EMP on smaller house items.......

[arcangel911]

As I was walking through Home Depot yesterday, I walked by a sprinkler controller box and as I was looking at it, I got curious about something.

"How would small appliances work or even at all after a EMP or a solar storm event?"

Not having anything better to do at the moment, I walked through the store and got more curious by the moment. Some items that technology has re-vamped especially lately were the ones I had the most interest in-

stoves that no longer have dials
ovens that no longer have dials and rely on touch button settings
sprinkler system controls with touch or computer settings
washing machines with no dials
home security boxes
computers
safes with touch numbers instead of dials- (I was thinking also about gun safes with touch button tech)
HVAC control boxes
fridges that have more gizmo's than I have fingers (it's a refrigerator)
and the list goes on.... ( while doing this, I assumed a grid up scenario)

I haven't seen many specials on EMP effects on smaller appliances and motors. I have only seen the reports, books on possibilities and the shows on EMP on cars and how some can be restarted.

But the most curious one I found was keyless front door locks. As I read the package- it said on one of the number code ones ( The one where you punch the buttons to let yourself in) - *"Not recommended for places with frequent or long power outages" (in very small print on the back).

Curiousity got the better of me and I asked for assistance in what that meant.... Luckily, the helper didn't know so we went and looked it up in the computer. -It seems that 24 hours without power, the door will unlock itself and or reset the codes when power is restored after a long period of no power. Or even a major power surge will cause a reset. Some of them run on batteries, and some do not- where they draw the power from, I have no idea.

Imagine getting home after walking home from work after a SHTF and the door will not open... or worse yet, someone was able to walk on in with no problem...

Your thoughts??????

From Star Trek 3-
Scotty: The more they overthink the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain. :cool:

[TerryK]

You are absolutely right. Many of our everyday appliances wouldnt work after an emp. What is so sad is that many items were fully functional and worked well before someone got ahold of them and digitized them. I never had any problem figuring out the microwave when they had a dial for time and another one for power. Now they have a programming manual. I always wondered why they took simple and functional things and made them more complicated and suceptable to failure. Then I realized its cheaper to add a 25 cent microchip with some membrane touch switches than to install even a couple of mechanical parts.

[Okie]

store vital electronics in a faraday cage- remarkably easy to make. and vehicles won't be as affected as most people might think.

i know i'm ressurecting this but i thought i'd just give you an answer- look into building a, nearly free, faraday cage

[barfife]

Most things I have tried to address, got a back up or planned an alternate, but I had not thought of the digital lock on my gun safe! Crap!

[Bill Foster]

I read something recently concerning a faraday cage. A microwave oven is the perfect faraday cage as it is designed to hold radio waves in, therefore they will hold the waves out. My thoughts..you can make your own cages with chicken wire and 2x4s or for a cheaper idea...purchase used microwave ovens from the second-hand stores or the Starvation Army stores. $10-15 is a cheap way out to protect your backup 2-way radios and multi-band receivers.

[monkeybird]

I like the idea of buying an old microwave oven to use for emergency equipment.

As far as the rest of the household items, if there were an EMP strong enough to fry those appliances, then there will be no electricity (unless you have solar) to use them with anyway.

[arcangel911]

Bill Foster- You are on the right path. However, a Faraday cage's wire needs to be smaller from what I have read and witnessed in science classes. The most recommended is aluminum brite screen for screen doors. The smaller the area of entry the better, chicken wire I am not entirely sure how good it would be in stopping a EMP. The larger the opening, the easier it is for "waves" to get in. A microwave is a great small Faraday cage for sure. Either way, after a EMP both wires can be used for many different things. The microwave though... not so much ;)

Another easy solution is a Aluminum Garbage can with the metal lid securely fastened. Granted, nothing that you want to be "safe" can be next to the metal when inside. But this solution is quick and easy to manage. (Another one out there is ammo cans or canisters... never seen one, but I know they are recommended.

You Tube has some great videos and demos of how to construct Faraday cages and how they work.

As far as a cage large enough for a gun safe.... that could be a fun project. Or perhaps, maybe just convert the digital into a old fashioned combo style lock. ( I do not envy the man or woman who has to break into a gun safe is this issue should occur.)

[arcangel911]

Correction- Apparently you can use chicken wire, as long as it is finely meshed.... my mistake :(

http://preparednesspro.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/emp-101-part-iv-faraday-cage/

[Irish-Tech]

I honestly wouldn't worry about the an EMP. but its never a idea to have a second inverter stored in a closet. you can buy anti static bags, just wrap it in that in the box in a closet and your set. the other appliance's you can probably live without. power to run your water well pump, maybe even your hot water heater would be really nice. Just buy old appliances that don't have computer's - in my opinion they wrong better anyways.

[Klayton]

Correction- Apparently you can use chicken wire, as long as it is finely meshed.... my mistake :(

http://preparednesspro.wordpress.com...-faraday-cage/

Finely meshed chicken wire? I do not think there is such a thing, or are we calling aluminum window screen chicken wire Post SHTF? :)

[Bill Foster]

In the past, I have seen and used galvanized welded wire that has squares that are so small you can't get your index finger through it. Remember also that the cage has to be grounded. According to those who have built them, a ground rod in the ground connected with copper wire. The test is to try putting a radio inside the box and see if a strong radio station does not get inside. I haven't tried it myself, but I am going to wrap my generator in one just in case; it has electronic ignition.