The survivors of a major EMP event are going to have to adjust to doing without a lot of technology that we take for granted right now.
Most electronics, including the ones in vehicles, will be fried beyond repair and it will be years – in some cases decades – before anyone is able to start making replacements.
A lot of old skills are going to have to be dusted off or relearned, and in many ways life will go back to how it was in the early 20th century.
If the initial chaos that follows the attack continues more than a few weeks things could be forced back in time a lot further than that, with many daily tasks needing the technology of the 19th century.
It’s obvious that the more modern technology you can preserve, the better your chances of survival will be.
That’s why building at least one Faraday cage is such a good idea – it will let you protect some vital items from the surge of current caused by the attack. Some things are hard to protect with a Faraday cage though, and one of the most important is your vehicle.
The advantages of having a working vehicle after an EMP attack are obvious. If you live in an urban or suburban area you’re almost certainly going to want to bug out as soon as you can.
Social breakdown will make these districts very dangerous places to be, and the more prepared you are the more of a target you’ll be for organized looters or desperate people who want your gear to improve their own chances.
Heading out on foot has its own dangers though. You’re seriously limited in how much gear you can carry – 50 pounds is a realistic load, and that won’t be comfortable.
If you’re an ex-infantryman who doesn’t mind going slowly and hurting a lot you can double that, but it still isn’t a lot when your long-term survival depends on it. You’ll also be vulnerable to attack, and unable to get away from trouble in a hurry unless you abandon your load.
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With a vehicle, on the other hand, you can cover as much ground in half an hour as you can walk in a day. There’s space for a heavy load of supplies and gear. You have the ability to drive out of trouble, especially if the opposition are all on foot.
The problem is that modern vehicles aren’t very good at surviving an EMP. They have so many electronic systems that most of them will be totally, and permanently, immobilized.
However, if you start looking at older vehicles you’re going to find some excellent choices. Focus on less sophisticated 4wd models and there are some real advantages:
- Less electronics to go wrong
- Cheap to buy
- Simple, easily maintained engines – get a diesel if you can; the fuel will be available for longer
- More rugged than modern equivalents
The ideal post-EMP vehicle is a diesel pickup or SUV with a stick shift and a carbureted engine. Four wheel drive is an essential, not an option; the roads are going to be jammed with immobilized wrecks, and if you can’t move across country you won’t be going far.
Here are the top ten choices for your bug-out vehicle:
#10 Harley–Davidson MT350E
A motorbike has a lot going for it if you’re traveling alone. It’s less conspicuous than larger vehicles, doesn’t need as much fuel and is a lot more agile.
Related: The Best Places Where You Can Store Fuels Safely In An Emergency
A car is going to have real trouble on roads cluttered with dead vehicles, but a bike can weave its way through most of the time.
The Harley Davidson MT350E is made in the USA but Harley actually bought the design from British company Armstrong, whose MT500 model had been selected as the standard NATO dispatch rider’s bike. It’s been updated, with a smaller 350cc engine and electric starter, and it’s a really excellent off road machine.
It also has military spec shielded wiring, which improves its chances of surviving. Even if the electrics do get fried it can be kick-started, making it one of the most EMP-resistant vehicles you’ll find.
#9 Jeep CJ
This is a much smaller and more utilitarian Jeep. In fact it’s basically just the civilian version of the original military Willys GP, and was built in huge numbers from 1944 to 1986. Compact, lightweight and simple to keep in running order, it also has amazing off road performance.
It is small though, so this one is really for a maximum of two people plus gear. The engines are electronics-free, so aren’t going to get wrecked by EMP, and small enough to give great fuel economy.
#8 Jeep Cherokee SJ
The original Jeep SUV, the 1973-1984 Cherokee is a solidly built vehicle that’s old enough to have a simple and EMP-resistant electrical system but recent enough to be fairly comfortable. Its massive gasoline engine isn’t all that fuel efficient but it does have immense pulling power.
Because it’s a popular American model it’s easy to find spares for a Cherokee, and this is something the smart prepper will always take into account. There’s no point in getting a survival vehicle that you can’t get replacement parts for.
#7 Volkswagen Thing
Officially known as the Type 181, the Volkswagen Thing is an updated, civilianized version of the World War II Kubelwagen. It’s based on a VW Bug drivetrain, including the aircooled rear-mounted engine. That makes it extremely easy to maintain, and it also means you can use easily available Bug parts for many repairs.
Although it has a small 1.4 or 1.6 liter 4-cylinder engine, and is rear wheel drive, its light weight gives it good cross-country performance. It will also carry four people and a decent amount of gear.
#6 Toyota Hilux N30
If you prefer a truck to an SUV the third-generation Toyota Hilux is a great choice. Built from 1978 to 1983, it has a tough and simple diesel engine with minimal to no electronics, so it’s not highly susceptible to EMP.
It’s also smaller and more fuel-efficient than the average modern truck, while still giving you a respectable load space and good off road performance.
#5 Toyota Land Cruiser J40
Modern Land Cruisers are high end, luxurious SUVs. The J40, built from 1960 to 1984, is a completely different beast. It’s tough and simple, and has phenomenal cross country ability.
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Toyota are also still making many parts for it, so it’s not hard to build up a good spares set, hundreds of thousands of J40s are still in use as working vehicles all round the world.
It can survive just about anything, and thanks to its lack of electronics that includes an EMP.
#4 International Harvester Scout
The Scout is a minor classic; on its introduction in 1961 it became the first of the modern SUVs. Up to then, if you wanted an off road vehicle you didn’t have many alternatives to the utilitarian Jeep. The Scout gave excellent off road performance plus reasonable comfort.
The original model can attract quite high prices if it’s in good condition, but what you want is the Scout II. This was built from 1971 to 1980 and there are enough around that a decent one shouldn’t cost too much. The Scout’s big advantage is that it contains no computers and practically nothing electronic, so it’s inherently EMP-resistant.
#3 CUCV
Another ex-US Army model, and even cheaper at auction; you can pick these up for well under $1,000. The CUCV is basically a militarized 1984 Chevy Blazer, and tens of thousands of them were bought in the 1980s.
Most of them were quickly put into storage, because their combination of powerful engines and dubious stability didn’t work well in the hands of young soldiers – they were very prone to ending up on their roof.
Driven sensibly they’re excellent, tough load carriers with good off road performance. Look for an M1008 pickup or M1009 command car/station wagon.
#2 HMMWV
Ex-military vehicles have a lot going for them. They can often be picked up cheap, and they’re generally at least partly hardened against EMP. The famous US military HMMWV is a good example. It’s powerful and incredibly robust, with decent off road performance, but also simple to maintain and not loaded down with electronics. Low mileage ex-Army ones can be picked up for as little as $5,000 from surplus dealers.
The M998 model is basically a dual-cab pickup with a large load bed; there’s a military issue metal hard top available for it as well, which reduces load space but improves weather protection and security. The HMMWV is very good at fording rivers and crossing rough ground – it’s not as agile as a Land Rover, but has plenty of power. Civilian Hummer models are nowhere near as simple or robust as military ones and should be avoided.
#1 Land Rover 90/110
The Land Rover has been the workhorse of the British Army for decades, and it’s famous for its rugged construction and simplicity. In 1990 it rebranded as the Defender and updated with a modern, electronically controlled engine, but if you can find a 1980s 110 (long wheelbase) or 90 (short wheelbase) diesel you have a vehicle that stands an excellent chance of coming through an EMP unhurt.
The Rover’s cross country ability is very hard to beat and it’s also excellent at towing. A truck or military-style soft top gives you the maximum load space; station wagon 110 models can fit up to eight passengers in the back. There’s also plenty of expedition gear available for the Land Rover that works very well on a BOV too.
Obviously, having a working vehicle to hand really increases your odds of surviving the end of the world as we know it, so it’s worth making some effort to find the right one. The job doesn’t end there, though. Once you have your vehicle there are some more steps to make sure it’s going to be running after the EMP.
Firstly, put together a set of spare key electrical components. A starter motor and alternator are the bare minimum. These aren’t as vulnerable to EMP as electronic components, but they do contain a lot of wire and a strong pulse could heat that up enough to cause serious damage. If your chosen vehicle has anti-lock brakes, electronic fuel injection or any other computer-controlled functions get spare controllers and add them to your gear. Then store all your replacement parts in a Faraday cage. If an EMP hits it will almost certainly come without warning, so you need to be prepared.
