Just finished a three extra cages, just in case we get some sort of warning. I'll put in a whole list. I have a station set up with aluminium tape, foil, Dr Bradley's EMP bags, scissors, box knife, freezer bags, etc.
great ideas I wasn't aware of the gotennas and I am currently looking at all my options as a alt comm system between my family and friends thank you very much for this vital information .
7:04 that Fluke multimeter is already shielded on the inside. I also suggest a portable soldering iron if you plan to check and repair various electronics during an emergency situation.
I have multiply Faraday cages holding a variety of things...some of the most important of the are a few tablets and a LOT of M-SD cards holding almost a million ebooks. The ebooks contain a huge amount of knowledge from things like cooking & sewing to school books to science books up to quantum theory...and most stuff in between. Some of the other cages hold items like rechargeable batteries...DC>DC chargers...small solar panels...inverters (pure sine)...volt/current meters...shortwave/ham radios...etc. You can also check out larger truck stops for 12VDC appliances...the bigger ones have a pretty wide selection of devices that can run off of standard 12V batteries. Remember 2 is 1...1 is none. Keep 3 backups for every item if you can considering cost & space needed to store them. Of course there is a large selection of ebooks for entertainment as well...I like a good read :)
@@disasterprepper I have tens of thousands of those. I keep a very wide collection in my Reference Materials sections. From tying knots to books on flora & fauna to plumbing & electrical. Even how to generate power using solar reflectors and molten salt for heat generation...desalinization as well which ties in to the need for salt to make steam power. I also have a wide variety of repair manuals for a lot of different types of machinery and automobiles. Lately I have also been expanding my video libraries to include as much homesteading, human & veterinary medicine, cooking (both urban & rustic), building & repair of drawn carriages and wagons, etc. While I may not have the physical capabilities to perform a lot of the things needed to be done...I hope to be able to guild others in these areas.
@@gregorythomas333 I’m working on similar. Can you share your primary source for acquiring this volume and variety of ebooks? Storing them is the easy part. It’s the workflow of locating them, ebook format management, categorizing them, and mostly importantly not spending a fortune on paid versions etc. that presents the considerable challenge (at least to me...LOL). I can provide direct email if you’d rather discuss directly. Thanks in advance.
@@jonarmstrong3891 There is a ton of them here: ps-survival[dot]com 6922 Files 14.8 GB Last Updated 15 Jan 2017 These are older ones but a good start. You can email me at: myname369(at)gmail[dot]com (note that "gregory thomas" is without spaces) Please put the term "E-BOOKS" in the subject line so I can find it.
Hi Doc. THANK YOU!!! You are a phenomenal source of EMP protection in a vast world of nonsense. Just a few items I have included in our Faraday “Cages”: (2 x modified Greenlee “Job Boxes” for the larger and more valuable items as they are quite sturdy AND 3 x more w/o any shielding mods that we use to store 50 cal. ammo cans w/actual ammo of assorted calibers) (4 x “Ammo Can F.Cages”) (2 x “20 gal. Garbage Can Cages”) ================================/= ADDITIONAL IDEAS FOR ITEMS TO SECURE: - Multimeter & Clamp ammeter & “600v contactless voltage probe” & cheap receptacle/gfci tester - vehicle battery chargers (1x large “jump start” sears unit & 2 small 12vdc “trickle” float/maintainer type ) - 2-way portable handheld radios (4x VHF / 4x UHF) & 1 “gang” 6-unit charger & 8 AC desktop chargers &. 2x lithium batts per radio) - UHF mobile radios (compact / 12vdc) 2x Motorola XTL’s for analog + P25 // 2x Hytera MD782’s for analog + DMR - 12vdc power supplies for the mobile radios (to use them as temp “base stations”) - UHF repeaters (1x Motorola Quantar for analog + project-25 // 1x Hytera RD982 for analog + DMR TDMA) - 4x “mobile” type notch duplexers & 2x BpBr duplexers (the BpBr units are already tuned to my licensed freq pair and the notch units are pre-tuned to the more common GMRS freq pairs used in my area and can be easily re-tuned if necessary) - Spectrum Analyzer & RF testing gear (for repairs / maintenance to radio gear / duplexer and cavity tuning, etc..) - Spare commonly used “spare parts” for all generators here (generac standby & Honda eu2200i’s & EU3000i) - Tons of spare components & parts & FUSES. (& a handful of circuit breakers in commonly used sizes // Square D-QO for our home and a second box of common brands & ratings for family and friends and to barter) - Battery operated combo smoke/carbon monoxide detectors & gas leak detectors & lithium batteries for all. Should be part of any prepper kit! - 2 cheap (but surprisingly good quality) PTZ (pan/tilt/zoom) cctv cameras. ANALOG !! with separate DC power input & 300’ premade outdoor-direct burial cat-7 cable for video signal / audio signal / ptz rs485 signaling - small battery operated monitor for cctv w/12vdc input as well. To be continued.... (running late for dinner and watch more BLM & Antifa scumbags burn up our cities)
@@classicjoe8014 our “primary” home security cctv gear is mostly Bosch and a bunch of Speco cameras. The Ultra-Cheap PTZ IP cameras are on Amazon for around $200-400@. The only problem is that they require an IP network to be functional. I have used the WiFi feature in them and it works, just not all that fast and stable. But would definitely be great to have in a crisis. My primary home gear is all hard-wired. When I built my home, I owned a security company. As I was a Bosch/Radionics dealer, I basically was required to use their brands in my home. As it was our first home, I was a bit disappointed at the cost of the higher tier gear, so I spent more $$ and my labor running tons of cable. I used only Belden brand wire and also ran a ton of PVC conduit and “Innerduct” flexible corrugated tubing in the walls during the electrical “rough-in”. Most of the tubing and conduit was left EMPTY to permit easy wire fishing later on. I selected approximately 12 outdoor locations where I thought I would eventually like to have cameras. Each location got the following cabling run from the camera “future location” down to the basement telecom/alarm room. 1x RG6-QS coax for composite video signal 1x RG59 coax for composite video (spare) 1x Cat-6 UTP structured cabling (for future IP cameras / RS-485 data signaling for PTZ ops) % 1x 20/4 shielded stranded twisted pair (audio functions - microphones in or adjacent o cameras & to feed exterior speakers with integrated amps) 1x16/4 stranded twisted pair (12vdc power: 1 pair for camera / 1 pair for PTZ motor loads) 1x Cat-5e riser UTP cable (I had 20,000 feet left over from a large commercial job and was moving to Cat6 , so just threw it in for spare/future use) This was back in 2006 or so and IP (POE) cameras were far too expensive/ rare to install. Fortunately, I had run tons of spare cable. It made the transition to IP quite easy. The average mini PTZ camera back then ->>. Cost approximately $2800 ! Nowadays... a good quality one ->> costs approximately $600-800. Good luck !
