You don’t even have to be a prepper to have a backup generator.
I get to use it once or twice a year when the power goes out. When Hurricane Irma came, we didn’t have power for ten days. Our generator, which runs on both propane and gasoline, kept our food from spoiling and powered all our appliances.
Thank God we had that generator during that dark time!
But what if an EMP were to hit America?
I can’t even imagine how vital a generator would be then. Many reports show us that the power grid would be functioning again in about five years.
The problem with an EMP is that it also fries the generators—even those that are not plugged in. Just the fact that they are lying around somewhere means that their electrical components will be completely fried, rendering them useless.
That’s why if you want your generator to function after an EMP, you should keep it in a Faraday cage. Basically, a Faraday cage is a completely sealed metal cage. Everything that’s inside the cage, but does not touch the metal of the cage, is relatively safe against an EMP.
The only problem is that it’s so hard and expensive to find a cage big enough to cover your generator.
But not long ago I discovered an EMP-proof cloth that basically blocks out all electromagnetic signals, working just like a Faraday cage.
Developed after years of extensive research by top U.S. scientists, it’s an excellent way to protect a large stash of electronics or even bigger items, such as cars, generators, motorcycles, and so forth.
I had to test it myself to see how well it works. I used my generator, an old AM radio, and a cellphone as testing subjects. And I’m going to show you exactly how you can test it out yourself just to be absolutely sure that it works.
I decided to get my generator out of the garage for this project. You’re going to need two other devices if you want to test this out yourself: a cellphone and an old AM radio. The reason why you need both might not be obvious, so I’ll explain:
Your cellphone uses high frequencies, while the AM radio uses low frequencies. If both are blocked, then you are safe. If you haven’t properly wrapped the generator, you’ll know because you will be able to either make calls to your cellphone, hear the station on the radio, or both.
First, spread out as much cloth as necessary on a table. Make sure you have enough to wrap around the entire surface of the equipment you’re trying to protect. Otherwise, you risk leaving exposed spots, and all your hard work will have gone to waste.
Don’t worry though. You can try again. I also failed to wrap it properly the first time. This is why it’s important to have your cellphone and AM radio ready.
Now that you’ve ensured your generator is well sealed, you can rest assured if an EMP hits.
The cloth is made with powerful EMP shielding materials that will protect your generator from the effects of an EMP or CME.
Paper thin and practically weightless, the “EMP cloth” is made out of 23% copper + 27% nickel + 50% polyester.
At 15 feet long by 3.5 feet wide, it’s designed to fully cover any type of home generator, including diesel, solar, gasoline, propane, and virtually any other type of generator.
Similar to a Faraday cage, it provides 98% military-grade protection against electromagnetic waves.
The cloth that I tested and that I would recommend to you can be found at this link.
It’s the best one I’ve found when it comes to quality and value.
You may also like:
7 Actions to Take Immediately Following an EMP Strike (Video)
So even though most studies show that the majority of cars will be just fine we should buy this…..
Granted the power grid would fail but your car will be fine.
Cars that have electrical components won’t work after an EMP so your car will not be fine.
If you have a generator in your old car, then you are probably safe. If you have an alternator, then it has diodes (semiconductors) that probably would be damaged if the magnetic pulse exceeded the peek inverse voltage rating of them. Any car with points and condenser ignition will run but the alternator is still up in the air.
Norman S,
Mostly true; but, that would mean that the wiring from the alternator to the battery is long enough to collect enough energy to exceed the diodes PIV / PRV which is not likely.
In any case, those diodes are cheap, so keep a few spares, wrapped in aluminum foil in a drawer somewhere and replace them if and when the time comes. That will only require a soldering iron or gas (propane, butane) torch and some solder.
The wave length of the EM{P pulse is so short that even a half inch of wire would be an effective antenna to collect it, The diodes in GM alternators are low voltage, less than 50 volts, the other brands may be good for 3 to 400 volts, none will withstand the thousands of volts of an EMP pulse. Also if the failure is a dead short and not an open, it will cause the fusable link to blow, or if not burn up the wiring and kill the battery.
Additional note: even some cars with a generator, not an alternator has a solid state voltage regulator, The pure relay types will probably survive, but not the solid state ones.
a starter and alternator…perhaps even a voltage regulator….should all be part of a EMP proofed package. I’m not putting my ability to get as far as I can and as fast as I can…at risk….I might suggest, just in case…a battery too!!
An ECM for a backup from junkyard may be good idea – anything with a wire winding-
im waiting for Spring so I can gut an old van like mine – ECM, Starter, Alt, PDC – ( relay box)
Car have had “electrical components” since they were invented. It is the TYPE of electrical components that you must consider. Old ignition systems that happen cap, rotor, points, coil and condenser will be pretty much impervious to EMP. I would recommend having spares coils and condenser, just to be safe. However, car that have these have so much steel surrounding these components that they are relatively well-protected.
Newer vehicles with “solid state” ignition and other systems won’t fare so well, and must be protected. Since these “solid state” components operate at or below 4.8 volts DC and at very low amperage, they are extremely vulnerable to EMP attack. With virtually every function of every system on modern vehicles being controlled by microelectronics (computers, so to speak), even minor exposure to EMP can, and most likely WILL, be catastrophic. Unless you can afford to have spares of the ECM (electronic control module, or “computer”) you’re pretty much screwed.