Related: 10 Things to Have Ready before the Huge EMP!!!
Check the vehicle body. To some extent that can act as its own Faraday cage, giving some protection to the systems inside. You can improve on it, though. The most important thing to do is to ensure electric currents can flow freely around the body, which will minimize the pulse that gets through to the interior.
Firstly, ground each part of the body to the frame and make sure the vehicle isn’t grounded to the actual ground. The tires will act as natural insulators, which helps you here.
Next look at panel lines. If there are any gaps these can generate secondary pulses that might cause damage, so do what you can to close them. On a dedicated BOV you probably don’t care much about looks, so consider sanding the joins down to bare metal, covering them with conductive metallic tape then painting over the top. When the vehicle’s not being used make foil-coated covers for the windows.
Go over the wiring, too. Where possible replace unshielded wires with shielded ones. If there’s any old wiring left over from accessories you’ve removed, strip it out – it can generate more currents during an EMP. Reroute essential cables so they run as close as possible to the frame and body panels, but make sure they’re well insulated. All these steps will reduce the chances of damage occurring.
Having a working vehicle could be the difference between life and death once an EMP attack has taken place. You’ll be able to move more quickly, carrying the gear you need to survive along the way to your bug-out destination. Once you get there you’ll have the ability to forage more effectively over wider distances, plus a way to rapidly evacuate if the situation changes.
It doesn’t even have to be an expensive precaution to take. Because the vehicles most likely to survive an EMP are old, they’re also cheap. It really doesn’t make any sense to prepare for disaster but not make sure that your transport will still be running after the first moments of the crisis.
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Should we store fuel in large fuel cans? What other advice can you provide?
No you should store fuel in your ass. Yes, obviously you should store fuel in fuel cans.
If SHTF most of you McDonald’s eating lard-asses are going to die anyways.
What a fag
And I guess you the ultimate survivor eh?
Maybe you “will survive”, but you will still be a rude asshole. Try looking in the mirror and seeing what is really there.
Don’t pay attention to trolls. Good for you asking questions. To answer, yes you can and should store fuel. However, treat it with Stabil. Modern gasoline is made with ethanol. Ethanol degrades and will damage your engine once it gets old. Stabil is kind of like a preservative. Keep in mind that even with Stabil, the fuel will degrade, just not as fast. Be sure to rotate the fuel by using it in your vehicle, filling the cans back up, retreating with Stabil and so forth. Good question!
There are some stations that sell 100% gasoline with no ethanol, would you pay the extra price to store this and what its door longer? Or how long does it normally last if it doesn’t have ethanol in it? Thanks
Buy ethanol free gasoline in the first place and use a stabilizer.
No need to be a smartass
hey troll he asked about LARGE fuel can.
Wow!! Great responce… You just scared a new person away. Shure guaranteed that people who don’t know WON’T ask ANY questions. So when SHFT, they will be part of the problem, rather than part of the solution.
Shure glad You have all the answers….
You can’t spell.
Is your arse big enough Iwill? It’s always nice to be nice. Share info and don’t let your little ego stop you from growing up.
You will not survive long as an asshole. Mr. Crosshairs may ensure that.
Actually “storing fuel” in 5 gallon cans is NOT recommended.
Having a stock of 5 gallon cans with fuel that is rotated every six months IS recommended.
Modern oxygenated gasoline will rapidly deteriorate after 90 days, therefore don’t store that.
Instead, find a dealer that has non-oxygenated no-lead gasoline (Fleet Farm, etc). Many boatyards also stock it. ASK!
As to storage:
1. never fill the cans (allow 10% room for expansion)
2. store on pallets to prevent rust and corrosion
3. single stacks only
4. not in the garage or back yard shed. something water proof and not subject to wide temperature swings, like a separate storage area or a sealand container under cover of some sort.
5. If you wish to light the container, be smart. Use properly grounded lighting in fire/flash coverings and shielded switches (done right, runs about $150-200)
6. Always assumed some leakage. No flames, please.
Done right, with some product like Stabil to assist, gas or diesel can be stored 2 yrs with little deterioration.
And rotate that stock!.
Man , you are one rude clown … have you thought that maybe they are just starting out with wanting to learn … arrogant pricks like you and your sarcastic remarks dont do any one any good … but if your the genius , I suggest you carry a zipper bag .. because folks like you give prepping a very bad name and some bad guy is liable to pop your ass
Just a note to correct some misinformation from “the Captain”. I am a former “Texaco Retailer” who was trained by Texaco, Inc. years ago. Liquid Gasoline does not burn!! Only gasoline VAPOR burns! So, Fill your storage container to less than an INCH so that there is very little room for vapor to accumulate. And remember almost any agitation can cause vapor to be released. Also, almost all metal cans are made of steel, and what can happen when two pieces of steel hit each other? Why sparks of course!! What is the best way to ignite gasoline vapor? With a spark!! Even tiny sparks you can’t see will set off vapor. That is why almost all portable gasoline containers are made of heavy gauge plastic with static electricity and spark inhibitors added to the plastic compounds when they are formed. One gallon of gasoline allowed to turn into vapor has the explosive power of 10 Sticks of dynamite. Be Careful by not doing the kinds of things which could get you Killed!! Take Care!
Hey Smart Ass. You really think someone with your attitude is gonna make it? Your kind are the ones to die first!
The answer to your question is probably more in lines of how much you want to spend. Our farm has a refueling station that is basically a 150 gallon tank. There’s also gas caddies that hold 50 gallons. 55-gallon drums (I believe those need to be vented or pressure valve) always do your research. You’ll want to add stabilizer to the gasoline. It won’t stay good long term without stabilizer. and Yes, if you just want a little gasoline on hand you can use jerrycans. I’d also get a good siphon and practice using it. It all depends on how much you want to store and how comfortable you want to be. Obviously “IWillSurvive” has his can and hasn’t really thought the subject through to do better.
you do not want to go over 5 gallon cans do to weight.
Don’t pay attention to trolls. Good for you asking questions. To answer, yes you can and should store fuel. However, treat it with Stabil. Modern gasoline is made with ethanol. Ethanol degrades and will damage your engine once it gets old. Stabil is kind of like a preservative. Keep in mind that even with Stabil, the fuel will degrade, just not as fast. Be sure to rotate the fuel by using it in your vehicle, filling the cans back up, retreating with Stabil and so forth. Good question!
My co-op delivers 100& non-etc to my bulk tank – so, is stabil still a requisite? I do have 15 gal & 30 gal polys I put etc fuel in + stabil. I use the bulk tank as my private gas station w/ non-etc, prob go through 500 gallons in 3 to 6 mos – not sure yet, using first tank now
should read 100% Non-Eth for bulk fuel delivered to my “private gas station” and I use it weekly, so I suppose I won’t need to treat it if I use it within 3 to 6 months…
A reasonable amount. Should a big EMP hit there will be disabled vehicles full of fuel pretty much everywhere. You just need to have a plan on how to get it and get it in your vehicle.
Ignore arrogant people my friend… usually they are wannabes.. you keep right on asking g questions… theres alot of people that will give you a ton of excellent advice.
Fuel stabilizer!!
Gwen,
I don’t belong to Twitter so could you ask the question about protecting starters, regulators, and alternators.,….
For those of us on a somewhat more restricted budget, as someone else suggested, a 250 cc dirt bike with kick start. Use saddlebags over the tank and a backpack. Notice that the courier bike fits this description somewhat closely although it is bigger.
For the even more severely budget handicapped, a mountain bike in the price range of about $600 is another substitute. Make sure it has the lowest gearing possible. Make sure it has a trailer hitch so that you can pull a trailer with it. Make sure it has fittings for panniers both fore and aft. If you think you can’t haul a load on a bike you haven’t been paying attention to history. The NVA moved tons of gear south over the Ho Chi Min trail. Even little kids who can ride can haul their sleeping bags and light weight items on their bikes. Bikes will be extremely valuable in the event of a major blackout. They are truly the most energy efficient means of transportation ever devised.
If using a motorcycle, try to get as quiet of a muffler as you can, no need to advertise where you are any sooner than necessary. Goes for any of the other motor vehicles as well.
In a bug out situation travel speed is most certainly going to be slow. Not a typical 65 MPH get away. One of the best vehicles I can think of for a bug out situation is a diesel driven 4 wheel drive tractor with a towed 4 wheel wagon containing the family and all the equipment necessary for the trip. Travel speed will be slow but it will work well over rough terrain and will certainly serve to move obstacles as necessary. Finding the right tractor is the trick. Any suggestions ??
