The concept and threat of an EMP attack have infiltrated the common media to the extent that most people are aware of the danger.
For preppers and survivalists, the thought of an EMP attack brings with it the anxiety that our equipment is vulnerable and prone to destruction.
There are many electronic items inside our homes, and the obvious question is, which ones should we prioritize protecting.
What Will be Damaged?
EMP will damage or destroy many electronics and do major damage to the power grid. Part of the destructive power on an EMP is in the three distinct types of pulses, which will cause different levels of damage to electronics.
The E1 pulse is rapid and short-lived but causes high voltages in electronics. The problem with an E1 pulse is that it is too fast for traditional surge protectors or lightning arrestors to stop. The E1 pulse may also damage these protection circuits.
Related: 5 Vehicles That Can Handle An EMP Attack
The E2 pulse is longer than an E1 pulse and is very similar to lightning. Surge protectors and lightning arrestors will stop an E2 pulse unless they have been damaged by a preceding E1 pulse.
The E3 pulse is slower and much longer lived. It is a lot like a geomagnetic storm or coronal mass ejection in that it will affect electronics that rely on long transmission lines. The power grid, antennas, and pipelines are all vulnerable to the E3 pulse. The induced current can cause transformers to burn out.
How to EMP-Proof Items
EMP proofing seems like it would be a difficult and expensive task, but this is not the case. There are many ways we can EMP proof items in our home; some are very straightforward and inexpensive.
Faraday Cages – A Faraday cage is a metal enclosure which provides a conductive surface to absorb and disperse electromagnetic energy from an EMP. There are many ways to construct a Faraday cage, from using an ammo can or metal box to fabricating one yourself.
EMP Shield – These are products that you can wire into your home or vehicles that claim to protect them from an EMP. They are a few hundred dollars but well worth the investment if you want your home’s electrical system to survive an EMP attack.
EMP Cloth – EMP cloth is a conductive fabric you can use to wrap items or make Faraday cages with.
Developed by top-notch U.S. scientists after years of hard work, the EMP cloth outperforms a Faraday cage. It’s not just flexible and portable, but a reliable shield for your electronics during an EMP attack. You can get yours here, before they’re out of stock.
The cloth acts the same way as a Faraday cage and will protect electronics from the damaging effects of EMP.
What Items You Should Protect
When deciding what items to protect from an EMP and which to leave unprotected, you must consider what is critical to long-term survivability and what is expendable.
Many things we use daily would be useless in a post-SHTF environment like TV’s or gaming consoles. Everything that you protect needs to improve your survivability.
Solar Power Systems
While the batteries themselves should not be affected by an EMP, the solar panels, wiring, solar charge controller, and inverters could be destroyed by an EMP strike. These are the components that you need to protect.
Suppose you plan to only use a solar power system after an EMP. In that case, you can store the batteries, charge controller, inverter and panels in an EMP-proof shed. You can also use EMP cloth to cover these items. If you use your solar power system regularly, you’ll need something like an EMP shield to protect the system.
Solar Generators
Many solar generators are available on the market today, and they are a great investment for portable backup power.
The batteries inside would be unaffected, but these units have complex electronics inside them that would be vulnerable to an EMP.
Radio Equipment
Ham radio equipment is a critical part of any preparedness plan and needs to be protected. One option is to place a selection of radios, antennas, computers, batteries, and other components into a Faraday cage or wrap them in EMP cloth.
⇒ The First Thing You Should Do Immediately Following an EMP Strike
Doing this is an excellent option because you’ll have an emergency radio station that you can use even if your day-to-day gear is fried.
For the gear that you use every day, an EMP shield can be used to protect your gear. You can also use EMP cloth to create a Faraday cage room as a ham shack or EMP cloth can be used to line bags for storing and carrying handheld radios, portable radios, and other gear.
Generators
The electrical components of a gas or diesel generator are simple enough that they will probably not be affected by an EMP.
That being said, it’s worthwhile to wrap them in EMP cloth or store them in a shed made to be a Faraday cage.