Just in case your curious, I’m a retired Air Force avionics Master Technician, and Master Instructor, having taught electronics for over 6 years. Radar was my “forte”, much to the chagrin of the Ohio State Patrol. I’ve defeated them TWICE in court regarding radar speeding tickets.
TSgt B,
Actually our new 2018 Honda CRV still has a ton of steel surrounding those same components, and the Can & LIN buses that run things have transient suppression built in, so most modern vehicles will still run quite well, with the possible exception of the radio, navigation and backup cameras. It still doesn’t hurt to protect any vehicle if you can.
The operating voltage has little to do with the vulnerability of the components, since most of these have TVS (Transient Voltage Suppression) built in on the inputs and the modules are generally required to pass spark compliance ESD (Electro Static Discharge) tests. Common test levels are 4kV contact, 8kV air, but these values could be higher or lower depending on the standard you are using, with automotive being rather high with the high voltages on the plug wires and plugs.
I’m a retired engineer and have two EE degrees and 40+ years real world experience in various fields. While we don’t design specifically for EMP, the spark you can generate walking across the floor and touching a device can be large (20-25,000 volts) and will easily damage or at least reset improperly designed devices. When you walk across the floor and pick up that cell phone or touch the TV, with a ”Snap!!!” and nothing happens to the phone or TV then the transient protection we carefully design in and test for is working.
As for having fun with the OSP, I find that funny, since most of those folks are only appliance operators, and a real FCC licensed technician is responsible for keeping their toys calibrated.
As a licensed Amateur Radio operator I’ve played with Gunnplexers running in the ham band in the 2300-2450 MHz range, simply broadcasting a CW ID. These can also drive radar crazy; but, more often than not, drive those with radar detectors equally crazy. From above and behind a line of traffic triggering the device (legal for me) you can see brake lights off to the horizon, even when most are oveying the speed limit.
I BTW live in a county just northwest of the capital and if you are close we could touch base at some point.
Just unplug the battery
You’d also have to have that ECM module pre-installed and programmed for your car, then removed for safe storage and later re-instalation. Another thing to consider is another key-fob put in storage.
How’s this: who are the retarded thugs charging? You or a legal fiction?
The cuestion to ask tge judge: is the birth certificate evidence of an identity or a security? The judge is screwed either way and can answer. Case closed.
Did I miss it? How do you protect the car with the fabric? Where do you put it? Do you just lay it on? Help!
Good, question, Kathy. How do you protect the car with the fabric and where do you put it? Moreover, can that fabric be in place when the car is running and you are on the road. There are many so-called experts on this subject, but few who provide nuts & bolts details on exactly how to implement their “expert” advice. The devil’s always in the details and, if none is given, I relegate it all to just one more top-level explanation of EMP and general info about protection against same, and possibly just a clever way to sell a product and/or receive kickbacks on the sale or brownie points on Facebook.
I seriously doubt that you can drive down the interstate with a fabric Faraday cage over your car. How are you going to see out the windshield? While glass may be an insulator and not allow electron flow through it, certainly the metal trim around the windshield will allow electron flow. It is my opinion that the car covering will only work while the car is in your garage and, perhaps, while it is parked in the driveway. I don’t see any way to protect your car during your morning or evening commute to and from work.
It has been several years since I read about the tests that were done on cars and my recollection, albeit somewhat hazy is that cars that were not running were not affected as significantly as were the cars that had their engines running when the field was applied.
That is one reason why I urge everyone who has any kind of commute to work to make sure they have a Get Home Bag in their car. I also urge them to consider some alternative wheeled transportation such as a folding bike.
A person with a back pack even if not in good physical condition can easily cover 20 miles per day and in flat areas can even cover 30 miles per day on a fold-up bicycle. Unless you are an experienced, long distance hiker accustomed to hiking with a heavy load such as someone who has just finished a significant stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail or the Appalachian Trail, just cannot do that many miles a day carrying a load and take care of eating and bodily functions, take detours around dangerous areas, and the myriad other functions that you would have to undertake in an EOTW situation.
As an example, many years ago Leatherneck Magazine ran an article about a Marine Battalion that had set a Marine Corps record in hiking 100 miles in three days. Now you may say to yourself, heck if a Marine could do it, so can I.
Maybe you can if you are between the ages of 18-25 and in great physical shape and if you have someone providing porta-potty service and three hots a day or even two colds and a hot a day so that you could maximize distance traveled, but if you fall somewhat outside those parameters, ain’t no way way you are going to cover 30 miles a day with a full field pack. If you are like most of us, after 10 miles you are going to wish you could die on the spot and start giving serious consideration to what articles that you considered absolutely essential when you made up the pack can be jettisoned without serious problems.
left coast chuck,
Being an insulator or allowing electron flow has little or nothing to do with an EMP, since it’s basically a radio wave that will pass through the glass with ease.
It’s the wiring that acts as an antenna and collects the energy for delivery to the systems that can be damaged, just like the antenna collects radio energy for delivery to your TV or radio.
Bingo!! Protection of operating electronics is hard as I mentioned in another comment.
I’m retired and don’t often travel far from home; but, this is still a great idea.
I am a former US Marine and you told it like it is, too funny !!!
Very misinformed. Although the cloth may block low magnetic forces at broadcast frequencies (radios, phones, et al), metals have a magnetic flux saturation, but even the best metals, such as mu metal, will saturate AND NOT BLOCK EMP, unless they are of substantial thickness. CHECK OUT THE MAGNITUDE OF EMP, THEN COMPARE THE MAGNETIC SATURATION OF METALS. Let me guess: cloth made in China? The Chinese must be laughing their heads off at us stupid Americans.
