carrington Event. With any luck I will be dead before it happens. And yes I know we can take measures to prevent or mitigate the damage, but no one is interested in doing it because it costs money. And besides it may not happen in our lifetimes.. but If it truly happens every 500 years, and we had one in 1859, and missed one by 2 days in 2012 because the rotation of the sun was pointed at a safe direction for us, well.... by golly it COULD happen. But we ain't doing a whole lot about it. I remember talking to an executive at a power co-op a few years ago, and casually asked if they were prepared for a Carrington event, and he said, "a what?" I explained it, and he had never hear of this.

 

[90cummins]

If we were to shutdown our electrical system and disconnect from the grid prior to the hit would that save our house electrical system so it could be powered by a generator or batteries.
I would assume my new solar system including the solar panels would be fried also, yes/no?? What if they were disconnected?
As homeowner what could we do to minimize the damage?
Would electronics such as a TV or radio be damaged if it was unplugged?
Hope there is someone that can answer these questions.

90cummins

 

[charlz]

If we were to shutdown our electrical system and disconnect from the grid prior to the hit would that save our house electrical system so it could be powered by a generator or batteries.
I would assume my new solar system including the solar panels would be fried also, yes/no?? What if they were disconnected?
As homeowner what could we do to minimize the damage?
Would electronics such as a TV or radio be damaged if it was unplugged?
Hope there is someone that can answer these questions.

90cummins

'It depends' is largely the answer. Severity of event, time of day (if you are on the darkside then the planet shields you), etc. The power grid has miles upon miles of conductors strung all over so easy for it pick up voltage from the magnetic waves. Same might happen in your house or TV if the event is strong enough and you are directly in the path.

What good is it to have a working TV if all the ground stations are fried as are orbiting satellites? Anything with diodes, transistors, IC 'chips' are all at risk. Solar panels are directly in the sun so I would think they are at high risk of damage. Even if they make it the charge controller might be fried. Only thing that can really save electronics would be to be in a Faraday cage or underground. Grounding and shielding help, the electronics in the F/A18's I worked on were all heavily shielded and grounded in the event of an EMP blast.

 

[Pirate]

If we were to shutdown our electrical system and disconnect from the grid prior to the hit would that save our house electrical system so it could be powered by a generator or batteries.
I would assume my new solar system including the solar panels would be fried also, yes/no?? What if they were disconnected?
As homeowner what could we do to minimize the damage?
Would electronics such as a TV or radio be damaged if it was unplugged?
Hope there is someone that can answer these questions.

90cummins

If you are the only one around with power, be prepared to defend yourself. Modern society thrives along a real thin line between total chaos and civility.

 

[GPintheMitten]

Would a tin foil hat protect me?

 

[SPIKER]

Would a tin foil hat protect me?

About as good as one would if your head was in a active Microwave... :0 arcs and sparks with some burning hair smell for good measure.


Mark

 

[k0ua]

I have done a little more reading on this, as concerns automobiles and trucks. It seems quite a bit of research and testing has been done subjecting autos to EMP. Some have survived, some have died, and some have survived but injured. Some of it depends on which direction the car is parked believe it or not whether the long axis of the car is N-S or not and aligned with the earths magnetic field. Or in other cases near other conductors like power lines. In my research it seems that "it depends" on so many factors that whether our auto's will survive or not is unpredictable. Of course there is the fuel delivery problem. Those who plan on charging their all electric car from their solar panels, I sure hope they have lots of transient protection built in to their systems. This whole thing is a big "Debbie Downer" and I hope I am gone before it ever happens.