# EMP effect on LED's



## ajk1941 (Feb 17, 2013)

Has anyone addressed the impact of an EMP occurrence on the LED's that I've been using to replace the incandescent bulbs in my home? Would a solar flare caused EMP fry the electronic circuitry in the LEDs? By the way, I'm not discarding any replaced incandescent bulb, but rather storing them away just in case...

Any thoughts on this?


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## nephilim (Jan 20, 2014)

IF the LEDS were attached to a circuit at the time, yes, it would fry them, if they weren't, its very unlikely. The main problem is that an EMP doesnt actually kill the electrics, it just blows the resistors and capacitors to the point of overload. Therefore anything with those on would not survive, and anything attached would likely not survive.


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

LEDs are active components, they have a high amperage limit, and a voltage limit. If a whole lot of amperage is surged it can burn out. 

LEDS can be made to survive though.


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## Texprep (Apr 13, 2014)

Effects of an EMP are totally subject to the following criteria, the size of the blast producing the EMP, the distance from the Blast, and the direction you are from the blast. In only the largest blast would an LED fail due to an EMP. The bigger problem would come from the supporting equipment. A LED is not like a resistor or capacitor. Although those might fail, LED's are Diodes, they do not store, or reduce voltage. While the equipment that cause's the LED to function might fail, the LED itself would be unharmed.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

LED - light emitting diode. A light emitting diode is subject to failure, and can fail due to an EMP. As Tex pointed out, it depends on the yield and the distance from it. It also depends on whether or not the diode is bottom shelf or good quality, and it also depends on the its state of degradation. All things made by man go bad, anyway.

All things made N-P, N-P-N, P-N-P, etc., can be damaged by being overloaded, which is what an EMP does. I'd expect my LED lights to do much better than the fragile filaments of my hoarded incandescent bulbs.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

Hoard what you want.
I'm not hoarding anything that goes on the grid power - won't be a grid to power it.

All you have to do is search for microwaves at garage sales and out by the trash. Who cares if they are toast - you want the carcass. Great cheap way to store stuff in an EMP proof box. They make a great place to store batteries and coms.

Considering the life of an LED, one microwave would hold a lot of bulbs. You'd have a lot of light.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

A solar EMP will only effect the LED lamps if they are on at the time.

A high altitude nuclear EMP (HEMP) will destroy all semiconductors that are not shielded whether they are on or not.

It is likely that the power will go out before a solar EMP can get to your home. I wouldn't worry about it. If you want to be sure then you can watch the solar forecasts online and you will get a few days warning of solar EMPs. Then you can disconnect your home by throwing the master breaker to "off" on the day and time it will hit. Use your battery operated AM radio to find out when it is safe to turn the power back on.


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## Go2ndAmend (Apr 5, 2013)

If a LEO had a LED and got hit by an EMP would he be AOK? (Sorry, couldn't resist, this actually is a good thread.)


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## firefighter72 (Apr 18, 2014)

Isn't an easy way to protect any thing electronic from an EMP is to put it in a think metal box?


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## john10001 (Mar 20, 2013)

PaulS said:


> A solar EMP will only effect the LED lamps if they are on at the time.
> 
> A high altitude nuclear EMP (HEMP) will destroy all semiconductors that are not shielded whether they are on or not.
> 
> It is likely that the power will go out before a solar EMP can get to your home. I wouldn't worry about it. If you want to be sure then you can watch the solar forecasts online and you will get a few days warning of solar EMPs. Then you can disconnect your home by throwing the master breaker to "off" on the day and time it will hit. Use your battery operated AM radio to find out when it is safe to turn the power back on.


Very useful info thanks!

I guess keeping backups of essential things shielded will help eg a cheap ebook reader, LED flashlight and spares, solar cells and diodes, radios etc. Perhaps disused microwave or wrapped in loads of foil will help will need to research more. That's if of course you're far away enough from initial blast to survive.


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