# EMP Protection



## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

After watching a William Forstein speech (he wrote "One Second After") I got thinking. I've never been a big EMP disaster fan but I'm counting heavily on the ability to use my small solar system and drive to collect one member of my group (need a running vehicle) not to mention some hopefully last minute stocking up. I've spent a ton of money on food and defensive ability including rechargeable batteries, radios, intrusion alerts mounted around the property, ect. all which require at least some electricity.... flashlights anyone??? Why spend a bunch of money on stuff that may not work after an EMP unless I have some backups or can protect what I have. First thing I did was order some Faraway bags for things like the hand held radios and the emergency shortwave radio receiver.

My '86 jeep has upgraded HEI ignition so I ordered a good used mechanical distributer which was how it came from the factory and I'll keep it "just in case".

I also ordered a cheap solar charge controller for a backup, I already have a small spare inverter. Both of these will be tossed into the faraday bags. The solar panels are more EMP resistant but still can be damaged if not properly grounded so I intend to attach additional grounding to the individual panels which are currently only grounded through the charge controller.

Who has a gas generator? I strongly suspect an EMP event will destroy the inverter so you will be producing unregulated DC current only.

Thoughts on realistic protections for EMP that are easy and cheap??? I already spent more than I like on this but I really want the ability to recharge batteries ect.

I'm not interested in totally converting a room into a giant Faraday cage. In the William Forstein video he said a microwave oven is a perfect Faraday cage assuming you have a spare microwave laying around.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Have a LED flashlight? It probably won't work after an EMP event.

Rechargeable batteries? Charger probably won't work even if you still have some electricity.

I still don't consider an EMP event to be the most likely scenario but I'd place it as the second most likely.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I was under the impression that the microwave was good too. But no. The best I've 
seen is the new metal garbage can, with all rivets checked for good closure and other 
holes soldered shut, especially check the handle on the lid. Line the can with cardboard, 
put your stuff inside and use a copper tape with conductive adhesive to seal the lid 
to the can. The real killer is the copper tape, about $38 for a roll (36 yards) of 1 inch 
and $60 for a roll of 1&1/2 inch tape with conductive adhesive. 
JVCC CFL-5CA Copper Foil Tape [Conductive Adhesive] at FindTape.com
View attachment 11506

I can give you more info if you want.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you had better have the items in that garbage can wrapped in triple layers of aluminum and insulation. An E1 pulse is so fast and so strong that steel has enough resistance that the charge will penetrate to the inside before it can travel over the surface of the steel can. Aluminum is the most resistive material that will protect your gear completely - Heavy duty aluminum foil is thick enough to be used if you use layered protection.


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

PaulS said:


> I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you had better have the items in that garbage can wrapped in triple layers of aluminum and insulation. An E1 pulse is so fast and so strong that steel has enough resistance that the charge will penetrate to the inside before it can travel over the surface of the steel can. Aluminum is the most resistive material that will protect your gear completely - Heavy duty aluminum foil is thick enough to be used if you use layered protection.


Paul, I have my radios insulated, then wrapped in aluminum foil, insulated, and wrapped again. And stored in a sealed metal trash can. The biggest problem is that it is such a pain to take the radios out periodically to make sure the batteries are charged. Will Mylar bags work? Like the foil, they could be insulated and wrapped in layers, but they would be so much easier to manage. I've heard that Mylar is too thin. What do you think?


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

No, the aluminized mylar has a very thin film of aluminum and it is not enough "skin" to transport the E1 pulse around the object.
Is your metal can insulated on the inside? If not you are using an antenna to amplify the effects of the E1 pulse.

Don't store your equipment with the batteries installed. The batteries can't be harmed by any of the three pulses so can be stored in a cool place to lengthen the shelf life - don't freeze them - some batteries will leak after being frozen. 

If you need to "inspect" your protected gear make envelopes from heavy paper or card stock (poster board) with a cover of heavy duty foil: make three envelopes that will fit inside the largest:

Take your card stock and glue three of the edges together. (this has to be big enough for your item to fit inside) Fold the open end over on itself (like sealing a letter in the envelope but without glue.
Put your item in the first envelope and cover it (leaving an extra two inches at the top) with foil. Fold the bottom of the foil over once and then fold the fold over again. Do the same thing to each side and then after making sure the top of the paper (card stock) envelope is folded over make the same double fold to the foil at the top that you did to all the other sides. Make your next paper envelope large enough for the first to fit inside (same glued edges) you want the second envelope tall enough the you can fold the top over without bending the aluminum of the first envelope. slide the first envelope into the second with the "top" down. this keeps the most vulnerable seal from getting damaged. Cover the second envelope with heavy duty foil just like you did the first. Then do the same thing with a third envelope. Your item has very good protection and you can carefully open each envelope to get at your gear to test it. If any of the foil gets torn take it off and put a new layer of foil on it. You can test or use your equipment and still put it away to protect it when you are done. 