Great video. You nailed all the ones I have. I have different Faraday cage boxes: Computing, Comms, Medical, Engineering, Power, Lighting, Transportation, and Navigation. For Comms: I chose a pair of 23 channel 5W handheld CB Walkie-Talkie Radios with large collaspable antennas and optional mini flex antennas. I also have a hand held shortwave/ham radio with flex antenna and optional external high gain antenna. I don't have a ham license but in disaster mode I don't think the FCC will be giving out citations and fines. I also have a multiband battery/solar/crank radio receiver and a hand held multi band scanner. And a small LED TV that can pick up NTSC and Digital on VHF/UHF. One thing I have that many might not have is a Crystal Radio - it only picks up strong local AM stations but it uses energy from the radio waves to power the ear piece (no batteries). I also have a separate Faraday box that I can toss my cell phone in if there is any warning. It doesn't make sense to have a dedicated long term storage cell phone and pay for it while not being able to use it in storage. If it and the towers survive an EMP, they will be handy - at least as a hand held computer. I keep hand crank generator, battery chargers, wall warts, and power inverters in the Power box. I also keep a wide array of disposable and rechargeable batteries in that box. Computing is a small laptop, some thumb drives, and a 800 Gbyte USB hardrive. I also keep a solar/battery calculator in there. I keep and old CRT scope, analog and digital multimeters, some other test equipment, and a TI-92+ graphing calculator in the Engineering box. I keep incandescent, fluorescent, and LED flashlights (one is a black light and one is IR) in the Lighting box. I even have a hand chargeable LED flashlight - you shake it for a few minutes and it charges a high capacity capacitor inside for a few minutes of light. It is water tight and floats too. Reading others ideas. And OBD reader may be good, but unless the car is in a EMP level Faraday Cage, ALL of the electronics will be wiped out. I have a 15 speed mountain bike, and a vintage 70's small motor cycle that uses points and carburetor (no electronic ignition or fuel injection). The coil, plugs, condenser, tachometer, and spark wires are kept in their own TransportationFaday Box along with a spare battery (acid kept separately) and spare lamps and bulbs. The speedometer is mecanical. I saw someone has a metal detector, I have one, need to put that in the Enginnering box. Smoke/CO detectors too... good idea, thanks! I need to get some Geiger counters and some neutron dose badges.
Doctor, could you please talk about building a medium size faraday cage, perhaps 4’ x 4’ x 4’ that sits in a shed or garage. Materials needed and construction process. I would use it for a small inverter generator as well as the items you laid out for us, thx so much!
@@SuperFlatrock No one that I know of has studied this in depth, so it's hard to comment objectively on their susceptibility. My guess is that the more sophisticated the generator, the more susceptible. A simple hand-crank generator might not be very susceptible, but one with power regulation and other electronics would be more susceptible. They are such an important preparation that it probably makes sense to assume the worst.
SuperFlatrock one thing you might consider is to determine if any sensitive components are on your generator then buy replacement components. Store the spares in a faraday cage. That’s what I’ve done for my whole house generator.
The $TREE has Scientific Calculators ($1-small but functional) which would be an invaluable trade item. Remove the batteries, wrap batteries and calculator in separate baggies and then wrap them with Aluminum Foil. Store in your Faraday cage. Just an idea.
Maybe an OBD reader would be a good include. There seems to be a lot of debate on how vehicles would be effected, so along with your multi-meter that could be a good diagnostic tool for vehicles.
Great advice, I have faraday cages around my dual fuel propane generator, old ipads and laptops, solar panels, inverters, solar controllers, solar generator, sat phone, GMRS radios, scanners, SDR thumb drive, GPS, ham radios, and lithium batteries. I have printed hard copies of all important files in my safe just in case.
I have never owned and have never used a cell phone. That trend will not change. ... The Geiger Counter makes some sense. I think I'll get one. There's nobody that I know within 200 miles that I would want to talk to remotely, and even if there was it is highly likely that they would be completely silenced anyway. I have, however, backed-up about 10 gigs of irreplaceable research files to an external Solid-State Flash Drive that I do store in a Faraday Box/Cage.
I have all sorts of stuff like that, two way radios, extra hard drive, etc. and they are not in the faraday cages I made. Thanks for this list. I will add them in.
Civilians are no longer able to listen to Police & Fire transmissions, because they are now on special "trunk networks" which is sort of a local cell network provided by a private company. Ham radios are the best way to monitor or communicate with any kind of emergency crews.
This makes me really think about making a small box that can handle at least all my power tool batteries. I think I'd be willing to roll the dice so to speak with the tools themselves, simply because they're so large and hard to store/access during non-EMP events... seems like it'd be bonkers to make a cage capable of keeping 20+ various power tools protected. Maybe I can go get a big used microwave and gut it for its cage and just store batteries in it.
I get that the reactors would go into meltdown when unattended, eventually. Most have 3 step automation and backup systems.. they are built like bunkers to store the rods and withstand seismic activity.. additionally the shield snshrouding the core and to a limited degree the complex should act as a Faraday cage itself for the central computer and rod sensors, could be wrong though.. my main point is that you wouldn't have to wait until after the NUKES have all detonated to pull out the geiger.
Great video as usual, it's nice to see you making another EMP related video instead of Scamdemic related videos. I was wondering if you could do some testing for EMP protection related to shipping containers? I have a shipping container we store things in, I know there are small gaps in the skin of it, but it would be interesting to see what your tests show. Maybe considered layered testing in a shipping container. Also maybe some solutions or requirements to seal it well enough to provide enough protection. I current store an entire solar setup (panels, inverter, and charger) in my container I haven't gotten around to installing for instance. Thanks!
Hi Devin, I tested a shipping container last summer. If you search my channel, you'll find it. The bottom line was that it provided modest shielding. My belief is that most of the leakage is through the seam around the door. There are, of course, ways to address that.
Electrical power will be at a premium in a grid down situation. You need to make every stored electron count. I would choose a small Android tablet over a laptop computer for that reason. Ideally more than one. Smaller screen means less power. As long as it has a reasonable amount of memory and can be expanded with an SD card, Bluetooth, and a USB port or will support via USB OTG, you're good to go. The Android phone can be your backup device. You can plug in flash drives full of personal documents, books, music, videos (movies), magazines, etc. Flash drives today are relatively cheap and can store an entire library full of information. You can add a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, and speakers to get laptop versatility. With the right software, that USB port will also host an SDR (Software Defined Radio) dongle that allow you to quickly and easily scan (visually) the entire electromagnetic spectrum for any transmitting stations. The airwaves will be very quiet and those transmitting will most likely not be doing it very long since it takes a lot of power. The SDR with a good long antenna will pick up worldwide and SSB (Single Side Band) communications. IMHO, those little shortwave radios with a hand crank are glorified toys. If you really want a good survival receiver (small, stingy on power, SSB), look at the CountyComm GP-7 (approx. $100). Some stations may only transmit a couple minutes a day at a specific time. The GP-7 can be programmed to come on automatically at a preset time and frequency to catch that transmission. However, I don't know how you are going to set your clock with no time reference. Even a well designed sundial is plus/minus 10 minutes or so.
