4 X class solar flares to impact this weekend.

[Hedges]

Also, there is some question of DC power introduced to the AutoTransformer that might damage it (apparently it's not the voltage, but the DC power on an AC line that messes with transformers). Transformers seem to be particularly vulnerable to these events and most off-grid folks don't have transformers. But we have several so it might affect us more.

Transformers have two or more inductor windings, coupled by a core.

At nominal operating voltage and line frequency, a 100A 240V 25kVA transformer might carry a couple amps (2% of rating). The current is 90 degrees later than voltage, so the energy it absorbs one phase is returned to the grid next phase, minus I^2R losses.

With current able to flow in the secondary, magnetic field is canceled and current goes higher, e.g. 100A at full load.

With no load, the core gets turned into a permanent magnet, with poles reversing every phase. That's magnetic domains of atoms reversing each phase (resisting change in field and current flow), and partially "saturating", running low on more domains to reverse. If you double AC voltage or cut frequency in half, it will saturate and current will shoot up to whatever resistance limits it to, about 35x rated current.

If you apply DC voltage to the winding, it resists current briefly. About 10 milliseconds or so at 240V, about 1 second at 2.4V. Then transformer core saturates, it stops resisting AC voltage, and current from AC power supply shoots up 35x, burning out the transformer.

The damage to transformer is cause by power coming from power plant. The DC current from CME, EMP, or a solar panel connected to one winding causes the inductor to stop working, so current is no longer limited. (Transformers can be used as amplifiers this way.)

The utility wouldn't like it if your transformerless inverter failed and PV string backfed DC.

 

[Cronix]

This is more than just our sun hitting solar maximum. It's happening at a time when our magnetic shield is at it's weakest, and several other factors that are actually affecting all planets in our solar system. We're also undergoing a pole shift. These storms have been intensifying year after year and will continue to do so. Here's a really good interview from yesterday that will tell you a lot more.

 

[DIYrich]

I fire up the generators, I was just wondering what you folks who turned everything off did for power...

Batteries.

 

[wpns]

Transformers can be used as amplifiers this way

Indeed, I used to work on Saturable Core Reactors, before Big Triacs were a thing.

 

[DIYrich]

It's happening at a time when our magnetic shield is at it's weakest, and several other factors that are actually affecting all planets in our solar system.

Climate change is a lot worse than I thought.

 

[wpns]

Batteries.

Like flashlights? Several folks turned off their grid, batteries, inverters, everything. I guess these solar storms really do cause localized blackouts. 8*)

 

[Hedges]

Indeed, I used to work on Saturable Core Reactors, before Big Triacs were a thing.

Used for dimmable stage lighting, rad-hard amplifiers in nuke plants, inverters, AM transmitter modulators before transistors or vacuum tubes.

Based On a web page I found, I connected two transformers and used DC + potentiometer to regulate AC power.

Those are closed loop cores, winding puts in DC or low frequency magnetic field.

With a pair of rod cores, ambient magnetic field performs the gate function, modulating applied AC which is then rectified to recover signal. "Flux Gate Magnetometer", "Flux Gate Compass". We've got those in a magnetic field cancellation system, which drives X, Y, Z pairs of coils to zero field see by lab equipment.

 

[Skypower]

Used for dimmable stage lighting, rad-hard amplifiers in nuke plants, inverters, AM transmitter modulators before transistors or vacuum tubes.

Based On a web page I found, I connected two transformers and used DC + potentiometer to regulate AC power.

Those are closed loop cores, winding puts in DC or low frequency magnetic field.

With a pair of rod cores, ambient magnetic field performs the gate function, modulating applied AC which is then rectified to recover signal. "Flux Gate Magnetometer", "Flux Gate Compass". We've got those in a magnetic field cancellation system, which drives X, Y, Z pairs of coils to zero field see by lab equipment.

So where does the flux capacitor fit in all that?

 

[timselectric]

Great pictures, everyone.
I couldn't see anything.
Maybe next time.

 

[AlaskanNoob]

Space Weather Message Code: WATA99
Serial Number: 7
Issue Time: 2024 May 11 1753 UTC

WATCH: Geomagnetic Storm Category G4 or Greater Predicted

Highest Storm Level Predicted by Day:
May 12: G5 (Extreme) May 13: G3 (Strong) May 14: G1 (Minor)

 

[Crowz]

So tomorrow is the worst of it?

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

So tomorrow is the worst of it?

The 11th (yesterday) was also a G5.

 

[42OhmsPA]

So tomorrow is the worst of it?

The worst of it is yet to come, hopefully many decades from now.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Get to live to die another day.

 

[sunsurfer]

Great pictures, everyone.
I couldn't see anything.
Maybe next time.

Maybe tonight if the sky is clear

 

[SparkyJJO]

It is very windy today.
Solar wind?
Darn sun farts.

 

[Norwasian]

I'm curious if someone knows whether the equatorial regions would be more immune to solar storm damages than the polar regions. If the bending of the electromagnetic waves at the poles creates weak spots in our "shield," as visibly observable in the aurora borealis, it seems to my mind more probable that damage would be greater nearest the poles, and that we in the tropical regions should be safer.

 

[robbob2112]

I hate it when that happens! Me after the stroke of midnight at Y2K: "Anyone want to buy a generator?" 8*)

ha ha, my company had about 200 of us on-staff at the time when Y2K happened - we are a networking company - we all got a Y2K care basket with blankets and flashlights, they had the buildings locked down, an we were all being paid quadrupal time - It was great to make in an 8 hour shift what I would make in 4 days.

As midnight rolled past London - nothing.... New York - nothing... Chicago/Dallas - Nothing... wait, a router rebooted... oh, not related since it had rebooted 3 other times the day before... when we got to Denver and Nothing they said if you aren't normally on shift now everyone go home. I was normally on shift so I got to keep collecting the extra pay.

 

[robbob2112]

Get to live to die another day.

Coming to be my dinner?

 

[Supervstech]

ha ha, my company had about 200 of us on-staff at the time when Y2K happened - we are a networking company - we all got a Y2K care basket with blankets and flashlights, they had the buildings locked down, an we were all being paid quadrupal time - It was great to make in an 8 hour shift what I would make in 4 days.

As midnight rolled past London - nothing.... New York - nothing... Chicago/Dallas - Nothing... wait, a router rebooted... oh, not related since it had rebooted 3 other times the day before... when we got to Denver and Nothing they said if you aren't normally on shift now everyone go home. I was normally on shift so I got to keep collecting the extra pay.

Remember all the y2k patches and updates that were out? Oh the end of the century. What fun it was.