Ford 445/545 4X4 I owned several of these they were reliable low profile tractors
I have a Yanmar YM2000 gray market tractor, 22 hp. Paid $2300. Diesel engine, very simple to maintain. Spare parts are everywhere. I have several small trailers and one dual-axle trailer rated 7000 lbs. The tractor isn’t especially quiet, but its ruggedness is just phenomenal.
Try auctions. I worked at an auction for a while. We once auctioned off a fleet of restored tractors in mint condition. I was stunned that they went for such a low price. (So was the seller.) The cool thing was that they were MINT! Some sold for less than 7K. It was like getting a brand new tractor for a fraction of the price.
FJ40, best tractor ever, 4×4 very simple, runs forever, well built, parts availability as well as a reputation world wide.
Duece & 1/2 multi fuel
I have two FJ60’s – the 2FE 6 cyl was also used as a Fork Lift motor… ;>)
Will one of those local storage facilities, which are usually made of metal, act as a farady cage?
Would a motorcycle be protected if it was stored inside?
Keith: I had the same question and I guess the answer is: Maybe. It appears to me from my reading that the more shielding you have the better chance there is of negating the electron flow that will short out whatever it is that you have stored. I recently read some experiments conducted with voltmeters and heavy charges and even sealing the edges of the container made a significant (in my estimation) difference in the electron flow into the container. In the experiment they used metallic tape and also duct tape and interestingly enough duct tape provided a better seal than the special expensive metallic tape. For example, a motorcycle with a magneto starter as opposed to an electric starter in a metal shed with the motorcycle covered with mylar emergency blankets with the edges of the blanket sealed with duct tape may provide better protection than a motorcycle sitting in a metal shed which provides better protection than a motorcycle sitting in a wooden barn which provides better protection than a motorcycle sitting out in the open. In any event, another conclusion I drew from reading the tests is that you don’t have to totally eliminate all electron leakage. There is a certain point below which no damage is done even though there might be some leakage. As with the wiring in your house, you can have a voltage surge that blows the fuses but doesn’t harm the wiring or you can have a voltage surge that blows the fuses and also melts the wiring in the walls, depending upon how much voltage flows down the line before it melts. I wish I could remember where I read about the test. If I could, I would list it as a reference. It was interesting but slightly above my electronic knowledge level. I know this doesn’t answer your question directly but hope it helps understand shielding against the electron flow caused by a CME or EMP. In my opinion, an EMP would probably do the most damage to electronic gear. In ascending order of damage is a ground attack on our grid system, a CME and finally an EMP attack from a nuclear device. All three would thrust us back to 18th century living but for most of us without the life skills that the folks had at that time. For instance, when was the last time you butchered a hog and smoked the meat? Even today, for those of us who hunt, after we field dress the animal we drop it of at a butcher shop that specializes in butchering game and when we pick it up, we take it home and put it in the freezer. I guess I could whack up a deer into manageable chunks of meat. Then what? I don’t have a smoke house. I guess I could make jerky out of it on my charcoal fired barbecue, but while I might be really happy to have a steady diet of venison jerky, I suspect it would get old pretty quick and I would want to think of some other way to preserve any animal I harvested. I have never sheared a sheep in my life and I know my wife does not know how to spin wool into yarn. She can knit very well, but is a little weak on spinning — plus, no spinning wheel.
my suggestion is build a faraday cage I have seen videos on utube on how to build one number one thing I would put in there is a car battery or a flash drive and a spare radio
No need to put the battery into the cage. It can be left sitting out, just don’t hook anything up to it.
As for the spare radio – where will you be getting radio signals from? There won’t be any power for the stations to broadcast. If you’re talking a HAM radio, that’s different, there are plenty of HAMs with shielded components waiting to be put into use after an EMP and they’ll be up and running. Dropping a few inexpensive Baofeng radios into your faraday cage (or can) is a good idea.
A flash drive won’t do you any good without a computer to read it, and a computer needs power. So if you want your flash drive to be readable, you’ll also need to drop in a small laptop computer, an inverter so you can run it off of DC power (like a car battery), and make sure you’ve got some way to get power. A fold-up solar panel to trickle charge that battery would be good. A few of them ready to be daisy-chained would be even better.
Nearly all commercial radio and tv stations have emergency power sources. It is a good bet that at least some of them will be getting signals of some kind out. I was CHENG at a 500W daylight radio station where we had an Army WW-II era backup generator that an EMP would not have damaged. Most of the station broadcast equipment, including the transmitter, was tube technology, also EMP proof. Granted that many stations have modernized with solid state technology, however, many put the old tube-type equipment in storage for emergency backup use. Your EMP protected radios and even small TV’s may still find signals when TSHTF. Patience is needed because you can be sure that all of the stations are scrambling to get on the air. The CD stations will have been better equipped and likely swiftly back on the air. Not to mention old classic Ham Radio and CB gear. Lots of it is available on eBay. I think the best Ham Radio equipment to seek is a fully functional Collins KWM2A general coverage, which can be tuned to military and other frequencies. Look for the best guaranteed fully functional equipment, rather than several junkers. For CB, look for equipment from the 1960’s – the older the better. SSB capability would be a plus, but the transceiver must be AM capable, because that’s where you will find on air signals from the older equipment. And even if you think your old tube-type Ham or CB equipment might be EMP proof, store it in a good Faraday Cage anyhow. And don’t forget wire for an antenna. String a 100′ or longer wire between some trees and structures, stick one clean copper wire end into the antenna outlet on the transceiver and tune it up to radiate and receive signals. An inexpensive long wire antenna tuner would be an excellent acquisition. Again, eBay is the best source. No equipment at hand? Google “Foxhole Radio” to find out how you can make a radio receiver out of a razor blade, a lead pencil, some magnet wire, a round oatmeal box or similar (even a toilet paper cardboard center), and if you can find it, a WW-II era crystal headset. This is a fascinating construction project for anyone over the age of 5. And it works! Oh, yes, you have a 1N4 or similar diode, you say? The diode will be nailed by an EMP, but not the razor blade. A crystal and cat-whisker will do, too. I would also think that if you can find a working antique radio from pre-1945, you can just stick it on a shelf in your house and it will be EMP proof. Of course, AC power will be needed, but that’s another story.
OK. I didn’t know about this page.. but it seems to go right back to faraday cages and EMP. And Ham radio.
What got my attention is the comment SOMEWHERE that directed me to this page; “Deplorable Joe Voter”s comment “You’ll be one of the walking starving that will last exactly three days.”
Anyway, Im always disappointed when I see people come on this site and seem to be on “who’s the “biggest, toughest” character”. Well, to me, I think you totally missed the purpose of this site. I believe the more we share our knowledge and solutions, the stronger we are. This nation is divided enough. No, I don’t remotely agree with the left, their goals and principles but how can we stand if we are to busy tearing each other down? For God’s sake, try to stand together!!
Moving on… I don’t care to go into the details of how a faraday cage works.. or what is EMP and how it works. Iv covered that quite well on another page. I will endeavor to try to give a short synopsis on things for those who don’t care enough to go look thru my other post (to which Iv explained many things on electricity, radio waves, upper and lower sideband benefits over AM radio, wave propagation.. EMP, wave formation, HOW a faraday cage works and what is necessary, etc. Many times I have re written things to clarify.. but most are to lazy it seems to search the webpage all the way (and I DO understand) but I cant keep explaining so PLEASE, if you want to understand this stuff (and I hope you do!) search other pages for what Iv written!
Im not a know it all.. there is a couple others that have written some pretty accurate comments. But I DO know what Im talking about and have 50+ years of this stuff.
Synopsis on EMP;
First, understand EMP, Electro-Magnetic Pulse.. IS, in the end, just a radio wave. Its wave form and its strength are what make it different. Read what I wrote on waveforms. Other writings might help. If you don’t know what a PN junction, look it up. As its available to review on Wikipedia and other informs, I don’t write of it much. I DID write up on decibels, explaining them. Quickly, “deci” is “tenth” Bell is a measure of sound. Decibel is 1/10th of a bell and is abbreviated “dB”. Bells are a logarithm function.