I put a spare Kindle Fire with a lot of my books in my F cage. Entertainment might be few and far between. Of course there are paper and hard cover books; but the latest ones are on the Kindle. A lot of good ideas below. Wow.
I just found you on TH-cam and I am glad I did. I very much enjoy your experiments and learned so much already. Can you tell me if the diodes in solar panels are susceptible to an EMP? I Have just finished my first Faraday cage and am wondering if I need to protect my solar panels also. I am buying your EMP gaskets, what a life saver. Thank you for all the time you are taking to educate us, it is appreciated.
The data that I have suggests that free-standing solar panels are not susceptible to an EMP. If wires are attached, however, they become susceptible, as is the entire system.
@@disasterprepper there is only the wires with the MC4 connectors but they are not connected to anything. Is that still okay? I read somewhere that there is a diode in them and that could get ‘fried’ in an EMP, is that correct?
@@hummingwind8869 Some systems use blocking diodes that prevent the the backflow of current from the batteries into the panels. Many modern charge controllers do this automatically. If your system has blocking diodes, it makes sense to store a spare set in a Faraday cage. They shouldn't be very expensive. Likewise, some older systems had bypass diodes between panels, but now they're usually built into the panels.
I love that you are a true professional and have the knowledge to back it up! I do have a simple question though most videos show lining the faraday cage with a insulating material, is this true.?
It's fine to line the can with cardboard or other insulative material. Most electronics already come housed in plastic, so it's not typically necessary. Still, it certainly doesn't hurt anything, and it can prevent antennas or power cords from coming into contact with the interior of the can.
You talk about GPS, but I was curious regarding the susceptibility of the GPS satellites to an EMP or Solar flare event. Probably a compass and maps be a good idea to keep on-hand. ;-)
Yes, GPS satellites could certainly be damaged. They do move though, so at some point, you'd likely pick back up a signal, albeit for only hours at a time.
I've always liked your channel and always learn something new here. Sometimes the solar flare/EMP thought can be frustrating to think about. What is the minimum amount of time you could uncover/activate your protected equipment?
An EMP would be over before you knew it happened. A solar even might last longer, but it wouldn't affect small free-standing electronics. Some people worry about a one-two EMP strike, so they would wait to uncover for a while.
I think I could easily fill up a contractor sized wheelbarrow with no problem and not even adding the powered tools, stud finders, or my Minelab metal detector. Put all the electronic items you would want to protect and you will be amazed how much there is.
An old fashioned wind-up watch. Battery operated clock(s). Smallest, lowest wattage appliances you can find. Lamp bases. LED light bulbs. Would you need to store the cord you plan to use with your generator?
I have an old VW powered buggy. It does have an electronic ignition system but, honestly, it would cost far less to buy a spare ignition system and store those parts in a cage. The fabric to protect an entire car is pricy.
I've had a few over the years, and the ones I like best are those by Mazur Instruments. I also spoke to the founder, and he is a long time prepper. Check out some info at www.mazurinstruments.com/geiger-counter-uses/. They have three models discussed at www.mazurinstruments.com/geiger-counter-comparison/. I'm not affiliated with them in any way, I just like their products. There are also refurbished conventional geiger counters at places like ki4u.com. They're good folks too. I used to get my RADStickers from them.
I bought a low wattage small microwave from Walmart that would fit inside the Faraday cage bags as a back up so I could purify or heat water, food, etc. It fits very nicely. I did try the microwave before storing it away, and it works as expected. Also, I keep a couple of your Faraday bags upstairs, one in the linen closet which stores my electric fever thermometer, clippers, spare blow dryer with lower wattage, nebulizer, among others. Which brand Geiger counter and two way radios did you purchase?
Linda Barnes : The good ole’ pressure canner needs no protection from EMP . Place it over an open fire setting on a grate to use . 15 lbs of pressure for 15 minutes sterilizes water and the pressure canner can preserve all kinds of food .
The best data that I have is that free-standing solar panels are not susceptible (at least not enough to be damaged by 50 kV/m). Lithium cells with built in battery management circuitry could be damaged.
How about a short video on how to store items inside a cage. Do you wrap the item in insulating material to avoid contact with the interior walls of the cage is moisture inside the cage an issue to mitigate etc..
Okay, I can address this and other topics in a coming video. The short answer is that if the electronics have exposed metal, then the can should be lined with cardboard or another insulative material. If the electronics are already housed in plastic, then a liner isn't necessary. One thing some folks do is to put their electronics inside EMP bags first and then stow those in the Faraday cage. The EMP bags are insulative on the outside.
@@maryisabell8760 Mylar bags don't seem to provide much shielding, a little, but not nearly as good as a quality EMP bag. Still, if you're going to put it inside a Faraday cage, then it should be enough.
Is there any way that you know of, that would allow for a laptop or computer to be plugged in to power and/or internet, while inside an EMP protected box? I understand that the cables is how the current would enter, but unplugging it and plugging it in could become a hassle if I'm making frequent backups and I'd like to be able to fix that, if possible, by just leaving it plugged in, with protected cables, somehow. I'd be curious if someone has figured this out. Maybe a combination of grounded metal conduit around the power cable, as well as ferrites? What are your thoughts?
There are a few ways. Using grounded metal conduit would help, but it depends on where the power is originating. If it's coming from a free-standing battery, that works well. If it's pulling in utility power, damaging transients would come in on the power line. You could, as you as you said, add ferrites to help knock down those transients, but doing so on data lines is tricky. Another possibility is to use in-line filters, both for the power line and data line. The idea is that the laptop would be in a conductive enclosure, and at the boundary of that enclosure are EMP-proof filters. Companies like ETS-Lindgren sell them, but they are quite expensive. You could buy cheaper filters that aren't military grade though. A cheap reliable option is to have a spare computer and backups of important files stored away in a Faraday cage.
@@disasterprepper What seems to make the most sense and be the easiest solution is making a backup in another cage somewhere. Or just dealing with plugging and unplugging, every time I want to update the data. Thanks for your thoughts!
@@disasterprepper What if my house is already protected at the main panel with the whole house ferrites and surge protector? Could there still be an issue on the internal house romex between the computer and the main breaker?
@@italianpianoman21 Yes, it's possible. The protection at the panel certainly helps significantly, but adding small ferrites on the power cords of susceptible electronics is still a prudent measure.
With your studies and knowledge, how long before you think we are going to need these faraday boxes ? Great education and thank you new sub here . And 1 more question , like l.e.d lights that are rechargeable should be put in a cage correct?
I don't think there's a way to really know when something like this might be needed. The world is so unpredictable at the moment. As for LED flashlights, yes, I recommend storing them in a Faraday cage.
It depends on the size of the generator. If it's a small portable unit, you can probably find a bag large enough to store it in. You could also just put it in a box and wrap the box with aluminum foil. If it's larger, you would probably want to cover it with conductive cloth.
3 questions 1. I have a 4Patriots solar generator that I plan to keep in a faraday cage except for the solar panels. The packaging said it is not necessary to protect the panels in a cage. Do you agree? There is a small black box on the back of each panel with a wire running to be plugged into the generator for charging. 2. I also have a good sized gas generator 7500 that runs the whole house that has a remote and electric start as well as a pull cord. Would the pull cord still start the generator in the event of an EMP? 3. Would a double layer of aluminum window screen attached to a wooden frame work for a faraday cage?
