What we do know is that emps are caused by both nuclear explosions and by the sun i e.
Would an emp damage solar panels.
But will your solar panels survive the attack.
Surprisingly enough solar panels can weather an emp fairly well.
Since solar power systems are typically designed to provide more power than needed to account for cloudy days those who have solar panels on their homes will still have some electrical power for a while even though it will be somewhat lower.
Emps can irreversibly damage anything with a circuit in it including your solar power system inverters and charge controllers.
If a nuclear weapon of sufficient size is detonated high in the atmosphere an emp can disrupt everything that uses electronic circuitry potentially causing irreversible damage to electronics in cars airplanes the u s.
The majority of solar panels would probably not be damaged.
Another way of looking at it is to pretend that the system you are trying to protect is a complex network of components that might in simplest form look like this.
A solar panel itself may be inherently resistant to emp to some extent.
However the larger the solar array is the more likely that there will be damage to the supporting equipment including the wiring charge controller and inverter.
Solar panels themselves have limited electronics within which puts them at low risk of damage when not hooked up.
And yes they will wipe out leds as well.
They are a direct solid state junction and that is precisely what an emp destroys.
The good news is that almost all other components of your off grid solar setup would be unaffected by the emp.
Electric grid and yes your home solar system.
It depends on how strong the electromagnetic pulse is.
Because of a multitude of factors that would affect solar panels during an emp such as the magnitude of the emp event it s difficult to say for sure what kind of protection is needed to completely protect electronics from the its effects.
Depending on the strength of the electromagnetic pulse emp most solar panels would likely not be affected.
But if damage occurs it is likely due to the wires between the solar panel and most often the solar charge controller.
Can solar flares or emp damage solar panels.
An emp will destroy solar panels faster than a three year old with a framing hammer.