Survivalist,
This is perhaps one of the best questions that no one ever asks. EMP mitigation by storing spares in a shielded container is easy, and can be as simple as wrapping your toy, still in the box, with overlapping layers of aluminum foil. Protection of devices from vehicles to communications equipment operating at the time of the event is much harder and while possible, much more technical, expensive and not easily explained in a simple article or performed by non technical people.
EMP mitigation is a lot like most aspects of prepping, you do the best you can with what you can afford and keep spares of critical devices if you can afford them.
wrap the car or every electrical component – easy to say, but not easy to do!
Yeah sorry that isnt true. Maybe in some novel but you’re missing how emps actually work. Most cars and trucks will be fine. What will burn is the power grid and that will start on fire and blow transformers and sub stations. The car which most of them have shielded wiring anyways will be fine.
This is a pretty interesting product, but I worry that if it’s ever needed, will I have taken the time to put it in place for my vehicle? Yep, I get lazy after a while.
I will say this though, RAVEN TACTICAL is 100% correct, and an EMP will not kill most modern vehicles.
DOD did EMP testing on 40 or 50 new vehicles and almost all had zero issues with EMP. A couple had fuses blown, and one or two had serious damage that required modules needing to be replaced and or serious wire damage, but once the fuses, and or modules and wiring were replaced, everything was fine, but some thing like 95% of vehicles passed with zero issues, not even a fuse blown.
Vehicle manufacturers have been hardening vehicles against surges and electrical spikes for some time now and the testing has proven to be true after DOD testing. From what I understand, DOD wanted to know how bad the roads would be blocked with vehicles if an attack happened, and if the military would still be able to use the roads without having countless vehicles and people stranded on them.
I spoke with MY EMP SHIELD about protecting vehicles and they work with Homeland Security and DOD on EMP hardening, and they’re the ones who said it really isn’t an issue and showed me the DOD test info on their web site. I ask why do you sell products to protect vehicles then, and they said well people still want that extra level of insurance and take this issue seriously, and they’re right because I bought for all of mine.
They did highly recommend the whole house EMP Shield, not just for EMP, but lightning strikes and CME.
They have a lot of info on their web site in their library section, to include a lot of DOD and DHS test results if you want to read about it more from people who know.
Keep up the great work.
https://www.myempshield.com/
Bill,
T.O.P.
EMP Shield did a great video with JJ, a youtuber I sub to, who has his head on straight. JJ is a Federal law enforcement agent but a prepper too, and brings a lot of real world, no BS, common sense to the conversation.
I learned quite a bit from the guys at EMP Shield and they shared a lot about how they’re now working with the government on hardening the grid since President Trump took office and is taking this seriously. He said sadly it should have been being addressed decades ago, but we finally have a real President who trying to protect the country.
He said they’re now building massive EMP Shields that are being installed all over the grid.
I also learned about the three E1, E2, and E3 EMP pulses and what they do and can’t do, and how long they’re dangerous for. The E3 pulse can last for hours and hours after the device has been detonated 300 miles up.
If you or anyone else wants to watch the video, here’s a link. It was so good, in “MY” opinion, that I watched a couple times.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xeiBMB5DiY
I watch the video..very informative. I was really wondering if these guys were legit, and I think they are.I got burned buying a gizmo that was supposed to save on electricity. It was a total scam. I opened it and that was in there were 2 LEDs. Now I’m Leary.
Bobby72,
Could you name the components and why they would be damaged? How about the battery, spark plugs, and head lamps. There is way too much myth and ignorance on the subject of EMP and what may be damaged.
Raven tactical,
Of course, since some are stuck in the past and haven’t gotten the message. Military testing showed that most cars will stop operating; but, after a moment, you can restart them and go on your way. Many people don’t understand the EMP that is constantly generated by your vehicle engine and has to be accounted for by the engine electronics, since the spark plugs and their interconnecting cables have 20-50K volts pulsing in them at half the engine speed. An engine idling @ 800 RPM will typically have the plugs and wires running at 400 Hz (cycles per second). If your radio doesn’t have a good ground, you can often hear the ignition noise in the radio and that radiated noise can also be detected by equipment outside the vehicle.
Agreed and having a generator enrobed in this cloth might not be a bad bit of insurance. Assuming they get the cloth back in stock at some point.
What studies are you referring to? I’m unaware but would like to read them if you can pass along a link. Thank you
How do you feel about “EMPShield” the company?
Do the products work?
@Raven tactical… What studies show that majority of cars will be fine after an EMP or a CME ? That is completely wrong and So not true? There won’t be ANY Electronic ANYTHING after an EMP if it wasn’t shielded before hand. Nothing will work , no manufacturing machines , or appliances , because all major TOOLS have electronics ,mother boards ,COMPUTER aided EVERYThing . majoority of cars will be fine, they just won’t run.
Yep please keep reading pepper Hollywood movies scripts.
The government study with cars and electronical engineers. The idea of what a emp is and what it isn’t. Its not a lighting strike. The worst thing that will happen is the power lines and grid will be fried. Rendering most things useless.
Your phones and your IPads will not help you but having your generators and your vehicles protected are just the smart move and life-or-death under these circumstances.