Hi Mary, (1) yes, I agree about the panels as long as they are not plugged in, (2) If the remote is a simple igniter type button, then yes, I think the pull cord would still work fine. If it was a complicated generator with digital interface, then probably not, (3) the screen can work, but you have to really pay attention to the seams. The largest hole shouldn't be more than a millimeter.
@@marybethstephens6576 If it's to cover your generator, I'd recommend conductive cloth. It's just so much easier to drape over something. It's a bit expensive but very convenient. I sell some at disasterpreparer.com/product/emp-cloth/ but you can find other kinds elsewhere.
@@marybethstephens6576 You don't have to tape down the cloth. Letting it rest on the floor is fine. Some people put weights around it to hold it in place more securely.
I am on solar power. Do I also need to protect my controller/charger (buy a separate one for faraday cage) along with the inverter? Also, will my solar panels make it through a solar flare/emp?
You'd want to put broadband ferrites around the panel wires up close to the panels. For the controller/charger, a good surge protection device (such as those from Midnite Solar) might be a good solution if you don't want to have to store a whole separate unit.
I have been searching through all the comments and maybe I've missed something I understand putting a backup inverter in the cage that runs off of a 12-volt marine battery, do the batteries themselves need to be put away or can they be left out in the open?
@@disasterprepper now I feel like a heel soon as I sent that question I saw another one of your videos that indicated that Marine type batteries do not need to be protected, however I do appreciate your quick response. I went to your website picked out some items to purchase but, I also sent off an email message asking for a phone number that I may make my purchases over the phone instead of online which I never do. Is that possible?
Could a microwave oven. regular oven, refrigerator or freezer act as a Faraday cage. Wouldn't the emp have some trouble making it through the outer boundaries intact and with the same damage potential?
EMPs are not just one frequency. Your microwave emits light right through the door, so it lets some frequencies in. Towards that end, it will let some frequencies IN. Ovens, fridges freezers are full of ways RF signals can get in. Same for ammo cans.
They do provide some protection. I tested the microwave for my book and have a little data in there. The short answer though for the others is that the seals around the outside would allow in potentially damaging RF energy if it wasn't taped or gasketed.
But isn't there breakers for your home 200-400 Amp service that will help prevent emp effects. So I guess the question is if you have the time to turn off the power to your home with small items stored in back up areas that will help doesn't that solve your problem. In my case I having a number of computers and other electronics that I have rebuilt and stored in ways that you have recommended in my underground fallout shelter. Reality dictates that some things won't have time to be stored like big screen TVs and such and they likely won't be needed after such a situation. Can you do a video on the effects of a solar EMP and the difference between the two. As you likely know we are currently in a Grand Solar Minimum that might produce a small emp all the way to a micro nova like the cause of the Younger Dries period. Thanks.
@@davemeeks8109 There aren't specific breakers that will trip during an EMP (at least not that I'm aware of). Modern breakers are thermal-magnetic and require a few milliseconds to trip even with very high current levels. There are protections you can put at your breaker panel (Siemens FS140 surge protector and custom whole-house high-saturation ferrites), but they don't protect against the radiated effects of an EMP. That's why very sensitive or critical portable electronics are often stored in a Faraday cage.
What is a good faraday bag for me to buy? I have flashlights and cords and emergency phone and usb drive. Could I keep all in one bag if I was to buy just one?
Hey doctor great books by the way I have a question for you some of my electronics have batteries in them that I cannot remove will a CME or EMP damage them in a faraday cage
If the cage is properly sealed, the electronic items will survive regardless of whether or not they have batteries inside. As someone else pointed out though, batteries can leak, so it's a good idea to remove them when possible.
@@disasterprepper yes lots of old chest freezer s around used to store stuff maybe a new test video????? Might have to use some metal tape too bridge across plastic lips.
I would get an older auto with very little to no electronics on board like an old jeep 1986 and older and store an spare alternator for it ! That's what I'm doing
@@icelandviking1961 GPS satellites are not geostationary, so even if some are damaged, others will eventually come up over the horizon. Coverage may not be 24 hours a day, but you'd likely have some.
@Situational Ready One misconception is about solar storms. A CME would not affect small free-standing electronics, such as phones, laptops (unplugged), or cars. This is different than in the case of a nuclear EMP.
Glucose meter for diabetics
Ham radio
Battery charger for AAA, AA, C D, 18650, 26650 etc.
Diodes for your solar panels
Items like a glucose meter could be incredibly valuable if in short supply.
Just finished a three extra cages, just in case we get some sort of warning. I'll put in a whole list. I have a station set up with aluminium tape, foil, Dr Bradley's EMP bags, scissors, box knife, freezer bags, etc.
great ideas I wasn't aware of the gotennas and I am currently looking at all my options as a alt comm system between my family and friends thank you very much for this vital information .
7:04 that Fluke multimeter is already shielded on the inside. I also suggest a portable soldering iron if you plan to check and repair various electronics during an emergency situation.
Many soldering irons are pretty simple and unlikely to be damaged, but I agree that a sophisticated station would make sense to store.
I have multiply Faraday cages holding a variety of things...some of the most important of the are a few tablets and a LOT of M-SD cards holding almost a million ebooks.
The ebooks contain a huge amount of knowledge from things like cooking & sewing to school books to science books up to quantum theory...and most stuff in between.
Some of the other cages hold items like rechargeable batteries...DC>DC chargers...small solar panels...inverters (pure sine)...volt/current meters...shortwave/ham radios...etc.
You can also check out larger truck stops for 12VDC appliances...the bigger ones have a pretty wide selection of devices that can run off of standard 12V batteries.
Remember 2 is 1...1 is none. Keep 3 backups for every item if you can considering cost & space needed to store them.
Of course there is a large selection of ebooks for entertainment as well...I like a good read :)
The ebook idea is a good one.... reference manuals, medical, plants, repair guides, etc.
@@disasterprepper I have tens of thousands of those. I keep a very wide collection in my Reference Materials sections.
From tying knots to books on flora & fauna to plumbing & electrical. Even how to generate power using solar reflectors and molten salt for heat generation...desalinization as well which ties in to the need for salt to make steam power.
I also have a wide variety of repair manuals for a lot of different types of machinery and automobiles.
Lately I have also been expanding my video libraries to include as much homesteading, human & veterinary medicine, cooking (both urban & rustic), building & repair of drawn carriages and wagons, etc.
While I may not have the physical capabilities to perform a lot of the things needed to be done...I hope to be able to guild others in these areas.
@@gregorythomas333 I’m working on similar. Can you share your primary source for acquiring this volume and variety of ebooks? Storing them is the easy part. It’s the workflow of locating them, ebook format management, categorizing them, and mostly importantly not spending a fortune on paid versions etc. that presents the considerable challenge (at least to me...LOL). I can provide direct email if you’d rather discuss directly. Thanks in advance.