Vehicles
There is much debate about whether cars and trucks will be damaged by an EMP. Given the reliance on complex electronics in modern vehicles, covering cars in EMP cloth would be a good idea to protect them from potential damage.
It is straightforward and cost-effective to make a car cover from EMP cloth or to line a pop-up vehicle shelter in EMP cloth to create a car-sized Faraday cage.
Data Storage
Hard drives, laptops, and USB sticks store a lot of our precious data and are vulnerable to damage from EMPs. You can place backup data storage inside a Faraday cage to protect them.
Security Cameras and Systems
If you plan on using your security cameras or your security system after an EMP attack, you’ll need to protect the components with an EMP shield, EMP cloth or have a second set of components stored in a Faraday cage.
The only way that you’ll have access to electronics after an EMP is if you start protecting them now.
Faraday cages, EMP cloth, and EMP shields are all great options to keep your electronics safe and secure.
Since an EMP strike will take place without notice, the only way you’ll be protected is to take the necessary measures today.
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will emp destroy a heart defibrillator ?
Very possibly. Anything electronic with solid state components that is unprotected is susceptible to damage. I would contact the Doctor or the defib manufacturer for more information.
true
YES! YES! YES! it will destroy all transistor electronics unless it is shielded.
No it won’t
I would be more worried about Biden’s open southern border with terrorist doing terrible old school low tech chaos.
The Houthi movement Islamist political and military organization in Yemen. They are here being moved around by Biden’s buses and govt midnight plane rides to the interior. Maybe living in a home next to your family or apartment.
Thank you all you liberals that voted for Biden you indoctrinated schmucks.
Religion and politics in today’s social justice fiasco should be separate in the USA. at least. Organized religion leadership has no place in being a spiritual leader in politics as seen in most Muslim countries.
America is still a Christian God fearing nation. We got politicians that call themselves Christians when it suits their evil agendas to destroy America. The low information voters or sheeple believe that garbage too often and vote the people we have leading us currently. Open southern border is not what most of us wanted in funding freeloaders in America to our country being taken over by China’s CCP.
Let’s Go Brandon!
We see many religious type fanatics that are running their countries by religious fearmongering such as what we see in the middle east.
The best thing is for the economic trading partners to take out the religious encrusted religious leaders in IRAN and other nations associated. As they are the true terrorist, the evil religion of throat cutters in the world. Franchising their hatred to peaceful, innocent people of the world.
The negative thumbs down are Biden and Muslim supporters, not real Christians here.
God Bless America!
The Chinese are and will buy more American farmland by having duped farmers selling to shell companies in and here in foreign corporations.
We are now in a beginning of food chain crisis, hey remember the Covid lockdown crisis?
America is forced to buy supplies from our enemies, it is happening in Bidenomics.
Bill Gates is buying up American farmland as he is friends with China XI president.
So are you willing to buy our food grown on Chinese American owned farmlands from the CCP? Secret shell companies are making our food costs go up.
Ask an American veteran who has seen these things happen overseas, that will happen here soon if we let Bidenomics continue another 5 years by CA gov Newsom and Michelle Obama get their hooks into the president office.
Forget organized religion, get real directly with GOD, Revelations 12.
How will you vote in 2024?
FOOD SHORTAGE, the final famine!
And why I have 10guns and shoot them(alternately) weekly in “Combat Competitions”. Also Gives me several Metal Ammo Cans I can use as Faraday Cages.? I have about 10 empty cans here.
You won’t know until it happens and you probably won’t want to live through the ungodly mess that will happen.
God bless America, we get Trump back in to drill for oil and build the wall.
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The shocking truth about Kenneth Copeland, Joel Osteen, TD Jakes, Joyce Meyer, Steven Furtick, Creflo Dollar, Jesse Duplantis, Paula White, Benny Hinn, Robert Tilton, Patricia King, Robert Morris, Chad Veach, Joseph Prince, Todd Coontz, Justin Pearson, Raphael Warnock, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Rachel Held Evans, Andrew Wommack, Rick Joyner, Mike Bickle, Cindy Jacobs, Todd Bentley, Kris Valloton, Mike Murdoch, Paul Crouch, Dayna Muldoon, Juanita Bynum, Kenneth Hagin, Fred Price, David Oyedepo, Oral Roberts, John Hagee, Rodney Howard Browne, Chris Oyakhilome, Shepherd Bushiri, Bill Johnson, Heidi Baker, Che Ahn, Lou Engle, Rod Parsley, Todd White, Mike Todd, Andy Stanley, Hillsong (Carl Lentz), Rob Bell, Brandan Robertson, Sid Roth, and Kat Kerr. With John MacArthur, Voddie Baucham, Paul Washer, and Justin Peters.