Maybe I could use it for my tractor
I was looking for a way to protect it against an EMP, it’s big so I can’t really make a Faraday Cage but this might work
The article talks about cotton with stainless steel threads embedded but the one at Amazon via the link is polyester with copper/nickel threads embedded. Just want to point this out.
Hello @Mainewolf1369. Thanks for pointing out the mistake. I’ve rectified it now. While doing my research, I also found some cloths that were made with cotton. But the one that I actually purchased and used for this experiment was made with 20% copper/nickel and 80% polyester. I’m sorry for any confusion that I’ve created.
Please share the link to the one with cotton. Has anyone thought or making clothing with this?
I was wondering the same thing, and thinking that it could be useful for people with pacemakers.
This honestly sounds like the dumbest prepper hoax I ever seen. Good job suckering idiots out of their money.
Raven Tactical, I don’t think this website is trying to sell the product they are just providing informative articles on how to combat or prepare for certain SHTF scenarios. Gives people ideas on how to be more prepared. If each reader can glean knowledge from the articles than good. If some articles are useless to individual readers then so be it. When this particular article came out my thought was oh great another emp article. I’m tired of reading about it but if it helps others, than great. Take the good and just ignore the useless.
Christian, & Mainewolf1369.
Let me try and simplify the confusion. There are two components to this cloth / device that should be considered separately.
The nonconductive “cloth” is just a carrier for the metallic threads and should be evaluated independently. To toss over your stash of electronics in the spare bedroom cotton is fine and inexpensive. For more hard environments, like covering a vehicle in the garage or a tractor in the barn, a more sturdy and water resistant material might be a better choice.
The second and most important part of the device are the metallic threads that provide the shielding and protection. Copper, silver or some amalgam/alloy of copper for its electrical characteristics and nickel for strength is a good choice, as would be just copper or silver wire, bare or insulated, with insulated perhaps being more resilient to external conditions.
Like the thread count of a cloth, more wires and a finer pitch is better, up to the point that the device is no longer flexible, which is another consideration?
I have noticed that comments regarding the ineffectiveness of a coth hawked for sale on askaprepper by the author Christian, are deleted. As will this posting. THIS CLOTH MAY BLOCK LOW MAGNETIC FLUX AT BROADCAST FREQUENCIES (cell phone, talkies, et al), but EMP IS ON THE ORDER OF MAGNETUDES GREATER THAN THE MAGNETIC FLUX SATURATION OF A COPPER /NICKEL METAL MIX IN A CLOTH. THICKNESS IS MANDATORY, COTH DOESN’T HAVE IT.
Concept is correct, but true stainless steel does not shield from magnetism, as it is diamagnetic, except at high frequency. Shield your phone from 2.4 GHz or higher, maybe. But the big kicker, literally, IF IT WERE NOT DIAMAGNETIC, the enorrmity of the magnet flux pulse would quickly saturate a ferrous metal of cloth thickness, passing through it.
You mention about cars at work, going to work. If we are hit, no one will be working because no one will have electric to run cash registers, computers, no lights, etc. Nothing will be open.
Of course you can make a faraday cage for your tractor. I made one for mine. It’s called a barn, or in my case, a 30×50 commercial steel building. If I remember my NBC trading correctly, any opening must be smaller than the width of the pulse wave.
Since radio waves could feasibly enter any hole or gap, I put steel mesh in the concrete floor and flat steel siding on top of the cement. It’s all connected and grounded. No penetrations anywhere except the door which is recessed and forced into a channel when locked. It’s a good start when you can’t get radio signals or cell service when it is locked down.
You can only do so much. Without knowing how many devices will be employed, where they will be and the strength of each device, its mostly guessing.
I’m not a survivalist but I am a survivor. I’m not sure I want to be the last man alive when TEOTWAWKI arrives. I’m not a true prepper but I’m prepared for the little thing, at least for the first few years.
I thought that the electric component you are trying to protect could not touch the metal of the faraday cage?
You’re right, the component you are protecting can’t have metal to metal contact with the Faraday cage.
We can also AGAIN hash out whether grounding or Not is the way to go. Ho Hum.
Cars started coming out with electronic ignitions in the mid 70s.
I wish someone would try to build a “metal screen garage” with-in an enclosed metal building. Big enough to park a car or other equipment in. But quite frankly, we can’t get consistent information on what size of screen is necessary to block out EMPs.
Spike,
You must ground the Faraday, but insulate the product inside.
I have a question for all you car enthusiasts. Even if you do have a car built before ’85 and it has no electronics in it but still electrical equipment in it like the alternator would an emp event not fry your alternator? Fuel pump? The capacitor in the distributor? And maybe blow out all the bulbs? I suppose easy enough to stock extra parts in a Faraday cage if you’ve planned for it. The big difference that I can see between the old and new cars is that the newer ones are more vulnerable to voltage spikes because of the electronics but if you’ve not planned for an emp then I would think that kind of event would still take out your older car. Invite comments from those that know more about this. 🙂
A emp doesnt effect a car like the novels and sci fiction make it out to be.
For the most part you will be fine. The grid will however not.
Raven: I believe you are confusing electromagnet pulse with coronal mass ejection. CME is attracted to and follows long lines such as transcontinental or interstate’s high voltage transmission lines. The current builds per the distance traveled. When it arrives at the transformer station, the overload is higher than the transformer can handle and the transformer shorts out.
To a lesser degree, your local transmission lines will also overload and short out your local transformers. Anything connected to the electrical grid is at risk of overload damage.
