Faraday Solutions

I have several LED lights in storage especially for the flash lights and other out side lighting . to day I picked up some Mylar zip loc bags I am going to use as a secondary back up to the more sensitive electronics such as ham radios and other transmitter/receiver devices .
Until it happens there is no knowing what the intensity of the event will reveal, but I figure that having redundant systems can't hurt.

 

One step better is Lead lining of what ever bag or storage device you choose to use! I prefer to use anti static discharge mylar bags on the inside with discharge safe foam backing, then placed inside a lead lined and sealed box! For out door electronics that would be needed after an "event" copper wire wrapping a device and securing it inside a Gold mylar space blanket should save your devices! I'm thinking Radar/sonar sets for boat's and or light aircraft!

 

Can anyone tell be an valid effective test for a home built Faraday cage?Something I have laying around the house.

 

I just can't not comment here. I have worked on projects that needed total shielding from outside RF and other electromagnetic radiation. In all cases, including one that semi-trailers were pulled into, the rooms were made of steel with steel doors that had copper brushes on them to facilitate a better seal. They were NOT grounded but rather sat upon rubber isolators and ALL had megohm meters measuring ohms to ground (they wanted none). A sealed metal box with no ground path becomes invisible to RF, while a grounded steel box allows RF currents to seek a path to ground, thus energizing the skin.
A great test is to put a radio or cell phone in your container of choice and see if it receives anything.
An old microwave will only protect against ~2.4 ghz, the operating frequency
Devices that are turned off will still be damaged due to the currents generated in the circuits themselves and the onslaught of the high currents punching holes in the substrate of silicone devices like transistors.
EMP effects are logarithmic and decrease exponentially the further the device is from the source.

 

IMO you gotta either be totally isolated (very high resistance) from ground or have a good (zero resistance) common ground. Anything in between can cause unintended ground loops that may cause unintended consequences to the contents of the enclosure (heat, for example).

 

Fortunately the EMP travels in a wave not a lightening bolt. it is a magnetic wave till it hits metal and a direction of flow is created.
Some speculate that what is not grounded will maintain a capassitive charge till it is grounded .
A ground may actually attract more energy .
Half or more of a lightening charge comes from the ground ,but in this case the magnetic/electric charge does not exist till it hits metal.
I postulate that large antenna like power lines and wired homes will have the most electrical influence much like an ignition coil.
Smaller things like boxes are not spread out like wire and are a smaller target so to speak. Home fires are very likely .(More likely due to CME, but possible )
In Albania you can see the Iron curtain Russia put up, to isolate the people form the rest of the world , it not a solid steel wall it's just a large wire antenna farm basically that's really tall.
Now if that thing is hit with an EMP there should be a real light show .

 

Complex circuits would likely be the only devices effected due to the sensitivity and the intricacy. My research has shown that simple electrical systems should remain intact during an event! Even batteries and coils should servive. No one really knows, we haven't ever had a large enough test to show us! I follow what the U.S. Navy does to protect vital systems, and I also include circuit breakers in line to shut off and to isolate from any outside source of power surge be EMP directly, or a stored/Static surge as a result! Shielded circuits are also the best bet!!! Another thing I discovered is what the Aircraft Manufactures do, Build in discharge antenna to provide a fixed point of discharge for any and all potential event! This is proven to work very well at protecting against Lightning strikes! I saw an F-16 that got hit 11 times in flight, and other then some burned paint and composites at the antenna area, there was nothing wrong with it and it was ready to fly again with a re fuel and re arm!

 

Remember basic physics guys. The energy will always flow to a point of lesser concentration. Grounding in an attempt to shield against EMP will just allow a potential path for the current to flow. Just like the F-16 Ura-Ki talked about, the energy can flow on the skin and continue on seeking a lesser concentration. However, EMP does not carry the instantaneous currents that lightning does, but comes in 3 distinct waves of varying strength.

 

Can you explain the 3 different wave lengths /strengths please ?

 

Yeah Ghrit, that's what I said....

 

Something to remember is that, it is likely that there are no public radio stations that are hardened against EMP,which leaves military and radio amatures .

 

NOAA

 

In my post "EMP, the electromagnetic pulse" I went into detail about the 3 distinct kinds of EMP.
EMP, The Electromagnetic Pulse | Survival Monkey Forums

 

Bruce would using a grounded plug and only wiring to the ground circuit then attaching to the safe complete the necessary ground

 

So grounded in a basement room would be close to an ideal?

 

Problem is in your "house ground" is the neutral and ground are bonded at the main panel.
Then that neutral in your main panel extends out to the utility, at the very least back to the substation and likely all the way back to the power plant.
Then installing a proper ground may not be that easy depending on where you are and how dry the ground is.