# Shipping containers as faraday cage?



## Durogity

I've read and seen people use shipping Containers that are grounded as gant faraday cages for all their TEOTWAWKI gear, but would a shipping container that was sealed but not grounded still work?


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## dontlookatme

you would have to make sure you seal up every nook and cranny. and


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## C5GUY

You would have to do a better job of grounding the doors than just the hinges and also I would use 8 to 12 foot grounding rods to make sure it is properly grounded, but yes in theory these dudes would make a big Faraday Cage.


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## Durogity

The reason iwas asking was a thought I had, that if a standard shipping container with no thought of EMP, was indeed able to be a faraday cage, wouldn't that mean that ships loaded with shipping containers be a great scavenging ground after an EMP, if indeed the theory had legs that is.


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## Leon

something that big made of solid steel will actually conduct electricity like an antenna, but here's where it gets interesting. GROUNDED, meaning lines attached solidly to the container and driven at least three feet into the ground by metal stakes will make it into a faraday type setup. a little electrical doping on the inside, like a rubberized compound would make it pretty solid. Then again, if you seen my posts and videos I place no stock in an EMP event. It would have to be a very powerful man made business, and even then it wont happen everywhere at once. Newer computers and stuff are pretty damn tough these days against electrical surges and spikes.


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## Princessawe

Thank you for*good*communication.


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## Moonshinedave

I would say a properly grounded metal shipping container would work well as a Faraday cage. In 1859 the largest solar flare ever recorded hit the Earth, then telegraph was about all they had, but it was effected. What would happen today if such a strike would hit is open for debate.
Solar Flare: What If Biggest Known Sun Storm Hit Today?


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## PaulS

The containers would make a decent lightning protector. For solar storms the best thing you can do is isolate your home from the grid - pull all the main breakers.

For an HEMP type EMP event a shipping container is not very good and grounding a shielded area is just adding antennas to bring in more of an E1 pulse. Steel is not a good barrier for E1 pulses- the resistance is too high. You need at least aluminum and better yet is copper and the best is silver. Multiple layers of shielding with multiple layers of insulation is much better than one layer of any kind. You almost never want to ground a shield for an E1 pulse, it is best left isolated because the high voltage/amperage is travelling through the air and ground to a depth of over 12 feet.


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## Arklatex

PaulS said:


> The containers would make a decent lightning protector. For solar storms the best thing you can do is isolate your home from the grid - pull all the main breakers.
> 
> For an HEMP type EMP event a shipping container is not very good and grounding a shielded area is just adding antennas to bring in more of an E1 pulse. Steel is not a good barrier for E1 pulses- the resistance is too high. You need at least aluminum and better yet is copper and the best is silver. Multiple layers of shielding with multiple layers of insulation is much better than one layer of any kind. You almost never want to ground a shield for an E1 pulse, it is best left isolated because the high voltage/amperage is travelling through the air and ground to a depth of over 12 feet.


Would this work for an E3? That is the threat I take more seriously. The E1 might or might not happen but CMEs are pretty common. With them it's not if but when. We have had close calls recently so its only a matter of time before we get nailed by another big one like the Carrington event.


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## thepeartree

See my post in the Faraday bags thread. Shipping containers aren't the best idea...


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## HEckSpawn

Aloha from the Big Island. Watched this (I'm a daily viewer of Ben's solar weather reports) and got to wondering about the subject of this thread. More worried about a flare or CME in these days of Earth's dwindling magnetic field. Glad to have found this site...


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## Auntie

Hello @HEckSpawn please take a moment and introduce yourself. Here is the link: New Member Introductions


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## HEckSpawn

Auntie said:


> Hello @HEckSpawn please take a moment and introduce yourself. Here is the link: New Member Introductions


Done, Auntie. 

Cute pupper.


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## HEckSpawn

HEckSpawn said:


> Aloha from the Big Island. Watched this (I'm a daily viewer of Ben's solar weather reports) and got to wondering about the subject of this thread. More worried about a flare or CME in these days of Earth's dwindling magnetic field. Glad to have found this site...











Racing the Sun to Protect America


Lessons from the solar storm of May 1921.




www.nextgov.com


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## Captjim_NM

Most people don't have a clue about the grounding needed for this to work. When you talk about grounding copper strap is best, then heavy copper braid in next then wire. You would need many ground rods and a perimeter ground system of 1/2 inch copper braid. Every electronic item you put in the container would have to be wrapped in an ESDS bag and placed on a faying, clean conductive surface (shinny bare metal surface). After an EMP how are you going to power this equipment? Every generator, electronic device will be dead!


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