Lol Trump isn’t saving anything
Raven is a demoncrat who will vote for his uncle Gavin Newsom.
We can not people like that voting for communism this 2024.
Will a shipping container be EMP proof, assuming no modifications are made so it’s just full metal case?
No. Too many cracks around the doors. Even an ammo can needs aluminum tape around the lid edges and those are very tight.
David one quick test to give you an idea if it would shield things or not is to place a radio inside tuned to a strong station. Close the doors and see if you can still hear the radio playing, if so, then no it would not protect sensitive electronic equipment. I suspect that it will not work and might require sealing possible RF leakage arounf the doors. Bear in mind that even if you find a way to seal it, the contents must be insulated by a non-conductive material from the outer shell.
Someone is doing well pushing EMP Cloth. But this is a definite concern that needs to be part of every plan.
Can anybody give me a link to protecting solar panels? This article mentions parts but I don’t know what they are or where to look. Should I put backup parts in a faraday cage? If so, I still need to look at these parts that I don’t know anything about. Thanks for your help.
Get the EMP Shield device or build your own. The basics behind that product and the military versions are using a fast acting relay switch to send the EMP electrons to ground.
Research the devices that are in use. Most of us in Bidenomics land are having a hard time to afford these protective devices.
Maybe someone will come up with a cheaper version for American homes.
God bless America!
My understanding is that the panels will be ok, but the Diodes that keep the panels from discharging the batteries will need to be replaced. Most solar systems have a charge controller. These unless designed to resist an emp will not survive.
Please stop and consider this scenario. An EMP hits. Your gun vault or safe that uses an electronic keypad is fried. Rendering it inaccessible. The same way with that smaller pistol vault next to your bed that uses electronic circuitry to read your fingerprints. Fried also.
Please consider calling your gun safe or vault manufacturer or your local locksmith and have them charged to andial tumbler system.
*Changed to a dial tumbler system *
If preppers are suppose to know About EMP, why would you buy an electronic keypad gun vault in the first place?
Ooohhhhhh scary, scary. you right winger have been trying to scare folks for years with this EMP stuff, and I’m still waiting for it to happen.
STOP WITH THE SCARE TACTICS, IT ONLY WORKS ON THE GULLIBLE, LIKE RELIGION.
Hi honey, you have comeback to a different prepper website. Come spread your lovely wings upon me. Tell me you are the truth bearer of reality.
Lisa, apparently you prefer to believe the scare tactics about Covid from Fauci, the CDC, FDA, and Pfizer. (now you can tell us about some friend or relative who supposedly died from Covid. And I can tell you about a HEALTHY man who died seven days after his second shot – autopsy showed his heart muscle was destroyed)
Why do you even comment here?
Why do you even bother to read anything on this site?
Are you living in your parents basement fantasizing about your future wife?
You provide endless humor.
Hey Lisa,
I don’t do politics US politics cos I’m British.
But this is a good start to understand how the US have buried the need to act.
It’s a sobering read.
Grid Down: Death of a Nation
You mean the gullible that send their money to a ‘billionaire’ to pay $300 for a pair of shoes he paid $3 for in China ?
Or the gullible that send the guy with 34 felony counts and convicted of defrauding money ?
Or the gullible that vote for him , when he puts his own family members into govt positions that have no idea what they are doing ?
Try LISTENING to his speeches
NO new ideas on how to fix things,
just constant whining and complaining , talking about fictional characters and
telling wild stories about people eating cats and dogs.
And EVERYTHING is someone else’s fault.