So far as Faraday cages/boxes; you need to CLEARLY understand, such a box MUST have FULL metal contact all edges where planes (geometric planes) come together. small holes DO create “leaks”, but this is not leaking in electrons but they create spots where the magnetic field created by the EMP are diverted and the change in the field on the cage differs to the EMP field allows parts of that EMP magnetic field to enter. The size of the hole determines what frequencies that can get in. This can get pretty deep (subject material) but most of it is in other writings Iv done elsewhere on this site.
My goal is, has been, to help folks have a basic to good understanding.. so they can make informed decisions on their preparations.
I see many BS stuff out there… from people trying to sell things under false pretense. Many who will tell you to just cover your TV with an anti-static bag and it will protect your TV from an EMP. Where will they be when you ham radio and TV don’t work after an EMP? Where can you go to replace these items AFTER an EMP? We NEED people to have operational communications after an EMP! BS doesn’t cut it!
Tube radios will hold up much better than semiconductor radios.. BUT, are NOT totally immune to an EMP. Protect them as well!.
Few electronics components will be damaged simply because of an EMP… The killer is the “antenna’s” that will absorb EMP and send it right down the line INTO your electronic device. Just disconnecting your wires that go into it.. will go a very, very long way to defeat an EMP.
Read what you will.. then ask me questions if you need.
Blessings to all! “Jack”
Even IF the solar panel was not fried it would be useless with a charge controller that would be fried for sure.
If you have one of the more modern vehicles you might learn how to replace the on board computer system, and then buy one direct from the automobile manufacture, also add in a complete set of fuses. Wrap you vehicle that is your bug out vehicle in a complete faraday bubble and seal it up but insure your sitting on concrete not on dirt.
left coast chuck, you stated that you felt that an EMP was more dangerous than a CME.
You are wrong!
An EMP will only last for about one second while the CME will be continuous for maybe several days.
The VOLTAGE is not what is harmful, it is the CURRENT that will attack the components and wiring. The longer the current flows the more damage that will occur.
Every Faraday Cage must have no holes larger than the standard window screen wire. The metal cans with popcorn, etc. are excellent.
The reason that the metal tape did not work was because the adhesive prevents the tape from sealing properly. Aluminum foil with duct tape is much better.
The motorcycle with a magneto starter as opposed to an electric starter will do fine with no additional shielding..
Here is a good place to start. I see some familiar names.. and many unfamiliar names here. I have never been on this page of this site, and it might seem many other have not read or not understood my previous comments. (forgive me for sounding like some “know all” master.. but I have an innate understanding of this stuff, and an extensive background).
Where to start? If you want to understand an EMP, read on other EMP pages. If you want to understand Faraday cages; same. But I will repeat a bit.
First, electrons dont “leak” into a faraday cage. A faraday cage maybe better described as a magnetically sealed enclosure. ALL sides of a faraday cage must be conductive along their joining edges. The electricity MUST be able to conduct along the sides- not having to change directions to go thru a hinge, door, or ilk. It is these magnetic lines of force that “repel” the rest of the EMP magnetic field from penetrating as they repel one another. I explain this elsewhere comparing induction principles, etc. for comparison, understanding. The thing is, if the lines of force must turn sideways, that area will not repel the lines of force originating from the EMP, making “hot spots” and the EMP field can penetrate at those areas. An unprepared ammo can is a good example. The lid conducts at the ends (50 cal or smaller) where the hinge is, and the latch is. The bottom is great but conductivity .. the electrons cannot travel directly over the lid but must turn sideways to travel thru the hinge or latch to cross the lid. BAD idea. You mist remove the gasket and replace with conductive material in place of the gasket (after removing ALL paint in the conductive area before placing a new conductive gasket in place). This will fix this issue.
Holes in your connex.. Leaks. the size of the hole in the wall.. or the screen you might use for ventilation will relate directly to the wavelength of what can enter. Smaller the size of the opening is reversely related to frequency. Small holes may allow high frequencies.. but when you look at an EMP wavelength make up, most EMP wavelength make up is many dB less then lower frequencies.
Now, I need to explain the Electro-Magnetic Pulse. First, it, like any waveform, is made up of various frequencies- much like a square-wave or any other wave beyond a sine-wave. A sine-wave is the purist of waveforms. Adding other harmonics is what makes the different waveforms. Again. Adding other harmonics (other frequencies).. all happen when there is a sudden pulse… from turning on a light switch.. to an EMP. Read comments on other pages if you like.
These EMP pulses are broken down into E1, E2, E3. The first part of an EMP is the E1 and it last about a nanosecond or a few nanoseconds. E2 is a few seconds and is not nearly as dangerous to electronics, and E3… Well, to be honest, I focus on the E1 mostly and forget the details of the other two!
The EMP pulse happens first with the sudden, hard explosion of the nuclear device. This is so violent that the materials in the surrounding area have their eletrons violently stripped from the molecules creating a huge magnetic wave (anytime electrons move there is a magnetic field created). These electrons are called ”
Compton electrons” and you can read up on them if you all wish. This is at the heart of the EMP.
I see one gentleman refering to starting in his garage. Unless you have a metal garage, wood will do almost nothing. I doubt even one decibel of attenuation of an EMP. You really need to get at least about 50 dB. Military protection they shoot for 100 dB+. But then, they are most certainly targets. You want to be as far from military targets as you possibly can!
OK. Enough for tonight! Besides, I never know if anyone reads or appreciates the details. My goal is to put out info in hopes someone will try to understand the info so they can make better informed choices.
Iv studied EMP after working on military bases on EMP protected power plants, Im a commercial electrician with a radio electronics background of over 50 years, and an extra class ham operator. For those who need to know.
I was thinking of cladding the entire interior of my cottages power house with metal sheet to protect not only my inverter, but also the charge controller and other electronic control for my solar as well as the ignition components of my propane inverter generator. Would the 2” deep narrow slot around the door make this pointless and could chicken wire across the window work?
In 1978 I thought I would be ahead of the Barndominium craze of today and built my own metal house. That was back when we had phone land lines and TV Antennas. Before cell phones.
Now, I live in a cubed Farade (sp) screen box and receiving phone signal is impossible without a special receiver box. Service is great if you go outside though. Absolutely no streaming at my house! Oh, well, you can’t sit outside with a parabolic Microphone and listen in on my conversation inside my house!
Most certainly not…imagine the EMP(with wave lengths the order of very small,high energy microwaves,able to damage even LED lamps) as a high pressure water flooding,able to penetrate even the smaller gaps.If EMP was my concern I would steer away of high tech vehicles, or would keep in a buried faraday cage spares enough for a lifetime.
A faraday cage has a percentage of electrical current that through testing it is assumed to block. In building my faraday cages i always assume less than i believe it will protect. My 30×40 foot barn is assumed at 80% so my caculations start at 75%. A 50000 volt emp equals 12500 volts gets into barn. I built a faraday cage inside my pole barn. It is assumed that it is at 95 % so my calculations are at 90 %. 12500 volts in barn x 90% equals1250 volts. Then i have metal trash cans, metal 55 gallon drums, metal ammo cans stacked in faraday cages. It is assumed that they are 95 % so again i figure at 90%. 1250 volts in faraday cage x90% equals 11.25 volts. Hopefully i have erred on the side of caution and all my electronics have survived.
No absolutely not – my engineer friend studied the hell out of EMPs and how they effect things. A true Faraday csge room/shelter is very difficult to construct and has to have a few pertinent aspects – sealed. But then you have to have ventilation. There are several myths that are bogus – metal trashcan or microwaves used to store small electronics – they do not work. Ome off the shelf true Faraday cage is the All-American pressure cooker with the lid with screw down latches – my friend ran the specs and it serves as a perfect Faraday csge to store small items like hand held radios, hard drives or even smart phone to use to view pdf survival docs
Thanks. I’ve got a ton of those old canners.
What about Lada Niva!!??
most vehicles listed do have some form of electronics in them. pretty much everyting from about 1977 up does. the jeeps have the ford electronic igntion in them.
Ford F 250 Diesel from 1983 thru 1992 are mostly electronic free. the only solid state part is the voltage regulator over on the fender well. They cost $30.00. wrap in double falum foil put in cardboard box and change out when needed. You might need to carry a few tools to do the change.
Another model, its not 4wheel drive is older diesel vw 1986 and older i found can run on 60/40 diesel to used oil mix and can get alot of miles out of a tank
I have found the best offroad vehicle short of a mule is an old throwaway front wheel drive car with grip tires on front and wide tires on the rear…sheetmetal cut to fit. I used an 82 Toro for several years until I blew the engine. Now I use a 90 Corsica V6 with a skid plate bolted underneath the front.