@@jonarmstrong3891
There is a ton of them here: ps-survival[dot]com
6922 Files 14.8 GB
Last Updated 15 Jan 2017
These are older ones but a good start.
You can email me at: myname369(at)gmail[dot]com (note that "gregory thomas" is without spaces)
Please put the term "E-BOOKS" in the subject line so I can find it.
This is soooo cooool. I’ve been pondering this for months. Thought I’d look in to it tonight. This is a huge wealth of knowledge. Thank you!
I thought about having a extra redot on a qd Mount pre zeroed in a cage with extra weapon lights and batteries for all.
Hi Doc.
THANK YOU!!! You are a phenomenal source of EMP protection in a vast world of nonsense.
Just a few items I have included in our Faraday “Cages”:
(2 x modified Greenlee “Job Boxes” for the larger and more valuable items as they are quite sturdy AND 3 x more w/o any shielding mods that we use to store 50 cal. ammo cans w/actual ammo of assorted calibers)
(4 x “Ammo Can F.Cages”)
(2 x “20 gal. Garbage Can Cages”)
================================/=
ADDITIONAL IDEAS FOR ITEMS TO SECURE:
- Multimeter & Clamp ammeter & “600v contactless voltage probe” & cheap receptacle/gfci tester
- vehicle battery chargers (1x large “jump start” sears unit & 2 small 12vdc “trickle” float/maintainer type )
- 2-way portable handheld radios (4x VHF / 4x UHF) & 1 “gang” 6-unit charger & 8 AC desktop chargers &. 2x lithium batts per radio)
- UHF mobile radios (compact / 12vdc) 2x Motorola XTL’s for analog + P25 // 2x Hytera MD782’s for analog + DMR
- 12vdc power supplies for the mobile radios (to use them as temp “base stations”)
- UHF repeaters (1x Motorola Quantar for analog + project-25 // 1x Hytera RD982 for analog + DMR TDMA)
- 4x “mobile” type notch duplexers & 2x BpBr duplexers (the BpBr units are already tuned to my licensed freq pair and the notch units are pre-tuned to the more common GMRS freq pairs used in my area and can be easily re-tuned if necessary)
- Spectrum Analyzer & RF testing gear (for repairs / maintenance to radio gear / duplexer and cavity tuning, etc..)
- Spare commonly used “spare parts” for all generators here (generac standby & Honda eu2200i’s & EU3000i)
- Tons of spare components & parts & FUSES. (& a handful of circuit breakers in commonly used sizes // Square D-QO for our home and a second box of common brands & ratings for family and friends and to barter)
- Battery operated combo smoke/carbon monoxide detectors & gas leak detectors & lithium batteries for all. Should be part of any prepper kit!
- 2 cheap (but surprisingly good quality) PTZ (pan/tilt/zoom) cctv cameras. ANALOG !! with separate DC power input & 300’ premade outdoor-direct burial cat-7 cable for video signal / audio signal / ptz rs485 signaling
- small battery operated monitor for cctv w/12vdc input as well.
To be continued.... (running late for dinner and watch more BLM & Antifa scumbags burn up our cities)
Thank you! Great ideas in here.
Would you mind sharing a link to the cctv cameras and monitor that you have?
@@classicjoe8014 our “primary” home security cctv gear is mostly Bosch and a bunch of Speco cameras.
The Ultra-Cheap PTZ IP cameras are on Amazon for around $200-400@. The only problem is that they
require an IP network to be functional. I have used the WiFi feature in them and it works, just not all that fast and
stable. But would definitely be great to have in a crisis.
My primary home gear is all hard-wired. When I built my home, I owned a security company.
As I was a Bosch/Radionics dealer, I basically was required to use their brands in my home.
As it was our first home, I was a bit disappointed at the cost of the higher tier gear, so I spent more
$$ and my labor running tons of cable. I used only Belden brand wire and also ran a ton of PVC conduit
and “Innerduct” flexible corrugated tubing in the walls during the electrical “rough-in”. Most of the tubing
and conduit was left EMPTY to permit easy wire fishing later on.
I selected approximately 12 outdoor locations where I thought I would eventually like to have cameras.
Each location got the following cabling run from the camera “future location” down to the basement telecom/alarm room.
1x RG6-QS coax for composite video signal
1x RG59 coax for composite video (spare)
1x Cat-6 UTP structured cabling (for future IP cameras / RS-485 data signaling for PTZ ops)
%
1x 20/4 shielded stranded twisted pair (audio functions - microphones in or adjacent o cameras
& to feed exterior speakers with integrated amps)
1x16/4 stranded twisted pair (12vdc power: 1 pair for camera / 1 pair for PTZ motor loads)
1x Cat-5e riser UTP cable (I had 20,000 feet left over from a large commercial job and was moving to Cat6 ,
so just threw it in for spare/future use)
This was back in 2006 or so and IP (POE) cameras were far too expensive/ rare to install.
Fortunately, I had run tons of spare cable. It made the transition to IP quite easy.
The average mini PTZ camera back then ->>. Cost approximately $2800 !
Nowadays... a good quality one ->> costs approximately $600-800.
Good luck !
Very helpful. Some of these things already in my cages, others I hadn't thought about before. Good info.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. You nailed all the ones I have. I have different Faraday cage boxes: Computing, Comms, Medical, Engineering, Power, Lighting, Transportation, and Navigation.
For Comms: I chose a pair of 23 channel 5W handheld CB Walkie-Talkie Radios with large collaspable antennas and optional mini flex antennas. I also have a hand held shortwave/ham radio with flex antenna and optional external high gain antenna. I don't have a ham license but in disaster mode I don't think the FCC will be giving out citations and fines. I also have a multiband battery/solar/crank radio receiver and a hand held multi band scanner. And a small LED TV that can pick up NTSC and Digital on VHF/UHF. One thing I have that many might not have is a Crystal Radio - it only picks up strong local AM stations but it uses energy from the radio waves to power the ear piece (no batteries). I also have a separate Faraday box that I can toss my cell phone in if there is any warning. It doesn't make sense to have a dedicated long term storage cell phone and pay for it while not being able to use it in storage. If it and the towers survive an EMP, they will be handy - at least as a hand held computer. I keep hand crank generator, battery chargers, wall warts, and power inverters in the Power box. I also keep a wide array of disposable and rechargeable batteries in that box.
Computing is a small laptop, some thumb drives, and a 800 Gbyte USB hardrive. I also keep a solar/battery calculator in there. I keep and old CRT scope, analog and digital multimeters, some other test equipment, and a TI-92+ graphing calculator in the Engineering box. I keep incandescent, fluorescent, and LED flashlights (one is a black light and one is IR) in the Lighting box. I even have a hand chargeable LED flashlight - you shake it for a few minutes and it charges a high capacity capacitor inside for a few minutes of light. It is water tight and floats too.