Although I was surprised when he FINALLY admitted he lost in 2020.
The only known and I repeat “known” EMP test by the US
Government/Military was conducted in the western pacific
In the late 1940’s or early 1950’s depending on which report
you read. The code name for this test was STARFISH PRIME.
The exact altitude,longitude/latitude and megaton range of
the device are still classified.
The blast is alleged to have caused problems to telephone
communication systems and traffic lights in Hawaii.
It is verified that in recent years EMP tests have been conducted by Russia,China,and North Korea.
Current shielding devices and materials are based on probable outcomes.We will only know for sure when it happens not if it happens.
Find and read anything authored by Dr.Peter Pry.
God rest his soul.
P
Actually, it wasn’t an EMP test. It was a nuke test, which caused the EMP, and they studied the results after the fact.
If the electronic circuit is not powered on, will it still be vulnerable to an EMP event? If there are no electrons flowing thru the device I would think it would not be damaged. I have never heard this question being asked before!
Good question. From what I’ve gathered, I believe if something is plugged in and the EMP is strong enough/close enough, it will destroy electronics.
I’m hoping my spare solar panels that aren’t wired to anything and not touching any metal will survive.
I also suspect an electric cord would act like an antenna and destroy electronics even when not plugged in.
Curious about a comment in the article related to antennae. How would an EMP fry and antenna, when all it is is a configuration of metal objects with wires attached. The antenna and structure typically does not have electronics embedded. Only powered antennas have electronics. Am I wrong?
It is NOT going to bother an antenna, unless like you said- it has an amplifier built in.
Other than that it should be fine – just make sure it is not connected , unless you are actively using the radio.
Backup radios would probably be a good idea too , either in faraday cages or buried.
Remember ‘two is one’ , ‘one is none’ that goes around in some prepping suggestions.
Older equipment is useful for this reason .
An older but functional.laptop, an older ham radio or cb radio.
Or you can just buy extras of whatever you currently use.
Baofengs and variants are cheap, find a model you like and buy a half dozen.
Program them all the same and keep 1 or 2 out and put the rest in the cage or buried.
What about those C, D, AA, AAA and 9 volt batteries that can be charged via a 5 volt USB cable? I would assume that they have some electronics for voltage regulation when charging. Or even those battery chargers for the standard Nickel Cadmium or Lithium Ion batteries?
Another attempt at hype for the EMP cloth, I am just not sold on the quality or effectiveness of this item. The site claims it is 98% effective, is that kind of like being 98% a virgin? I would trust the approach of a metal container 100% connected and conductive,(door or lid has bonding wire to the main shell). Then a good layer of insulation inside, then the item to be protected inside of that. The outer shell should be connected to a good earth ground to dissipate the charge that builds up on its surface. As others have pointed out we as individuals don’t have much published info to draw on, we have to make projections from what we know of electricity and force fields as associated with energy flow. I don’t get too wound up about the topic because I am taking the approach of surviving without electronics.
If we did have an EMp strike…..how long would it take to destroy all the things you mentioned? would we even have a warning?
An EMP is a good thing. You will be off the Grid.
Everyone thinks an EMP is once and done. Nope. …. Emp, followed by nuclear retaliation, followed by worldwide panic, and a nuclear defensive cascade. A farady cage won’t mean much after that. Welcome to 4000BC.
Items that should be added to list; cochlear devices w/charger, hearing aid(s) w/ charger, small refer if you have Type 1 diabetes.
The problem with storing items in a faraday cage is if you need to use them on an ongoing basis, like hearing aids, cochlear devices, implanted defibrillators, insulin pumps etc.
The difficulties in protecting that which you rely on, to maintain life, is likely what drives a large percentage of the anticipated loss of life.
Boo if you want too….
Would water protect a submarine?
How about a waterproof container in the bottom of a swimming pool?
Interesting thought, EMP is commonly thought as energy traveling through the air that is picked up by wires ( such as high power lines) acting as an antenna and overloading connected devices. I would think a body of water might dissipate a charge instead of it being transmitted along a given path. I hope someone will follow up on this.
Would a shipping container be a large faraday cage?