For the cost of buying another (EMP immune) vehicle, couldn’t you more cheaply just buy a back-up electronic card to replace the fried one in your more modern vehicle and store it in a Faraday cage? The advantage is that you would have a vehicle that is made to run on the fuel of the day, not leaded fuel? You wouldn’t have to store an extra vehicle. You wouldn’t need the added cost of liability ins. (I know in a SHTF scenario who cares about ins.!) prior to SHTF. You wouldn’t have to replace plugs, points and condenser, and who knows how to do that these days? It just seems more practical to not buy an extra vehicle.
Why not do both? Two is one and one is none.
Also, the “fuel of the day” (gasoline) won’t be good for very long. That’s why diesel is better. It lasts longer, can be mixed with other things like used engine oil or canola oil, and can even run on bio-diesel made from animal fats.
Star Tron gas preservative would keep your gas fresh for quite a while.
I agree, how do you find out what components would need to be replace? I would really like to store key components for at least one of our trucks!
I’d like to know more about this too. Modern vehicles have hundreds and hundreds of potentially EMP susceptible microprocessors, and hundreds if not thousands of more susceptible chips. Good long article about this here: http://www.futurescience.com/emp/vehicles.html
I know that the ECU (engine control unit) would be one component that’d need to be replaced for sure, but I suspect there are others, such as each fuel injectors, etc. I’d love to see a complete list from a mechanic that lists all the things I’d have to have on hand to get my new truck running again. I’m sure this’d be no small expense too (the ECU alone will run you $800-$2000!) but it’d be worth it IMHO. And of course you’d have to be able to wrench on your vehicle to replace everything fried.
Anyhow, does anyone have a source for this full list of EMP susceptible auto electronics?
Update: A good article on replacing the ECU, also know as the PCM, or Powertrain Control Module: http://www.survivopedia.com/vehicle-prepping-displacing-the-control-module-of-your-car/
There’s always the option of attempting to harden your vehicle. For instance, routing the various wire harnesses through braided tinned copper wire tubing – a bit of a pain, but acts as a shield. Definitely don’t forget the harnesses under the dashboard.
Also, mount any plastic-enclosed electronic boxes in metal. And good grounding of all shielding.
There is a lot more electronics than just the ECU that would be affected. My V6 has individual ignition coils on each spark plug that I’m sure have diodes or even microchips in them. The regulator on the alternator would likely be fried.
Donnie , if you don’t know how to do basic things like replacing plugs , points and condenser you should learn . and like a lot here have said , diesel powered veh. are a better choice . a commenter above ( pappy .) funny , pappy is my nic on youtube .) said he runs a 60/40 mix , old used ( filtered i’m betting ) car oil and regular diesel . might smoke a bit but you’d still be mobile .
Donnie, the error in your thinking is that nearly every car has more than ONE integrated circuit or solid state device installed. ALL of the sensors attached to an ECM are solid state and will be destroyed and must be replaced. The wiring may be small enough (to save those 0.5 ounces) to be ruined also.
It’s not a bad idea. The issue will be how strong is the EMP charge in your area. The same surge of electrons that fries the motherboard of the car may be (likely will be, if strong enough to fry the MB) strong enough to literally melt the wiring. Also, it isn’t just the “card”. The semiconductors, the lack of which is why new cars are on backorder right now, will be toast as well. If you are smart and shop around, you can probably find an older vehicle for what the cost of replacement electronics will be. Plus, if you’re not a modern car ASE certified mechanic, I don’t know that you’ll be able to troubleshoot all the potential problems of a modern vehicle, post EMP. I can do most jobs on a vehicle with a carbureted engine. However, I look under the hood of my Explorer and am limited to fluids, air filter and battery. I don’t even recognize half the stuff under there. Also, I don’t know what you drive, but the one suggestion I didn’t see was to find an older vehicle and make it your daily driver. I know several folks who have restored vehicles like Dodge Powerwagons and use them as their dailies. Like most things prepping, the answer to this question is very specific to the person. There is no one size fits all answer to a SHTF vehicle. Happy prepping!
I have a 1990 Ford Edge and had to have the ECM replaced, (the computer) but it takes more than replacing the ECM, it has to to be programmed and this is usually don at the Car Dealership. Their programmer may be fried by an EMP.
Best choice is an electronics free vehicle. Next choice might be to have a EMP Protection module installed in your vehicle, usually a few hundred dollars.
Once the EMP has been detonated and the damage is done . Will it continue to do its evil on the grid and on our electronics ? How long will it last ?
The EMP will last only a couple minutes in the area affected at the time after it goes off as far as I know. But just to be safe I would wait half an hour before I take anything out of there faraday cages or start repairing things or turning them on.
The initial pulse will only last for seconds. However, if it was created by an enemy state they will most like fire off one blast then wait an hour (after everyone has pulled all their EMP prove stuff out of the Faraday cages) then blast off a second one to finish the job. Wait at least 3 hrs before pulling out your spare electronics. Then you will also know if it was caused by a nuke or a CME from the Sun.
My small Veteran Owned Company makes an EMP Safe Battery Charger that runs on Saltwater. Please check them out on our website. http://www.greenivative.com
The early model straight axle Toyota 4×4 trucks are also bulletproof. You can get a 1 wire hookup distribute from Davis unified ignitions that use a 1 wire hookup using cheap standard Chevrolet HEI ignition modules
The HEI ignition module would be okay, IF it survived the initial EMP blast. Better would be to find a simple non-digital system to replace the “cheap” Chevy HEI module.
I have owned several VWs. The Thing does look the part, but a bug would have better protection and nearly as much space inside, and just as capable off highway. A bus would be even better, with a stronger drivetrain, and a lot more space.
We just got a VW Bug, most of the vehicles listed here are hard to find, or are priced a lot more than shown here. Bugs still easy to find and parts are also.
There are some spelling errors in the article. The word When should be Wheel in first paragraph. There a re more…. go find’em…. More comments as I read through today! Greg
Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention.
Ok have reviewed the article and is nicely done. Here are some of my suggestion and/or changes. First my background. 7 Yrs. USMC Intelligence, specialty was WMD Defense/Survival, 2.5 of those yrs. USMC-MP all phases of operations from main gate to traffic control to and including UC work on assaults. Background since leaving USMC, 38 yrs. computers and electronics for 3 of the Fortune 100 companies, and others, in systems administration, logistics and DB administration. 14 Yrs. US Treasury Police (Yes they exist), all operational duties to and including securities destruction and convoy of securities/materials slated for destruction. I feel if I am going to be believed, you’d best have a pedigree and not just some “idea” of what to do during a survival episode.
1) Start watching or start streaming to watch Walking Dead and it’s spin off, Fear the Walking Dead. It is as close as you are getting as to an FAQ on survival, and it IS believable and totally possible.
2) Get the DOD manual on Prepardeness, here’s a link to all you need (https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=dod+manual+on+preparedness)
3) I don’t like Hummers – too flashy too cramped. Not dependable, uses too much fuel and the ability to go off road and through water restricted to limits of weight and size of water area to traverse.
4) Motorcycle – good for quick getaways but you have to be schooled and experienced in motocross to get anywhere safely off road. If you don’t ride, forget it.
5) Cars – They can be dependable. They can be a headache. I like automatic over stick shift only because not many cars these days everyone is used to has a stick shift. So us oldies (I’m 63) know how to shift, what about the ladies? If you can’t stick shift, use automatics. Nothing like needing a quick getaway and your wife/girlfriend/husband can’t shift!
6) Trucks/flatbeds – Now here is a vehicle like diesel, it can haul, it can run a road block, it can ford a stream, it can pretty much do anything you need it to do. Get one that’s automatic, has good heater, don’t worry about A/C, 2 tanks or one big one and don’t forget at least one spare tire. There are many but I liked the ones we had in the Corps that I drove once in a while, the M35 2.5 ton cargo truck.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M35_2%C2%BD-ton_cargo_truck
Need a ink? You should be able to find something here:
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=truck%27s+for+preppers
Ok I know you can’t afford that or can’t find one in decent shape. That’s what Google is for, find something that is as close as you can get and you got it made for transportation.
Storage of gasoline. I keep 5 gals. on hand in shed out back. Use Stabil and follow directions. Want more info?