Reading others ideas. And OBD reader may be good, but unless the car is in a EMP level Faraday Cage, ALL of the electronics will be wiped out. I have a 15 speed mountain bike, and a vintage 70's small motor cycle that uses points and carburetor (no electronic ignition or fuel injection). The coil, plugs, condenser, tachometer, and spark wires are kept in their own TransportationFaday Box along with a spare battery (acid kept separately) and spare lamps and bulbs. The speedometer is mecanical. I saw someone has a metal detector, I have one, need to put that in the Enginnering box.
Smoke/CO detectors too... good idea, thanks! I need to get some Geiger counters and some neutron dose badges.
Doctor, could you please talk about building a medium size faraday cage, perhaps 4’ x 4’ x 4’ that sits in a shed or garage. Materials needed and construction process. I would use it for a small inverter generator as well as the items you laid out for us, thx so much!
Yes, I'll put this on my to-do list. Lately, I've had lots of questions about protecting portable generators.
@@disasterprepper Does the typical small gas generator (
@@SuperFlatrock No one that I know of has studied this in depth, so it's hard to comment objectively on their susceptibility. My guess is that the more sophisticated the generator, the more susceptible. A simple hand-crank generator might not be very susceptible, but one with power regulation and other electronics would be more susceptible. They are such an important preparation that it probably makes sense to assume the worst.
SuperFlatrock one thing you might consider is to determine if any sensitive components are on your generator then buy replacement components. Store the spares in a faraday cage. That’s what I’ve done for my whole house generator.
@@jeffmotes2129 Yes, I agree completely.
The $TREE has Scientific Calculators ($1-small but functional) which would be an invaluable trade item. Remove the batteries, wrap batteries and calculator in separate baggies and then wrap them with Aluminum Foil. Store in your Faraday cage. Just an idea.
Geiger counter, Nebulizer, Ham Radio, hand crank generator, Trezor / Ledger cryptocurrency wallet, digital scales.
Maybe an OBD reader would be a good include. There seems to be a lot of debate on how vehicles would be effected, so along with your multi-meter that could be a good diagnostic tool for vehicles.
Very useful thought provoking.
Well done. Thanks for the list.
Great advice, I have faraday cages around my dual fuel propane generator, old ipads and laptops, solar panels, inverters, solar controllers, solar generator, sat phone, GMRS radios, scanners, SDR thumb drive, GPS, ham radios, and lithium batteries. I have printed hard copies of all important files in my safe just in case.
Since some batteries might leak with time, is it better to store the electonics without their power source anyway?
You are absolutely right about that. I should have mentioned it. Thanks for pointing that out.
I have never owned and have never used a cell phone. That trend will not change. ... The Geiger Counter makes some sense. I think I'll get one.
There's nobody that I know within 200 miles that I would want to talk to remotely, and even if there was it is highly likely that they would be completely silenced anyway.
I have, however, backed-up about 10 gigs of irreplaceable research files to an external Solid-State Flash Drive that I do store in a Faraday Box/Cage.
Now this is my kind of 411!!
Well thought out
Thank you.
I have all sorts of stuff like that, two way radios, extra hard drive, etc. and they are not in the faraday cages I made. Thanks for this list. I will add them in.
Civilians are no longer able to listen to Police & Fire transmissions, because they are now on special "trunk networks" which is sort of a local cell network provided by a private company. Ham radios are the best way to monitor or communicate with any kind of emergency crews.
Great video Arthur!
Thanks Mary!
This makes me really think about making a small box that can handle at least all my power tool batteries. I think I'd be willing to roll the dice so to speak with the tools themselves, simply because they're so large and hard to store/access during non-EMP events... seems like it'd be bonkers to make a cage capable of keeping 20+ various power tools protected. Maybe I can go get a big used microwave and gut it for its cage and just store batteries in it.
Talk about timing, you are A patriot sir.
I get that the reactors would go into meltdown when unattended, eventually. Most have 3 step automation and backup systems.. they are built like bunkers to store the rods and withstand seismic activity.. additionally the shield snshrouding the core and to a limited degree the complex should act as a Faraday cage itself for the central computer and rod sensors, could be wrong though.. my main point is that you wouldn't have to wait until after the NUKES have all detonated to pull out the geiger.
Thank you!! Super helpful video. 1 Question: can a paint can be a faraday cage if you metal tape the lid/gasket?
Great video. I have most of these in my 2 Faraday cages.
Great video as usual, it's nice to see you making another EMP related video instead of Scamdemic related videos. I was wondering if you could do some testing for EMP protection related to shipping containers? I have a shipping container we store things in, I know there are small gaps in the skin of it, but it would be interesting to see what your tests show. Maybe considered layered testing in a shipping container. Also maybe some solutions or requirements to seal it well enough to provide enough protection. I current store an entire solar setup (panels, inverter, and charger) in my container I haven't gotten around to installing for instance. Thanks!
Hi Devin, I tested a shipping container last summer. If you search my channel, you'll find it. The bottom line was that it provided modest shielding. My belief is that most of the leakage is through the seam around the door. There are, of course, ways to address that.
Awesome video I can't believe you don't have 500,000 subscribers. I like your product ideas as well I will be a customer soon.
Thanks Scott.
Just subscribed. Love this channel.
Electrical power will be at a premium in a grid down situation. You need to make every stored electron count. I would choose a small Android tablet over a laptop computer for that reason. Ideally more than one. Smaller screen means less power. As long as it has a reasonable amount of memory and can be expanded with an SD card, Bluetooth, and a USB port or will support via USB OTG, you're good to go. The Android phone can be your backup device. You can plug in flash drives full of personal documents, books, music, videos (movies), magazines, etc. Flash drives today are relatively cheap and can store an entire library full of information. You can add a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, and speakers to get laptop versatility. With the right software, that USB port will also host an SDR (Software Defined Radio) dongle that allow you to quickly and easily scan (visually) the entire electromagnetic spectrum for any transmitting stations. The airwaves will be very quiet and those transmitting will most likely not be doing it very long since it takes a lot of power. The SDR with a good long antenna will pick up worldwide and SSB (Single Side Band) communications. IMHO, those little shortwave radios with a hand crank are glorified toys. If you really want a good survival receiver (small, stingy on power, SSB), look at the CountyComm GP-7 (approx. $100). Some stations may only transmit a couple minutes a day at a specific time. The GP-7 can be programmed to come on automatically at a preset time and frequency to catch that transmission. However, I don't know how you are going to set your clock with no time reference. Even a well designed sundial is plus/minus 10 minutes or so.
I put a spare Kindle Fire with a lot of my books in my F cage. Entertainment might be few and far between.
Of course there are paper and hard cover books; but the latest ones are on the Kindle. A lot of good ideas below. Wow.
Same
Wow, people are not getting it. The dependence on non essentials is quite pathetic. No wonder there is so much weakness and disease.
I just found you on TH-cam and I am glad I did. I very much enjoy your experiments and learned so much already. Can you tell me if the diodes in solar panels are susceptible to an EMP? I Have just finished my first Faraday cage and am wondering if I need to protect my solar panels also. I am buying your EMP gaskets, what a life saver. Thank you for all the time you are taking to educate us, it is appreciated.
