is the heatshield of a solaredge optimizer adequate to prevent electromagnetic damage ?

jakespeed

i realize solar flares are incredibly rare but if one occurs warranty nor insurance will cover the damage & the solar installers will prioritize commercial customers for replacements

if the metal heatshield is inadequaate, what are options

will copper tape or mesh wrap protect the rooftop electronics

mike95490

Solar flares are long duration events, and induce problems in wires that are dozens of feet long.  Short wires between solar panels and charge controllers generally are easily protected with something like the Midnight Solar SPD (surge protection device)

Rapid events such as an EMP pulse, cause issues with much shorter lengths of wire and seldom have any warning.  SPD's may not be fast enough to protect gear in those cases.

Wraping rooftop electronics in anything will usually make heat issues worse, and a DIY Faraday Cage is generally going to fail to protect.

BB.

Solar Flares should only affect "long" sets of wires (power lines, telephone, etc.) that are miles long... Should not affect an off grid solar power system with yards/meters long wiring (if you have utility power, the connection between the utility and your solar power system is susptable):

https://forum.solar-electric.com/discussion/12336/emp-protection
https://forum.solar-electric.com/discussion/22934/emp-and-solar-system-protection/p1 (more technical information)

Using Surge Suppressors (Midnite makes nice ones) is the answer for protecting your wiring/equipment from various sources of electrical surges (mostly lightning, possible power company screw ups).

https://www.solar-electric.com/search/?q=midnite+surge

Years ago, our long retired founder of this forum, WindSun, (one of the owners of NAWS), said that from his experience, most of the off grid lightning induced failures were on the AC Inverter Output... So protecting both the DC and AC side of your power system is important.

You will never have 100% protection of against direct or very close lightning strikes. But things like lightning rods, good grounding, surge suppressors can help protect.

For EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse from Nukes, and EMP optimized Nukes), that has both low, medium, and high (all the way into Xray) frequency elements--Which could affect your solar power system (and many other electrical and biological systems).

-Bill