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=longterm+storage+of+gasoline
One thing about EMP. It only lasts micro-seconds, more in hand technology is going to fail rather than fry your cars computer module, BUT, your car has plenty between it and the source, especially if your far away from the pulse. Read up on EMP, it could be nothing to worry about, depends on a lot of things, height of burst, KT rating of the device, MIRV, weather at time (lightning) etc.
http://www.futurescience.com/emp/vehicles.html
My best to you all and this is a great forum. Stay safe!
Thanks for the info sir.
I disagree about the auto transmission. You can’t push start an auto if the starter is fried. A pre-electronic diesel with a manual transmission is the best choice. They don’t even need an alternator to run. Learn or teach how to drive a stick.
I agree. The transmission issue is a huge problem. Growing up in rural Montana we didn’t go a week without having to push, pull or coast down a hill with truck, car or tractor. Teach your crew how to drive stick and any motorized vehicle is the same principle.
TreasuryUS . . . thank you for your service and the heads up tips . handy info you shared there . good on you .
Just a comment. I’m not a snowflake! But…us ladies can drive a stick. My daughter can drive a stick. Not all of us are that ignorant. Just about every woman I know (and I know lots of them from all ages and walks of lfe) can drive manual transmissions. And thank you for the comment. There was some great info!
Your thoughts on a ’87 Jeep Comanche 4×4 P/U, I know its not big and heavy, but it seems good and small enough to go way back in the woods without too much strain. Its got enough hauling capcity to carry enuigh supplies to last
Does it have any computer modules in it?
87 had electronic ignition and an ecm both of which would not function.
Random but a 84 Porsche turbo uses an CIS fuel mngmnt instead of a EFI systym . Essentially a hydraulic fuel pump off the drive crank for constant flow . I know it’s strange but still analog and not “EFI” also has 4wd on some models and with a lift kit would be hilariously emp proof just protect the starter and your good. Luggage rack on top and I have a Dakar Rally car that can carry my gear.
I have two 87 comanches, Im wondering if I can just get another ignition and ecm and keep them somewhere emp proof and then replace the parts? Would that work?
If the engine has a carburetor and not fuel injection, then that could work. Just be sure to talk to a mechanic to find out which parts exactly you need to set aside, and be sure to put them in a faraday cage to protect them.
Unfortunately it is fuel injected, but very early model so there are very little electronics.
Rattling nice pattern and wonderful content, nothing at all else we
want :D.
the one problem I can see with having a working vehicle is the fact that the noise will alert everyone to the fact that you have one.Horses and bikes would also be a good idea.Just make sure your vehicle has 4wd so you can stay off the roads.And,those old Harley’s are not cheap as they are collector items.If you live in the cities,you will want something compact since a lot of cars probably wont be working and they will be blocking the roads,so a fast getaway might be tough,and if your the only one with a vehicle people will surely try to take it away from you.Good luck and stay safe evryone
22K for an IH Scout II, Damn. Is this a typo?
What the H is a slammed Toyota doing here, especially wasting space & time with a video? Slamming those little pickups just destroys their use in a survival situation. Even in the city, their utility is destroyed, having to slow down for gutter dips and speed bumps.
Owners of antique and collectable autos would still be running. My restored 1930 Studebaker would keep on moving. Parts would be hard to find but if everything is restored the parts would serve. Many replace the generator with an alternator which would get fried by the EMP.
After everything settles – I’m referring to a die-off, couldn’t parts for your vehicle be easily fabricated? Assuming of course someone near you had the skills to do it, that is.
Thank you, Great info. I was Nike Hercules-Nuke in the 80’s and the scenario our leaders (NATO) advised was to expect 3 (three) EMP’s, a 1 (one) hour pause from the last one.
Bicycles. Not one post-apocalyptic movie has a bicycle anywhere in it, even though the world is already littered with them. Viggo Mortenson and the kid could have covered a lot more ground on The Road if they just grabbed a couple of bikes.
WHAT YEAR JEEP VEHICLE WOULD BE BEST FOR EMP protection? And what parts shouls I keep for it?
This sentence was pulled from the article.
“The ideal post-EMP vehicle is a diesel pickup or SUV with a stick shift and a carbureted engine.”
Diesel engines don’t have carburetors.
The older ones had mechanical injection pumps.
Older gas engines have carburetors.
If you buy a old carbureted car and it has electronic ignition you are probably still screwed.
This sentence was pulled from the article.
“The ideal post-EMP vehicle is a diesel pickup or SUV with a stick shift and a carbureted engine.”
Diesel engines don’t have carburetors.
The older ones had mechanical injection pumps.
Older gas engines have carburetors.
If you buy an old carbureted car and it has electronic ignition you are probably still screwed.
Really,a carbureted diesel?!?!? You are an IDIOT!!!!!! EMP proof that moron!!!!
My garage is 3 concrete just below ground level on 3 sides with the typical aluminum exterior, solid foam filled interior garage doors, any thoughts that with a few adjustments in the sealing of gaps etc as to the protection this space will afford in an EMP situation.
Structure needs to be a complete metal cage, all 4 sides plus ceiling AND floor. Once you’ve done that (I assume your floor is not metal), you need to seal ALL the seams with conductive material as best as you can, which is no small task.
I was wondering-and perhaps the wrong forum or this question may have already been answered earlier
1974 Chevrolet Monte Carlo with 350 CID V8 and auto transmission? Any Faraday cage ideas? I was planning on getting one of these for the road trip post Sierra Hotel Tango Foxtrot (I was ex-USN 2007 to 2010 Seabees Construction Mechanic E-3) and thought of putting some spares in a Faraday cage in the trunk-any thoughts on this type of placement? Would this be the wrong type of vehicle on flat roads (I live in south Florida-Interstate 95 and county roads around) to get out? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated?
If it’s bone stock, a 1974 vehicle is old enough that it probably won’t have any engine components that are susceptible to an EMP. If it’s been converted to electronic ignition (as many cars have, such as this one: https://www.jegs.com/i/Proform/778/66991/10002/-1?CAWELAID=1710537765&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=44693592161&CATCI=pla-208885075271&CATARGETID=230006180039216922&cadevice=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2pLHk-mC2wIVVZ7ACh0-HARnEAQYAyABEgI6xvD_BwE) you might want to pick up another full set and keep them in a Faraday cage. Other than this, your car will run fine but the radio will probably be EMP fried. Hope this helps.
Hello Omi-
Thanks for the suggestion-have been looking at an old 74 Chevy Monte Carlo as a daily driver advertised online-the one I am looking at looks bone stock-from what I have read those cars came with GM HEI ignitions-should I try and find a way to convert to mechanical points ignition (besides taking an old motor out of a 60s Chevy car and putting that into the Monte)
I have my ham radio and portable CB that I will keep in a Faraday cage and take it out when I need it-the car radio I don’t need as much
Any thoughts about road travel? Roads to avoid in Sierra Hotel Tango Foxtrot? Many thanks to you and anyone else out there
Happy to help. Any good mechanic or shop who specializes in older cars should be able to convert your ignition back to points and condenser, although the car won’t be as reliable as a daily driver if you do so. Might be a better idea to keep a separate set of electronic ignition parts in your Faraday cage.
Roads to avoid in SHTF would be the interstates, because they’ll be clogged with Sheeple all trying to escape the cities. Make sure you have a good set of paper maps in the car, and take the time to learn ALL the surface roads that could get you out of the city and to your destination, as you may have to try several before you find one that’s passable. Also make sure you have really good tires on the Monte Carlo, since it’s definitely not an off road vehicle, and consider carrying a couple of spare tires and a good jack.
Hope this helps.
Are you EMP sensitive? I see the waves and electrical eyes open and shut, most of these cars hook me at least a block-5 away. How did you evaluate this list?
Does this mean “electric cars” are EMP sickly?
THANK YOU for web site-not to be argumentative with your research.
Yes, electric cars will likely be completely destroyed by an EMP, as they are full of circuit boards and chips.
I don’t understand at all what you mean by this: “Are you EMP sensitive? I see the waves and electrical eyes open and shut, most of these cars hook me at least a block-5 away.” Please explain?
are classic muscle cars safe? like a 76-era camaro, or maybe a renault alpine a310?
Anything prior to about 1980 is likely to be less EMP-susceptible than cars newer than that. However, many of those cars have been upgraded to electronic ignition systems, which may be impacted. So, it depends on (a) which vehicle you have, and (b) how original it is. Hope this helps.
I think this is not really much of a problem.
