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virdestratera t1_ixkgpu5 wrote

Making electricity is easy, but things like transformers that aren't protected will need to be replaced. Internet would take more time because it requires sensitive hardware. Electronics can be protected by a faraday cage or something similar.

That being said, electricity and internet would be the least of our problems because most people won't be able to feed themselves or pump gas especially in cities with dense populations, which leads to rioting and formations of clans/groups all fighting to survive.

So if this is something you're worried about then plan ahead.

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Coachtzu t1_ixkjghh wrote

You forgot banking. Used to work in that industry, I'm not sure how protected the data is from something like this, but millions of people could lose their money in the blink of an eye. Everything is stored on servers, it was wild to me there was no paper versions of anything, literally to the point we had to destroy it if it was made.

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Not_Legal_Advice_Pod t1_ixll9mz wrote

Every bank worth its salt has a significant off-site disaster recovery backup. Sure, some of them probably are not built right. But the vast majority of the money in the financial system would be known even in a worst case solar flare.

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vrcap t1_ixnibjh wrote

Yes but wouldn't banks/branches not be able to operate? Even for a few minutes half globe blackout would mean chaos, everything is digitized these days, credit card, bitcoins, or any other type of electric payment will be out of order which would be a disaster because people wouldn't be able to pay for stuff unless they pay cash.

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AFSAlameda t1_ixkqgfa wrote

The big power transformers at major power stations take 10 years to build and need a lot of electricity to make. Rebuilding a distributed power generation network for one country would take a generation or two. By which stage civilisation has completely collapsed and with maybe a few exceptions the knowledge of how to maintain even the most basic of cohesive social groupings will have faded.

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nesquikchocolate t1_ixkvt6j wrote

Winding copper is something that can be done by hand, and with a little bit of mechanical assistance (factory running on a diesel generator), you'd be able to rewind a grid scale transformer in a few weeks.

That's assuming the solar flare somehow damaged the transformer inside, which is highly unlikely in the first place - seeing that they're fused on both the primary and secondary sides.

But please, continue spreading misinformation! The world certainly needs more hate and distrust.

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alex20_202020 t1_ixllb8q wrote

> (factory running on a diesel generator), you'd be able to rewind a grid scale transformer in a few weeks.

Do you think Ukraine is able to rebuild electrical supply "as before" after missiles' attacks even w/out spare parts?

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Remarkable_Night2373 t1_ixlvz0g wrote

They’re still actively being bombed and fighting off fascists but yeah when it’s done they will rebuild.

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alex20_202020 t1_ixlyoep wrote

They claim restoration within several hours. Do you think they can easily replace from warehouses and repair broken to re-supply warehouses to continue for long under current conditions? I'm asking you as technology guru knowing about transformers and the like.

As I been reading claims the grid deteriorates, I wonder what parts could be damaged that cannot be repaired so easily as transformers.

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Carbidereaper t1_ixl803l wrote

It’s actually only 2 to 5 years because only a few companies actually build them and they have to be ordered years in advance they can weigh hundreds of tons and can only be hauled by specialized rail cars and tractor trailers http://energyskeptic.com/2015/power-transformers-that-take-up-to-2-years-to-build/

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nesquikchocolate t1_ixld5n5 wrote

Why wouldn't you just repair the damaged ones? It's much quicker.

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Carbidereaper t1_ixm04sh wrote

Well depending on the damage you aren’t going to be able to repair them on site step 3 and 6 being very important quote from article

Production. The typical manufacturing process of an LPT consists of the following steps:

  1. Engineering and design: LPT design is complex, balancing the costs of raw materials (copper, steel, and cooling oil), electrical losses, manufacturing labor hours, plant capability constraints, and shipping constraints.

  2. Core building: The core is the most critical component of an LPT, which requires a highly-trained and skilled workforce and cold-rolled, grain-oriented (CRGO) laminated electrical steel.

  3. Windings production and assembly of the core and windings: Windings are predominantly copper and have an insulating material.

  4. Drying operations: Excess moisture must be removed from the core and windings because moisture can degrade the dielectric strength of the insulation.

  5. Tank production: A tank must be completed before the winding and core assembly finish the drying phase so that the core and windings do not start to reabsorb moisture.

  6. Final assembly of the LPT: The final assembly must be done in a clean environment; even a tiny amount of dust or moisture can deteriorate the performance of an LPT.

  7. Testing: Testing is performed to ensure the accuracy of voltage ratios, verify power ratings, and determine electrical impedances.

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