Of course, with the grid down, it really won’t matter whether your electric range is shorted out or not, there won’t be any electricity to make it function. The danger might be that your house circuit breakers won’t act quickly enough to interrupt the overload flow and your connected electrical devices may short and start fires inside your house, together with your electrical wiring system.
There are many variables with a CME event. Before making definitive statements about what will or will not happen, I would suggest someone interested CME results research the topic on line. There are many authoritative article on the subject written by people with the educational credentials to make reasonably reliable statements.
An EMP on the other hand is a manmade overload. It is designed to do the most damage possible to electric circuits. In 1968 as a result of Operation Starfish, Hawaii which was over a thousand miles away suffered damage to their electrical system even though at that time it was all mechanical switches and heavy circuits designed to handle significant current.
Today with microswitches and computer controls we are much more susceptible to an EMP event than as recently as 30 years ago.
If you are interested in reading a book written by a man who has a PhD in electrical engineering, I recommend Dr. Arthur Bradley’s book on EMP and CME. He has done actual experiments with shielding and is currently working on a fuse that will protect the wiring in your home against and EMP overload. In his book he describes in detail the actual testing protocol that he used in his EMP test. His book is available on Amazon and is available in Kindle edition as well as hard copy.
The last time grounding for Faraday cages was discussed on this list I e-mailed him and asked him if grounding was necessary for a Farady cage to provide protection. I posted his answer on the remarks portion of the article. In short, his answer was,”No.” grounding is not necessary. In his answer he gives the technical reasons why it is not. If you are interested, research articles dealing with EMP or CME on this list. His answer is under my nom de plume.
Always exercise caution is accepting advice from this who make positive statements without stating their background for making such statements. If they do make such statements, evaluate whether that background enables them to make trustworthy statement.
A statement that black is black. Period. End of discussion. If you don’t believe my unsupported statement you are an idiot is a sure sign in my evaluation that the speaker really doesn’t know whereof he speaks and uses ridicule and name calling to attempt to buttress a groundless or weak statement.
Considering the last emp test showed that cars still ran and only a few where dead. So it’s not black and white.
The long lines of the power grid would be over loaded and fried. Your car and small devices not so much.
The test that showed that most cars survive, only used a EMP simulator that does not provide anywhere near the voltage/current of a real EMP, maybe at the best a hundred or so times less, So the results are probably worthless.
I don’t know if the test you are referring to is the only one I have found any information about. In that test the testers were using their own private vehicles. When the vehicles started to show signs of failure, they discontinued the test.
While different individuals may place different interpretations on that particular test, to me it was an incomplete test and really failed to show much of anything.
To me, a more meaningful test would have been to continue the test at increasing levels of intensity until all the vehicles failed. I would think that would provide more meaningful data.
I can appreciate that the testers did not want to ruin their private automobiles. I wouldn’t even subject my 16 year old vehicle to a test where I even suspected the test would ruin the car. Thank you. If I want to get rid of the car, I will donate it to some charity.
Perhaps with Trump’s new mandate on EMP we will see a meaningful test of automotive resistance to high levels of electric energy. I know some labs are working on it for police pursuits, but so far, all they can do is kill all the cars in the area. They are not able to limit it to one particular car. Needless to say, killing all the cars in the vicinity of a pursuit would generate more adverse publicity than present pursuit policies.
I have no faith in trump to do anything other go after gun owners
I liked most of your comments. But when you said you had no faith in Trump, I was disappointed. Using the same thoughtful, technical logic you use to formulate your opinions on EMP, give the president a fresh, honest look, and you may be surprised, even impressed.
His anti gun stance showed his true colors
I have a 76 Chevy. I have a spare alternator, fuses,and a spare distributor cap. The starter should be fine, but if you want to keep a spare, which is a good idea, please do so. Ensure your spares are properly protected.
Armin,
The capacitor in the distributor sits across the points and suppresses the spark from the high voltage induced by the field reversal of the coil when the points open, so it is already made to sustain high voltage attacks.
The alternator does have diodes; but, they are rather hefty and would be cheap to keep spares and easy or replace.
As for the fuel pump, some are mechanical running off of the cam while other are motorized and could be affected; but, again, cheap to have a spare and with mostly wiring and brushes, less likely to be damaged.
Common incandescent light bulbs and batteries are unlikely to be damaged, and spares not protected are also unlikely to be damaged, since they have no antenna to collect the energy. Some LED bulbs could be damaged.
Won’t an EMP take out all cell towers? Who would be calling? Who could you call?
Maybe but the power grid would he down so thus whats the point.
The government is now starting to Harden the power grid, I suspect that it will take 5 to 10 years to happen, if ever.
All it did was to tell the enemy to attack before it is harden.
According to Amazon they do not sell the product, when I followed the link.
do any of you read the article through before making inane comments?
First, your cloth is unavailable at this time. Please repost when it becomes available again. Second, since your cloth has 20% copper/nickel fibers, the object being protected should be insulated in some way from this cloth as to prevent any of these fibers touching this object and conducting the EMP charge to it. Maybe another cloth or plastic. Please comment. I will purchase this cloth when available. I currently use Crossbreed ARKprotector.com bags to protect smaller items.
I do not believe the cell system would still be functional after an EMP attack.
I also found the cloth is no longer avbailable
OH! THE CHINESE SELL AMERICANS EMP CLOTH? I’LL BET THEY ARE LAUGHING THEIR HEADS OFF!