See: http://www.empcommission.org/docs/A2473-EMP_Commission-7MB.pdf
On page 115, the report states:
“Automobiles were subjected to EMP environments under both engine turned off and engine turned on conditions. No effects were subsequently observed in those automobiles that were not turned on during EMP exposure. The most serious effect observed on running
automobiles was that the motors in three cars stopped at field strengths of approximately 30 kV/m or above. In an actual EMP exposure, these vehicles would glide to a stop and require the driver to restart them. Electronics in the dashboard of one automobile were damaged and required repair. Other effects were relatively minor. Twenty-five automobiles exhibited malfunctions that could be considered only a nuisance (e.g., blinking dashboard lights) and did not require driver intervention to correct. Eight of the 37 cars tested did not exhibit any anomalous response. “
AS I UNDERSTAND IT THEY STOPPED THE TEST (THEY WERE RENT CARS) AS SOON AS A PROBLEM APPEARED. ALSO THAT’S A VERY LOW FIELD STRENGTH. PLEASE EXCUSE UPPER CASE, BAD EYES
I agree. I have read that test report all the way through. They were the personally owned cars of the participants in the test. Some may have been rented, but mostly privately owned cars.
Naturally, one’s scientific curiosity does not usually extend to destroying one’s private automobile The test was shut down when some of the cars started to show symptoms of problems.
As far as I am concerned, this test is useless to provide any meaningful data re EMP and automobiles.
It is my paranoid personal opinion that we will not see any meaningful test reports from the government. We have Greenies in many positions of influence. How would they react if the government announced that every hybrid or fully electric car failed dismally in a simulated EMP test? How would the buying public react? Would Prius sales go up or down do you suppose?
And, of course, despite the fact that congressional committees set up to study the problem have reported that we are in a world of hurt due to either an EMP, CME or grid attack, nothing remains done. Congress acts as if they ignore it, nothing bad will happen.
However, I have read that the chairman of that committee who has since retired from congress has moved his family to an isolated, off-grid farm in West Virginia hill country. Hmm. Wonder if that is true or not? Wonder if he knows something congress refuses to acknowledge?
Modern tires are actually conductive which means your car is naturally grounded. Tire rubber is black because of added carbon/graphite. If tires weren’t conductive the static electricity generated by the car body passing through the air would almost create lightening.
I own a CUCV. I assure you that they do NOT have powerful engines. 135 HP at 3600 RPM. And no, they don’t make a lot of torque, either. Equipped with TH400 transmissions and 3.08 gears, “peppy” is not a proper adjective.
Well I am trying to get everything in line and prepare for my family that doesn’t have the funds to to be ready for this kind of emergency. AS for me at near 69 years old, I’m on the down hill side of life. And one comforting thing about this is If I die I’m ready. I have made peace with my Lord and that is something you all should think of as well. Then there is no panic in your inner being to give you a frantic anxiety attack in an EMP. This world will come to an end as we know it. It is in the instruction book. God’s word. I was in an auto accident once. I was knocked unconscious and I didn’t feel the pain that put me in that state. But I sure did when I came to. So if your life is snuffed out in an instant, You probably wont fell any pain when you check out anyway. Yet we all fear that unknown anyway. So remove the fear and be ready.
Is a 18 wheeler emp proof ?,
Just wondered how long I would be safe driving around in my EMP proof vehicle after everybody else found that theirs would not work or… worse, quit while they were out on the road when the EMP strike happened? I’d probably need to be armed to the teeth, huh? I think it would be better to Bug In.
Having a working vehicle after an EMP will *DEFINITELY* make you a HUGE target. I’d say use it just once to get out of town and to your permanent bug-out location.
I don’t know about the Harley as not of that model, but for all the others, They all have alternators, and in those alternators are electronic diodes, any diode or transistor, integrated circuit, including solar cells which are just light diodes will be destroywe by any EMP
Trucker did ask a good question. Would a tractor trailer make a good cage or at least the start on one?
The tractor would not. Most modern semi-tractors have all kinds of electronics in them. The trailer if the body were all aluminum and could be sealed tightly could act as a Faraday cage. One would have to insure that nothing was touching the metal sides. A trailer unit is just a big Conex box on wheels. Conex boxes have been suggested as Faraday cage devices so there is no reason why a metal trailer unit could not be so used.
The tractor portion of the tractor-trailer would be toast along with all the other cars on the road.
Would be the classic mini ok for this, or in general classic cars?
I started collecting CB radios. I figure some type of comm system would be good to keep up with family members and friends. I have quite a few but it has become more of an obsession. I have 5 or 6 down stairs stored and 3 or 4 not just stored. They all work, too. Batteries are good and kept on trickle chargers. Transportation is going to be my problem. Cold weather and wet weather conditions will not be a problem. Hunting and fishing is decent around here but dropping a hammer anywhere, after the shtf will give away your position. Bow or snares for hunting will be the way to go, in my opinion, for smaller game. Learn from the animals you hunt, too. Walking in the woods can be modified to walking heel toe but walking toe heel can be quieter. Know the weather. Some animals will be sitting tight during a rain storm or a drizzle. If there is a strong northward wind, a deer will be on a southern hill side and it will have its ears going in every direction and its nose will be in the air trying to hear or smell a predator coming. I’m a country boy that learned a lot from my elders. Some of the things I have collected may just be a waste of time and money. Who knows. What I do know is that those who didn’t prepare for a shtf scenario are going to be coming for what we preppers do have. This is when it will get very real, very quick. Even cooking a meal could put you in harm’s way. Think of a bear roaming the woods and smells a meal being cooked. The same goes for a hungry human. That bear will come for that food just as a human would. Learn how to use snares and dead falls and such. Buy some traps but don’t wait very long. I have a feeling that this is coming sooner than we anticipated. Figure pout alternatives to everything. Heat, electric, food, water sources. For the sake of your health, learn how to use a fire starter properly. I have watched survival shows where the firestarter is 6 to 8 inches from the tinder. That’s ridiculous! Save dryer lint1 lol It works for starting fires! lol Pine cones and pine sap is great, too. These are things that I do and what works for me may not work for you. I got a bit off target here and I apologize. Good luck.
Nice write, Yank! Im always curious what “neck of the woods” people are in..??
Im in South Central Alaska. Having spent most of my life in the lower 48 and moving here well over a decade ago, I see so many things that where you are at changes the way you look at things and do things. For me, water is a real challenge. Some areas have permafrost.. Gotta bury lines much deeper in the ground to stay below frost depth (if you arent in permafrost). Regardless, one still must take concern for frozen water lines. This then gives way to keeping them from freezing. Easy to say to use heat tape.. but do you realize how much wattage that burns up from you limited electrical off grid system?!! So, you develop other methods. My idea is to run 3 sizes of PVC coaxially… and gently blow warm cabin air down across the main water line and return it back between the outer wall pipe and the middle pipe. The only cost of operation will be running a small fan that just keeps air moving thru the pipes. Perhaps this is not that clear to some.. but for some perhaps its a spark. I will have to build a separation piece where the water comes in to allow the water pipe to exit, funnel ambient air from the cabin basement to be pushed down the inner pipe and let the outer pipe vent back into the room.
Air condition is not a major concern for us.. but I saw someone do something pretty nifty; they ran a “pipe” that was trenched around the place where the air gets naturally chilled. Perhaps bringing in fresh air.. or perhaps one can recycle the air; from the top of the cabin to the lower levels. Install a fan??
I am putting my freezers in a shed (to protect them and out of sun) on the north side of the cabin. While they will be monitored, they only need power in the warmer times of year. Putting them inside is lubricous! You’re expending energy to heat the place and you’re spending MORE energy to move what seeps into the freezer.. to get it back out. That’s what refrigeration does. It absorbs heat in one area, concentrates it and moves it to a different area.
I am very skeptical about all these people selling books, ilk, on how to do things. One, telling the viewer about gravity water systems; telling the viewer you must have your water storage higher then your outlets. Really? God help them if someone really need this explained to them.. and they are trying to live off grid!
Radios is one of my specialties. I think CB’s is a great communication means for those not so savvy with how radio’s and radio waves work. Standard CB radios are generally AM and will be subject to all manner of static. SSB will improve things. The one thing with CB is it is all based on channels that are all very close.. All 40 channels run from about 26.950 Megahertz (MHz).. to about 27.450 MHz. This allows one to tune equipment/antenna(s) to a midpoint. Convenient. Further, it is yet in lower frequency bands where you can still get skip. Legally, I believe CB is limited to about 150 miles.. and 4 watts output. I dont think, in a SHTF world, the FCC will be spending time tracing down violators however. By comparison, Ham runs from 1.8 MHz to 29.5 MHz on HF and sometimes HF includes the 6 m band (54MHz) as HF. Then you have, mostly, VHF and UHF.. 144MHz and 435 MHz. Changing bands means different antennas or retuning the antenna.. perhaps changing equipment.. all this is generally much more complicated then most are ready to tackle.
