Protecting Your Computer from Solar Storms - Is a Faraday Cage Enough?

[Icositetraedro]

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From what I understand in scientific publications, if there is a strong solar storm directed towards the Earth, the effects would be such that any electronic equipment would suffer irreparable damage. I ask, if I put my computer inside a Faraday cage would it also be damaged?

 

[jedishrfu]

Welcome to PF!

While Faraday cages can block some level of transmission, it’s always possible that an incredibly strong transmission can reach the gear inside the cage.

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

Notice that what the cage can block is dependent on the mesh spacing and the wavelength of the transmission ie slow changing transmissions ie large wavelength can get through.

 

[fresh_42]

Hello and !

What for? Our power supplies will be down for years if the storm is heavy enough. They estimate that it will take up to ten years to replace all the insulators in transformation facilities.

 

[jim mcnamara]

Following @fresh_42 lead in:
Consider an electric grid under black start (from complete shutdown effects) conditions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_start

 

[anorlunda]

Couple that solar storm report with the UN report on climate last week plus new COVID variants more deadly than Delta, plus all the volcanoes and earthquakes, and I guess the end of the world is nigh.

@fresh_42 is right. If the world has no electricity, there's not much use for computers.

 

[berkeman]

Welcome to PF.

I ask, if I put my computer inside a Faraday cage would it also be damaged?

In addition to using a shielded room to protect equipment from the strong ElectroMagnetic Interference (EMI), you need to put filters and transient suppression devices on the cables that connect the equipment inside the room to power and data cables outside of the room. It does little good to use a shielded room if the cables are not filtered and protected too.

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/19537459/series-81-71-shielding-systems-ets-lindgren

 

[jedishrfu]

Couple that solar storm report with the UN report on climate last week plus new COVID variants more deadly than Delta, plus all the volcanoes and earthquakes, and I guess the end of the world is nigh.

View attachment 287727

@fresh_42 is right. If the world has no electricity, there's not much use for computers.

They make good conversation pieces, door stops and coasters.