EMP-proof Defender

pmatusov

Technical Excellence Contributor
Callsign: AK6PM
A good fiction read on post EMP life in the US. Having a diabetic daughter it kind of hit home and made me think a little harder about this very situation.
That's exactly the book I mentioned. It is a good read and it puts in prospective relative values of things we consider for granted.
 

chris snell

Administrator
Callsign: NW5W
Staff member
That sleeving is awesome stuff. If you have a ham radio in your truck, you'll see benefits from using it to electrically tie body panels and frame to one another.
 

TravelinLight

Well-known member
I've been following this with some degree of curiosity.

There's no such a thing as "EMP proof" or not "EMP proof;" it's a matter of just how much voltage or current is induced by electric and magnetic field in EMP. It can be bad enough to evaporate aluminum panels (after all, that's how about one-half of Aluminum is produced). Or it can be benign enough to affect open electric lines of communications but not affect a vehicle's electronics at all.
FWIW, it is relatively easy to improve the "EMP-proof-ness" of all automotive electronics - shield what you can, use resistors and fly-back diodes on the sensitive circuits feeding into any computer. In a nuclear strike terms, it may decrease the distance from the blast to your vehicle at which EMP would kill critical electrical components - if that's what you're looking for.
But on a grand scheme of things - imagine an apocalyptic scenario where 99% of the vehicles on the road become dead and yours is/are not. Are you prepared to defend them from whoever wants to take them?

There's a book on this subject, strangely given to me by my kids - "One Second After" - that is all explicitly about what our world would look like after an EMP strike.
I loved that book, It does take the mass raiders concept to a new level. But I really enjoyed the thought of what would happen if something like that hit as we are not prepared for such an action. It is a great read.
 

Overlander

Well-known member
Callsign: KM4BOR
I've studied this quite a bit. very little and recent actual tests nuclear EMP since the 50's. Best evidence is most vehicles won't be impacted, but that was based on old iron and carbs. I'm taking the same precautions, as EMP is a real risk today.

my recommendation is have spare fuel stop solenoid, spare alternator regulator (most Bosch are field replaceable), 4 and 5 pin relays, fuses and put them all in a quality Faraday bag like something from Mission Darkness. keep them stowed away in your vehicle, just like a normal spare.

you won't have gauges or radio working. but if you ever need them due to EMP, we have big, big problems anyway.
 

TravelinLight

Well-known member
I canned Facebook last month and haven't missed it one bit. Food taste better, the air smells fresher and water is wetter. I highly recommend it.
I am the same. I ended up hiding / blocking friends and family members that I even agree with politically as I could not take the daily garbage. So much happier without it.
 
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