The data that I have suggests that free-standing solar panels are not susceptible to an EMP. If wires are attached, however, they become susceptible, as is the entire system.
@@disasterprepper there is only the wires with the MC4 connectors but they are not connected to anything. Is that still okay? I read somewhere that there is a diode in them and that could get ‘fried’ in an EMP, is that correct?
@@hummingwind8869 Some systems use blocking diodes that prevent the the backflow of current from the batteries into the panels. Many modern charge controllers do this automatically. If your system has blocking diodes, it makes sense to store a spare set in a Faraday cage. They shouldn't be very expensive. Likewise, some older systems had bypass diodes between panels, but now they're usually built into the panels.
@@disasterprepper Thank you Dr. Bradley I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions. It is very helpful. Take care.
I had not considered it necessary to store a laptop charger in a Faraday cage, thanks for the heads-up!
I love that you are a true professional and have the knowledge to back it up! I do have a simple question though most videos show lining the faraday cage with a insulating material, is this true.?
It's fine to line the can with cardboard or other insulative material. Most electronics already come housed in plastic, so it's not typically necessary. Still, it certainly doesn't hurt anything, and it can prevent antennas or power cords from coming into contact with the interior of the can.
You talk about GPS, but I was curious regarding the susceptibility of the GPS satellites to an EMP or Solar flare event. Probably a compass and maps be a good idea to keep on-hand. ;-)
Yes, GPS satellites could certainly be damaged. They do move though, so at some point, you'd likely pick back up a signal, albeit for only hours at a time.
Speaking of small electronics, would it be wise to protect a spare pair of hearing aids?
I've always liked your channel and always learn something new here. Sometimes the solar flare/EMP thought can be frustrating to think about. What is the minimum amount of time you could uncover/activate your protected equipment?
An EMP would be over before you knew it happened. A solar even might last longer, but it wouldn't affect small free-standing electronics. Some people worry about a one-two EMP strike, so they would wait to uncover for a while.
I think I could easily fill up a contractor sized wheelbarrow with no problem and not even adding the powered tools, stud finders, or my Minelab metal detector. Put all the electronic items you would want to protect and you will be amazed how much there is.
You sound like a fool. Protecting items of little worth. At least try to understand what the goals are here from the EMP doc. Sheez...
good video, thanks!
An electric timer. Boiling water or coking food requires an ability to measure time precisely without wasting fuel or resources.
An old fashioned wind-up watch. Battery operated clock(s). Smallest, lowest wattage appliances you can find. Lamp bases. LED light bulbs. Would you need to store the cord you plan to use with your generator?
No need to store power cords if they are disconnected from generators or appliances.
@@disasterprepper Thank you, sir.
I have an old VW powered buggy. It does have an electronic ignition system but, honestly, it would cost far less to buy a spare ignition system and store those parts in a cage. The fabric to protect an entire car is pricy.
Agreed. You might also look at the much less costly T.R.A.P. products for protection. (disasterpreparer.com/product/trap/)
doctor i am new to your series. how hardend are solar panels and do you have a video on them thanks??
Could you offer a guide on Geiger counters/dosimeters with product recommendations and proper use?
I've had a few over the years, and the ones I like best are those by Mazur Instruments. I also spoke to the founder, and he is a long time prepper. Check out some info at www.mazurinstruments.com/geiger-counter-uses/. They have three models discussed at www.mazurinstruments.com/geiger-counter-comparison/. I'm not affiliated with them in any way, I just like their products. There are also refurbished conventional geiger counters at places like ki4u.com. They're good folks too. I used to get my RADStickers from them.
I bought a low wattage small microwave from Walmart that would fit inside the Faraday cage bags as a back up so I could purify or heat water, food, etc. It fits very nicely. I did try the microwave before storing it away, and it works as expected. Also, I keep a couple of your Faraday bags upstairs, one in the linen closet which stores my electric fever thermometer, clippers, spare blow dryer with lower wattage, nebulizer, among others. Which brand Geiger counter and two way radios did you purchase?
The geiger counter is a Mazur. They're great products. I have a few different types of two way radios. Those on the video are Kenwoods.
Linda Barnes : The good ole’ pressure canner needs no protection from EMP . Place it over an open fire setting on a grate to use .
15 lbs of pressure for 15 minutes sterilizes water and the pressure canner can preserve all kinds of food .
Users of microwaves are truly not wise or into truth, health, and balance.
I get only one question left from this video: should solar panels be protected from an EMP?
How would you attempt to protect an air compressor and welder?
Can you advise if solar panels themselves are vulnerable? I've seen some say yes and some no. I assume any litium cells with a BMS may be correct?
The best data that I have is that free-standing solar panels are not susceptible (at least not enough to be damaged by 50 kV/m). Lithium cells with built in battery management circuitry could be damaged.
@@disasterprepper Thank you for answering and sharing your extensive knowledge on this subject. Very appreciated!
OK. We've survived the first EMP. How about the next ones they choose to fire off randomly? Asking for a friend.
Thanks! Ecellent....
How about a short video on how to store items inside a cage.
Do you wrap the item in insulating material to avoid contact with the interior walls of the cage is moisture inside the cage an issue to mitigate etc..
Okay, I can address this and other topics in a coming video. The short answer is that if the electronics have exposed metal, then the can should be lined with cardboard or another insulative material. If the electronics are already housed in plastic, then a liner isn't necessary. One thing some folks do is to put their electronics inside EMP bags first and then stow those in the Faraday cage. The EMP bags are insulative on the outside.
disasterprepper : Will a 5 gallon Mylar bag serve as a protective , than place it in side the faraday cage ?
@@maryisabell8760 Mylar bags don't seem to provide much shielding, a little, but not nearly as good as a quality EMP bag. Still, if you're going to put it inside a Faraday cage, then it should be enough.
Is there any way that you know of, that would allow for a laptop or computer to be plugged in to power and/or internet, while inside an EMP protected box? I understand that the cables is how the current would enter, but unplugging it and plugging it in could become a hassle if I'm making frequent backups and I'd like to be able to fix that, if possible, by just leaving it plugged in, with protected cables, somehow. I'd be curious if someone has figured this out. Maybe a combination of grounded metal conduit around the power cable, as well as ferrites? What are your thoughts?
There are a few ways. Using grounded metal conduit would help, but it depends on where the power is originating. If it's coming from a free-standing battery, that works well. If it's pulling in utility power, damaging transients would come in on the power line. You could, as you as you said, add ferrites to help knock down those transients, but doing so on data lines is tricky. Another possibility is to use in-line filters, both for the power line and data line. The idea is that the laptop would be in a conductive enclosure, and at the boundary of that enclosure are EMP-proof filters. Companies like ETS-Lindgren sell them, but they are quite expensive. You could buy cheaper filters that aren't military grade though. A cheap reliable option is to have a spare computer and backups of important files stored away in a Faraday cage.
@@disasterprepper What seems to make the most sense and be the easiest solution is making a backup in another cage somewhere. Or just dealing with plugging and unplugging, every time I want to update the data. Thanks for your thoughts!