OH! THE CHINESE SELL AMERICANS EMP CLOTH? I’LL BET THEY ARE LAUGHING THEIR HEADS OFF!
what about copper window screening
it makes great faraday cages
When is someone going to come up with a B/ue/Gray tarp with this technology built in? He’ll make a fortune.
Ckd out your emp cloth on Amazon? They say: Currently unavailable.
We don’t know when or if this item will be back in stock.
Cell phones and other electronic equipment don’t have to be connected to the internet or cell phone tower to have limited but useful lives in the aftermath of an overpowering electrical event. Do you have USGS maps stored on your phone? If they are stored on your phone and your phone is protected, that information is still available to you.
I certainly am not familiar with all the apps that are presently in the marketplace for cell phones, but I am sure there are many that would be useful in a post catastrophic electrical event. Do you have first aid instructions on your cell phone? Have you stored manuals on your phone? Do you have a compass on your phone? If you have a GPS system on your phone it may work if the satellites that furnish the data to the cell phone are still working. It would behoove the prudent preppier to slaps make sure he Faraday cage protests a solar charger for his cell phone or other electronic device if he wishes to be able to access the information he has stored on that electronic device.
Have to think outside the box. It may well be the cell phone towers are down and so your cell phone won’t operate in the manner you are most accustomed to using it, but if it has been preserved, it is not useless.
I believe there is an app that makes your cell phone into a short distance radio. If that is the case, then certainly that is a valuable function and worth saving.
No one is going to be able to hand anyone all the answers. It is up to each individual PREPPER to do his prep. Someone can point you in the right direction, but if you don’t start thinking for yourself and self-directing, I would suggest just going to Vegas and having a good time and forget about prepping.
left coast chuck
Spot On!!!
I keep a hard copy of a Rand McNally Road Atlas in my vehicle….. Would take far too USGS “grid maps”. I should DL a bunch to my phone….Pretty much I try not to rely/depend solely on any electronic device. They tend to fail hen you need them most. I always keep spare batteries for any electronic device from radio to optics to whatever uses batteries.
A good Mil-Spec Lensatic Compass an be found relatively cheap. One needs to learn how to use it properly and learn about Magnetic Inclination and Deviation…..Specially depends on the area they live and remember to apply such if necessary.
Everyone probably knows this but all of the US batteries from AAA to D are all the same voltage and one can take whatever padding they have and wrap around a AAA or AA and make it work in a C or D device.
20 or so years ago ….long before I ever thought about getting a cell phone picked up a pack of multi channel Two way radios for around $40.00 USD. Range does exceed well over 2 miles. Suppose to register with the FCC on some of the channels but I never used them very much. I pull them out and check. them and make sure they are still working.
Newer ones are even more efficient and perhaps longer ranges.
There are PTT cell phones out there that act also can be used as Two Way radios. I know a couple of people spent money on them and like them. They are rugged and water and reasonably drop proof.
You are correct in that there are apps for cell phones to use them as a Two Way radio . One program is popular an currently being used in Venezuela among the refugees.
Here are a few links about such Apps with Pros and Cons and some on the actual Apps themselves.
These sites are dated and there are more Apps out there. Just do a search for them.
I just did a non specific search and found these to provide some info on the subject…..
https://www.highlandwireless.com/new-app-turns-cell-phone-into-two-way-radio/
https://pwcmn.com/2017/05/06/using-a-cell-phone-as-a-two-way-radio-good-idea-or-not/
https://gizmodo.com/beartooth-radio-turns-your-smartphone-into-a-walkie-tal-1635661204
https://gcn.com/articles/2010/03/16/new-app-turns-smartphones-into-secure-two-way-radio.aspx
I HOPE these links are useful and informative to at least a few people.
Question for you…..Did you see here the judge overturned the high capacity magazine ban?
OR
LA is going to try and revoke Civilian Carry Licenses?
Followed link to buy cloth that u recommended. It is currently not avail.
The Washington Post printed an editorial response to Trump’s directive. They poo-poo’d the whole idea that there was a danger from an EMP. There is nothing to be concerned about unless you are wearing an aluminum foil hat and hearing voices according the WaPo.
I can’t decide whether WaPo is just lampooning it because it originated with Trump and if Barry Obama had originated it they would be lauding it as the work of someone who was seriously interested in protecting the country or whether they are really that dense and uninformed to actually believe that there is no danger from an EMP event over the U.S. and that we have nothing to worry about, our military will easily handle such de minimis dangers.
In either even, I think they do their readers and the county a serious disservice by such insouciance toward a very significant threat to our national security.
Consider the source……It is WaPo after all. They rate right up there with Socialism Really Works…
..
It does work……….as long as other people have money….when they run out of money and/or move and take their money with them.
When first discovered/figured out, was with the atomic bomb tests, where the outer braid on the shielded wires was destroyed. If a much lower pulse, such as the one created by the bomb destroyed the metal braid, why would anyone think that a cloth with some metal in it protect anything?
Joe, I wish I could answer your question based on the science involved. Unfortunately, the semester I took basic physics ended just as the professor teaching the class was considering asking me to leave, so my knowledge of physics, studied 60+ years ago is not only limited but probably far out of date.
However, folks who do know, and I would again suggest, if you want some hard answers based on described scientific experimentation, I would urge you to get Dr. Arthur T. Bradley’s book, “Disaster Preparedness for EMP Attacks and Solar Storms.”