Critters.. depending on where you are at you might not have a means suitable to store the meat if you take a deer (moose in my neck of the woods).. so small game is important. A couple of grouse are easy to take and little to worry about preserving for later. One expected small game shot no one is expecting is harder to figure out where it came from. A second shot allows people to zero in where it came from. Make that one shot count.
OK. This is already to long!
100, and 110 octane low lead fuel can be had at airports, just bring cans in saying you have a field at home and need to fuel your Cessna 172. 93 octane non alcohol can be had there, too. Just buy in 10 gal amounts so as to not raise suspicions. I believe Jet A fuel can be had in small quantities, which is nothing but pure kerosene (I believe) which would be great for oil lamps and such. Very few gas stations have K-1 Kero any more due to the banning of indoor kerosene heaters and buying it at Wal-Mart is highway robbery. Yeah, the stuff is expensive, more so than at your local station, but then you have to deal with 10% ethanol which really can screw up your valves or mechanical fuel pumps on 1980 or older truck engines. I have a ’79 GMC C-1500 “Heavy Half” with a regular distributor in it I got cheap on the side of the road ($450) I’ve rebuilt and put good tires on it. A great bug out truck even if it isn’t 4wd. A winch on the front bumper solved that. It even has antique tags on it! I used rattle cans of flat forest green on the body, and black on the bumpers before I insured and registered it in my name so that I could say that it came that way no matter what the VIN# said. Some Probate offices take pictures of antique vehicles to make sure that they are actually 30+ years old, and you actually are “restoring” it. I’ve got an 220 volt ac generator under the hood that can be split into two 110 volt circuits to run stuff in the house during blackouts. It is pretty well shielded from EMP events cause it is not in circuit when not being used. 9 KW out when needed, but not used until the sky stops with the artificial “Northern Lights” caused by an aggravated ionosphere. Anybody got any useful suggestions about what to add besides Kevlar?
I believe Jet fuels have chemical agents added to them to prevent moisture in the fuel from separating out… might cause a flame out of a jet engine when at altitude. Pretty cold when a jet gets 30,000 feet.
Local airport here big enough for small jets. Get their fuel from same place big jets gets their fuel.
Im wondering if I missed something in your post.. It sounded like you are saying your truck alternator is capable of 120/240 volts.. and attached to mounted on the engine under the hood! Having a hard time “seeing” this! Automobile alternators (other than special purpose designs) are typically 3 phase internally.. have a set of diode units that rectify the 3 phases to DC, and the field is the armature fed by a pair of uncommutated brushes; the field voltage is controlled .. causing the output voltage to be controlled. Totally unsuitable for 120/240. A 120/240 generator/alternator works the same basically but is wound to be all one phase.. and the half way point becomes your neutral. Some, have two separate windings, each separate. You can wire them so each is parallel.. providing twice the 120 amperage but only 120vac or in series, provide same ampacity as a single winding.. but twice the voltage.
I am not sure what you are saying you have! Need to follow your thread back further!
I’ve enjoyed the list very much!
Though If you try to find one of these for sale now, you’ll see a common situation nearly every time.
People will add the “Classic car tax” on their listing as much as they can, and if it has a manual transmission, usually a “Manual Tax” is added too, purely because of enthusiasts. They will charge thousands of dollars above face value, for anything remotely vintage in good condition, let alone running and driving, because that’s also years of preventative maintenance, and repairs to get to that point. (Assuming they were actually taken care of well.)
Since they’re 30+ year old machines, with a lot of moving parts, things will naturally wear down and break and need further maintaining, so it would probably be difficult to find parts for International Harvesters, vintage Harleys, old Jeep Cherokees and CJs, Volkswagen things, or old Land Rovers in general, especially since the internet would more than likely be dead. Toyota Land Cruisers and Hiluxes are highly collectable, so you’ll probably only see one for less than $10k if one caught on fire, out of all seriousness.
Aside from that, the fact that these vehicles are sturdy is certainly true, though not affordable to the common working man.
I recently discovered a very affordable place to get parts for older VWs, Fords, Mercedes, Toyotas, Dodge, GMCs, Studebakers, and I’m sure that you can find parts for any number other brands. The catch is that you have to stock up in advance and deal with crossing the USA border with Mexico.
I’ve been working on restoring my father’s 1942 3/4 ton truck, that is an actual WWII vet. This was originally built by Willys, but I have a lot of trouble finding OEM parts, so I have replaced it with a Dodge engine and transmission. Parts were surprisingly expensive in the US, so when I was visiting friends who have moved Mexico, I spent a couple days visiting junkyards and was very pleased to find parts for my project. I also found lots of 1970’s VWs, Ford pickups, and even a 47 Studebaker transmission. I won’t promised that it works, but it was siting there in a sad state.
If you live never the border, it’s not a bad deal. We loaded up all the parts I needed, as well, as spares, in boxes in the toy hauler and came back into the USA. It took about two hours to cross the border because I hadn’t given any thought to a northbound rush hour.
If I can get this old M47 restored, it will be stashed at one of our bug out spots. While it is not completely EMP resistant, it comes pretty darn close. The generators, points and wires are the only thing that I see as possible failure points, assuming that I have failed to seal up the cage completely.
I found this the other day. Does anyone know if these things might work if installed on your car and home? I do not know enough about it to vet the info. EMP Shield. about $350 at empshield.com
Another source of gasoline could be aviation gas, it’s blended to stay fresh longer.
It will not work in fuel injection vehicles. Carb vehicles will work, might have to pull the sparkplugs and clean the lead off. Just carry spare plugs.
AV gas will not work in injection systems?? Not in my field of experience but my understanding is its mostly just a high grade gasoline.. higher octane…
My experience is mostly around military jets. JP5 and similar. These fuels are basically kerosene.. but I understand there is some differences. For one, jet fuel has additives to aid with moisture condensation. Having a pocket of water instead of fuel induced into a jet engine.. or having pockets of water free up in fuel lines can have some disastrous consequences. It has been my understanding that these additives, when burned in kerosene lamps indoors, can be very unhealthy.
Bottom line, be careful when you choose aviation fuels! (I wouldn’t hesitate to burn jet fuel in my diesel generator, with the addition of oil as kerosene alone doesn’t have enough lubrication properties for the pump, injectors).
On a side note, biodiesel mixed with kerosene SHOULD generally a good mix! Biodiesel is generally “excessively” lubricating and lower energy then Petro diesel.
When was the last time you saw one of those vehicles being driven on an Amer. highway?
Too many Americans do not want to own a car that’s as old as those vehicles. Anyone who owns one that old considered to be a cave dweller.
You should include Rezvani Tank
Why wouldn’t you want the frame grounded to the earth when the vehicle is parked? Seems that it would offer a safe path of least resistance, around electrical components, for the energy to dump to? Possibly even preventing the steel belting encased in the rubber of the tires from heating up enough to cause problems with the life of the tires?
Feel free to insult and heckle my question, I have a twisted sense of humor older than my 79’ Toyota pickup,
When the statement “The ideal post-EMP vehicle is a diesel pickup or SUV with a stick shift and a carbureted engine.” was made at the beginning of this article, I lost all faith that this article is accurate and something I should use.
Don’t mix diesel pickup and suv with a stick shift and a carbureted engine together. It’s two separate vehicles.
I’m not sure the year ranges of the models of cars you list will survive an EMP. Electronic ignitions replaced points and condenser ignition systems in most vehicles in 1974. It’s my understanding those EI’s would be fried in an EMP event.
In an EMP situation, gas is only going to last so long and then…? How many have a petroleum distillation facility that can regularly receive a supply of crude for distillation purposes? Yeah, me neither. I know many here bash the hell out of ethanol, but you know what? Ethanol is something that can be produced after an EMP. I would think a flex fuel vehicle that can run on either gas or ethanol would be helpful except most of those are highly susceptible to EMPs due to their electronics. An older vehicle with the requisite components for a conversion as well as comprised of easy to scavenge parts (incl tires) would probably be ideal.