For things that are too bulky for an envelope you can use the same process with boxes. Remember that the first box goes into the second box upside down and the second box goes into the third upside down. (just like the envelopes)


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## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

I still don't get why preppers still rely on electronic goods.... Instead of working out how to go without them, we buy more and protect them....

Personally I'm not 100% convinced a emp will destroy every electrical good out there, I will bet that equipment will be affected to a varying degree but not as catastrophic as some suggest...

It is a viable threat.... And communication items like radios, and charging equipment maybe worth it in the short term... But modern electronics have a limited life... And unless you have the equipment to create semi conductors... You will quickly find yourself s. Out of luck

Just a thought


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

Yes, my can is insulated. Thanks for the details, Paul. That's basically what I do, but I will see if I can get the rechargable battery packs out. Phoenix, the reason I have radios is to get any kind of news or report of what is going on when the lights go out. I also have walkie talkies for us to use between our houses on our property. The radios have solar and/or dynamo backup, so as long as the equipment isn't damaged initially, I hope they keep working for a while. Yes, I can live without them, but it could also be a life saver to know what is going on and the nature/extent of the threat (was it an attack or a solar flare).


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

X-Ray rooms in Doctors offices and hospitals have Lead Lined Drywall in the walls and ceilings. Its very heavy and expensive and you would have to reinforce the studwalls and ceiling joists as well as get a lead lined door. Just an idea, a costly one but it might work for a small room?


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

Slippy said:


> X-Ray rooms in Doctors offices and hospitals have Lead Lined Drywall in the walls and ceilings. Its very heavy and expensive and you would have to reinforce the studwalls and ceiling joists as well as get a lead lined door. Just an idea, a costly one but it might work for a small room?


There would still be seams that weren't filled completely, and from what Paul has said in the past, it only takes the tiniest of gaps to allow the pulse through.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

A big thank you to PaulS for showing me the error of my ways before anything bad happened.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

The lead walls of an X-ray room do a good job of stopping X-rays because they travel in a straight line from the source. An E1 pulse is very different. Lead will not stop it - there is so much resistance to the flow of electricity that it will penetrate even very thick lead and steel walls. There is a company (can't remember the name) that makes EMP "shelters" from containers by covering the inside with insulation (electric not thermal) and then covers the entire inside with sheet copper. All the seams are double folded and virtually air tight. The doors are fitted with copper seals so when they are closed it forms a continuous sheet of copper. 
These are made to the E1 military standard for protection. If you want a room protected then this is the way to do it. It is expensive but the copper is a better conductor than aluminum and a single thick sheet is enough protection. The inside of the room has to be finished with an insulated wall, floor and ceiling (without puncturing the copper shield) and you have an HEMP shielded room.

Any power used must be generated from the inside (usually batteries) and all data lines should be fiber-optic.


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## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

Kauboy said:


> There would still be seams that weren't filled completely, and from what Paul has said in the past, it only takes the tiniest of gaps to allow the pulse through.





RNprepper said:


> Yes, my can is insulated. Thanks for the details, Paul. That's basically what I do, but I will see if I can get the rechargable battery packs out. Phoenix, the reason I have radios is to get any kind of news or report of what is going on when the lights go out. I also have walkie talkies for us to use between our houses on our property. The radios have solar and/or dynamo backup, so as long as the equipment isn't damaged initially, I hope they keep working for a while. Yes, I can live without them, but it could also be a life saver to know what is going on and the nature/extent of the threat (was it an attack or a solar flare).


Just a line of thought extending to am/fm radios...

The transmit stations for those two radio types involve, a massive tower and high amounts of electricity generation... Those systems I doubt will survive a emp event....


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Some AM stations have protected backup transmitters and retracted antennas that can be raised after an event. KIRO in the Seattle area is so equipped. I am sure there are others too. Most of the old Civil Defence EBS stations have them.


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

my plan is tie a brick to a water proof container and toss the whole thing in the swimming pool what yah think?


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## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

Medic33 said:


> my plan is tie a brick to a water proof container and toss the whole thing in the swimming pool what yah think?


Don't quote me but I understand there is a minimal depth to gain the protection required


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