Now I am not shilling for Dr. Bradley. I don’t get any kind of remuneration from him for selling another copy of his book, but I have it and have read it and he describes in detail the experiments he ran regarding Faraday cages. He explains how to make a Faraday cage that will work. He discusses all the questions that have been mentioned in the posts to this article. He talks about coverings for automobiles to reduce the effect of an EMP. He has a doctorate in electrical engineering, so he hopefully knows more about currents and surges than certainly I do, and perhaps you. All I know is that 220 will give you a much bigger jolt than 110 and you never ever stick a screwdriver into a socket to see if it is hot. Oh, and if you get a big enough jolt, it will kill you. However, even the electric chair was not 100% effective. That was one reason they stopped using it. There were some inmates who took multiple jolts before they finally were finally completely dead and the process was rather gruesome as their body fat melted with the heat of the electricity passing through them, thus leading to the phrase, “You’re gonna fry in the chair.” A phrase usually uttered by cops on the street, not judges passing sentence as far as I know.
It is a complex field and like a lot of complex questions there are always conditions. It’s like “How long will canned food last?” The only correct answer is: “It depends.” I think the same is true with the effects of EMP and CME. If you are in a deep valley that runs parallel to the direction of the EMP emissions are you protected? If you are on the fourth level down in a concrete parking garage, away from the elevators and any electrical connections are you protected? If you car is garaged in a metal shed with tight fitting doors are you protected? If you drape a blanket made of those mylar emergency blankets over your car at night are you protected? Then the follow-along question is: “How big was the bomb?” Then: How far away are you from the detention point?” Finally, as we all know, military supplies are provided by the low bidder, so the final question is: “Did the bomb work as designed or were there some failures in design?”
Building projects in Europe and Japan are still digging up ordinance from WWII which ended almost 75 years ago. Not every bomb dropped went off. Not every missile that is shot in the air works the way it is supposed to. We have all seen video of some space rocket exploding on the launch pad or being destroyed because it went off course and had to be destroyed.
This is copied directly from the follow-along article that is on the same page as this article:
“The common understanding is that cars manufactured after 1990 will stop working instantly. Others say that cars will only be slightly damaged and will easily restart. The EMP Commission performed a test on 37 cars and in laboratory conditions, the cars stopped and restarted. However, the latest fabrication year for the tested cars was 2002. The EMP Commission states that “since 2002, the number of microprocessors in cars and the reliance on microprocessors in all motor vehicles has increased greatly. Also, the sensitivity of the electronic circuitry to EMP has increased due to the use of smaller electronic components designed to operate on lower voltages.
“As the number of old cars in use is pretty small, we can expect to have blocked roads and highways and severe traffic jam. It’s enough to permanently damage 40%-60% (some sources say even 15%) of cars to block cities, highways and supply lines. Another problem will be in fueling the remaining cars, as the vast majority of fuel is buried in underground tanks. Without working pumps, it can’t be pumped out. Refineries, as well, will stop working without electrical power.”
I have read in other places that because they were using their personal cars, they stopped the tests when their cars started to show signs of faltering. I can’t identify where I read that nor can I ascertain at this point how valid that information is. It may be a wrong impression or completely erroneous, so be advised.
It would be very helpful if the government at Trump’s direction did some testing as close to real as possible on modern motor vehicles, both automobiles, trucks, trains and stationary aircraft. We certainly don’t want an Airbus 330 falling out of the air. It would also be helpful if the government released that information, but that’s hoping for too much, I think.
I would think your all electric Volt, Prius and your really pricey Tesla would pretty much be toast in an EMP. Your ’72 big block V8 Chevy dually parked in Grandpa’s metal shed should be okay.
Reading all this talk on EMP makes my head spin. But, it’s clear to me that if one happens, I better have the ability to grow and forage for food, and preserve it, a source of water, a good supply of hand tools, and plenty of wood for home heating and cooking. My bicycle can get me where I want to go, or I can walk. I’m not going to count on my ’67 Corvair because when gas it gone, it’ll have no further use.
Even with the preparations I’ve made, it’s going to be difficult to survive.
This makes me pray that an EMP doesn’t happen.
Great questions and answers following up this article, everybody should be proud of themselves, reasonable discussion is not often found on the internet. Thanks for the info!
In case someone else found the following sentence in my post confusing as well as I did: “It would behoove the prudent preppier to slaps make sure he Faraday cage protests a solar charger for his cell phone or other electronic device if he wishes to be able to access the information he has stored on that electronic device.”
It should have read: “It would behoove the prudent preppier to make sure he has a Faraday cage that protects a solar charger . . .”
I would like to blame that paragraph on a transient overload surge of my electrical system while hitting the “Post a Comment” button but I really think it was more likely a failure to proofread carefully.
left coast chuck,
preppier Really? LOL
Been there done that and I even have an advantage on most folks, since I use a text to speech program to “proof Listen” that allows me to catch things I would never catch with spell check and proof reading such as “moving form somewhere” instead of “ moving from somewhere”
That stray “cosmic ray through the unsuspecting synapse” catches all of us on occasion like a micro EMP. LOL.
Caffeine deprivation? (That’s usually my excuse…) LOL
I am not an electrical engineer, and I didn’t stay at the Holiday Inn Express last night. I realize that there are two schools of thought about the effects of EMP on vehicles.
Nevertheless, the article states, ” If you have a car that was built before 1985, for instance, there are no transistors. So it will start up just fine.”
Why is it that, among those who predict car trouble after an EMP attack and have written hundreds of articles about it have stated that the problem with EMP begins in 1975 when the US automotive industry switched to electronic ignition systems and away from standard carburetors?
If you wrap a radio in a towel and wrap a Mylar rescue blanket around it will it achieve the same effect?
Alpo,
Possibly; but, wrapping in Saran wrap (Plastic wrap, cling film, cling wrap) and several layers of aluminum foil is probably better. Your towel and space blanket might work; but, you need overlapping layers of the foil / blanket.
So, if I’m reading the posts and article correctly, it’s the power surge connected to an emp event that causes most of the damage? So if you leave your radio unplugged, separate from the batteries, and in the box inside a metal locker, it should work?
Miss Kitty,
There is no power surge connected to the event; but, a high powered radio pulse associated with it. Like any radio wave, the receiver requires an antenna to collect the energy. In a normal radio the antenna collects the energy that is sent to the circuits and demodulated into communications like voice or music.
The closer you are to the transmitting station, the smaller the antenna requirement, so in the case of the EMP, any wireing that can collect the energy from the pulse acts as an antenna, so elimination of that wiring is the first step. Equipment with long connecting wires, from power, to audio or video signals and even grounding wires can be that antenna and should be eliminated, so disconnect antennas, phone lines, speaker wires and of course the power cord from the wall outlet.
Unplugged from the wall and any long connecting wire like those to speakers would be the place to start. I don’t understand your obsession with batteries; but, if the batteries are in a separate box connected by a long cable, then that could also be disconnected. Batteries internal to the unit will however not be a problem.
Just regular batteries used to power the radio – no particular obsession, LOL.
Thanks for clarifying this for me. There is so much false/misleading information on the subject.
Miss Kitty,
No problem, it’s just that you kept asking about batteries, and except for rechargeable batteries, in the charger plugged into the power outlet when the event occurs, they should not present a problem.
I agree and try to make things as simple as possible. I was an engineer for 40+ years and am now retired; but, still keep my fingers in electronics, computers, and communications, where I often mentor other people, especially new Amateur (ham) radio operators.
An EMP operates on the principles of basic physics, and too often people either didn’t take physics or slept through it (LOL_ in which case they really don’t understand it.
This cloth is way too small to cover a car. Do they make them in larger sizes? If so, what are the prices for these?
I posted this elsewhere…It has some good info. Thoughts on it anyone?
***************************************************************
Trump signs executive order to make America greater than EMPs
Order combines hardening against mythical high-altitude attack with space weather readiness.
SEAN GALLAGHER – 3/27/2019, 3:37 PM
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/03/trump-signs-executive-order-to-make-america-resilient-to-emps/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ebb%2028.03.19&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Military%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief
If you are so concerned about EMP, park in a metal garage that you have insulated and sealed with Flex Seal
What you all are arguing about is all valid I suppose, but are we going to have the TIME to wrap up our laptops that we use daily, our cell phones we use daily, etc… My understanding is that when it comes, it’ll be fast, instant. So if that is true, all the comments you all are stating is mute! Yes?
You guys way…WAY…under estimate the power of a bomb designed to produce and EMP. There would be more than one used. Most likely, there will be 12 or more. Taking in Canada and Mexico. Military uses 5 levels of protection. A simple blanket or aluminum foil will not cut to. Absolutely all autos will be disabled. Included the old ones. Any thing with a tightly wound coil (transformers) will be damaged. They use only 600V insulation on the wires. The EMP will spike way above 50,000 volts.
If you want to have an old vehicle, store the coils, generators, and ballast resisters in an multilevel faraday cage, that does not have long seams (joints).
Yeah no. Even most military equipment isnt protected.
Your mythical emp novel style is silly
I am an EE and worked with EMP when I worked for the Navy after reading your comments I wanted to die laughing.
There are specific waveforms and voltages that are used for testing. Nowhere have I seen a proper test on the fabric so all I see is the dumb leading the dumber. Get some real facts.
lightning is 80k vlts per milisec much worse than emp and look what the ringwave is in sound
thunder
please do the research
So i have a few questions. How are we to apply this cloth? Are we wrapping the engine, car, parts? how large is it? what are we doing here? Can Mylar car wrap work to protect car?
My husband bought a solar generator which he said needs to be plugged into an outlet at all times. In the event of an EMP, he wants it to be fully charged. I told him I can’t wrap the generator unless it’s unplugged, so that the electrical cord is also wrapped within the EMP cloth. Any advice as to what we should do? Thanks!
if you want any kind of backup generator including solar in case of EMP, it needs to be unplugged and protected by a faraday cage of some kind and many people thing metal screen or the EMF fabric will do the job. If your backup system is plugged into the grid during an EMP it will most likely blow a fuse at best and fuses do not always stop further damage.
“ The problem with an EMP is that it also fries the generators—even those that are not plugged in. ”
Contact EMP SHIELD and have one of their devices installed on your breaker box. That’s what I did. Anything plugged in will not fry. With everything else, you have to build faraday cages around them to keep them safe..
Has anyone done the research to verify this stuff
usually a lot said , many appinions , but much sales efforts
emp is a pulse , electromegnetic and to what level of penetration into the target
examples of DOD Testing , please list
we are at a extreme toxic level of disinformation in our society
lots of deception and counterfiets , need concrete answers to these question s
emp is the threat , political leaders are , and laser s are
DEW s are
Drones Are
Guided system s of distruction are