@@disasterprepper What if my house is already protected at the main panel with the whole house ferrites and surge protector? Could there still be an issue on the internal house romex between the computer and the main breaker?
@@italianpianoman21 Yes, it's possible. The protection at the panel certainly helps significantly, but adding small ferrites on the power cords of susceptible electronics is still a prudent measure.
With your studies and knowledge, how long before you think we are going to need these faraday boxes ? Great education and thank you new sub here . And 1 more question , like l.e.d lights that are rechargeable should be put in a cage correct?
I don't think there's a way to really know when something like this might be needed. The world is so unpredictable at the moment. As for LED flashlights, yes, I recommend storing them in a Faraday cage.
How do I protected the solar system. Is it necessary.
What about a 55 gallon metal can with a metal lid and ring to tighten as a faraday cage?
I haven't tested these, but if the seal around the top is tight, it should work well.
Are solar panel susceptible to Emp?
In addition to the laptop (this is not the case for every laptop), add an extra fully charged laptop battery just in case
Would you need to keep your devices with solar protected? With as my radio with solar and crank, and my solar powered cell phone battery bank?
Yes, I would think you'd want to keep small devices with solar charging capability protected.
I have an extra generator, as I need one for getting water from my deep well. How can I make a faraday cage for that?
It depends on the size of the generator. If it's a small portable unit, you can probably find a bag large enough to store it in. You could also just put it in a box and wrap the box with aluminum foil. If it's larger, you would probably want to cover it with conductive cloth.
3 questions 1. I have a 4Patriots solar generator that I plan to keep in a faraday cage except for the solar panels. The packaging said it is not necessary to protect the panels in a cage. Do you agree? There is a small black box on the back of each panel with a wire running to be plugged into the generator for charging. 2. I also have a good sized gas generator 7500 that runs the whole house that has a remote and electric start as well as a pull cord. Would the pull cord still start the generator in the event of an EMP? 3. Would a double layer of aluminum window screen attached to a wooden frame work for a faraday cage?
Hi Mary, (1) yes, I agree about the panels as long as they are not plugged in, (2) If the remote is a simple igniter type button, then yes, I think the pull cord would still work fine. If it was a complicated generator with digital interface, then probably not, (3) the screen can work, but you have to really pay attention to the seams. The largest hole shouldn't be more than a millimeter.
What would you recommend instead of a double layer of screen?
@@marybethstephens6576 If it's to cover your generator, I'd recommend conductive cloth. It's just so much easier to drape over something. It's a bit expensive but very convenient. I sell some at disasterpreparer.com/product/emp-cloth/ but you can find other kinds elsewhere.
Should I seal the edges of the cloth to the floor where it lays on the floor?
@@marybethstephens6576 You don't have to tape down the cloth. Letting it rest on the floor is fine. Some people put weights around it to hold it in place more securely.
I am on solar power. Do I also need to protect my controller/charger (buy a separate one for faraday cage) along with the inverter? Also, will my solar panels make it through a solar flare/emp?
You'd want to put broadband ferrites around the panel wires up close to the panels. For the controller/charger, a good surge protection device (such as those from Midnite Solar) might be a good solution if you don't want to have to store a whole separate unit.
Will the foil tape for ductwork seal well enough for a faraday cage? I put a rap around my ammo cans to seal them.
Any aluminum duct tape will work fine. I tried several, and they all did a good job. The thin adhesive didn't affect the sealing either.
I have been searching through all the comments and maybe I've missed something I understand putting a backup inverter in the cage that runs off of a 12-volt marine battery, do the batteries themselves need to be put away or can they be left out in the open?
Marine batteries don't need to be stored in a cage. Only batteries with built in charge control circuitry are seen as susceptible.
@@disasterprepper now I feel like a heel soon as I sent that question I saw another one of your videos that indicated that Marine type batteries do not need to be protected, however I do appreciate your quick response. I went to your website picked out some items to purchase but, I also sent off an email message asking for a phone number that I may make my purchases over the phone instead of online which I never do. Is that possible?
Could a microwave oven. regular oven, refrigerator or freezer act as a Faraday cage. Wouldn't the emp have some trouble making it through the outer boundaries intact and with the same damage potential?
EMPs are not just one frequency. Your microwave emits light right through the door, so it lets some frequencies in. Towards that end, it will let some frequencies IN. Ovens, fridges freezers are full of ways RF signals can get in. Same for ammo cans.
They do provide some protection. I tested the microwave for my book and have a little data in there. The short answer though for the others is that the seals around the outside would allow in potentially damaging RF energy if it wasn't taped or gasketed.
But isn't there breakers for your home 200-400 Amp service that will help prevent emp effects. So I guess the question is if you have the time to turn off the power to your home with small items stored in back up areas that will help doesn't that solve your problem. In my case I having a number of computers and other electronics that I have rebuilt and stored in ways that you have recommended in my underground fallout shelter. Reality dictates that some things won't have time to be stored like big screen TVs and such and they likely won't be needed after such a situation. Can you do a video on the effects of a solar EMP and the difference between the two. As you likely know we are currently in a Grand Solar Minimum that might produce a small emp all the way to a micro nova like the cause of the Younger Dries period. Thanks.
@@davemeeks8109 There aren't specific breakers that will trip during an EMP (at least not that I'm aware of). Modern breakers are thermal-magnetic and require a few milliseconds to trip even with very high current levels. There are protections you can put at your breaker panel (Siemens FS140 surge protector and custom whole-house high-saturation ferrites), but they don't protect against the radiated effects of an EMP. That's why very sensitive or critical portable electronics are often stored in a Faraday cage.
Only comment wanted to use a BP cuff and stethoscope. Can have a stopwatch. Or wrist watch.
is the faraday cage grounded to earth? or isolated and it's on it's own? Thank you and thumbs up.
For these applications, it doesn't make a difference. Most people leave them isolated for simplicity.
What is a good faraday bag for me to buy? I have flashlights and cords and emergency phone and usb drive. Could I keep all in one bag if I was to buy just one?
Sure, you can keep them all in one bag. Check out the options at disasterpreparer.com.
@@disasterprepper thank you for your advice. You helped me understand. God bless you 🙏
Hey doctor great books by the way I have a question for you some of my electronics have batteries in them that I cannot remove will a CME or EMP damage them in a faraday cage
If the cage is properly sealed, the electronic items will survive regardless of whether or not they have batteries inside. As someone else pointed out though, batteries can leak, so it's a good idea to remove them when possible.
@@disasterprepper thanks 👍👍
could a chest deepfreeze work with a metalic gasket
In theory, yes. You'd just need to make sure that the lid had a good conductive seal. A metal gasket might be a good way to do that.
@@disasterprepper yes lots of old chest freezer s around used to store stuff maybe a new test video????? Might have to use some metal tape too bridge across plastic lips.
the dewalt is the only sub par item i see here... @Ave would say Hilti is the way to go haha..
Is there anything that can be done to secure a late model auto against EMP damage?
I would get an older auto with very little to no electronics on board like an old jeep 1986 and older and store an spare alternator for it ! That's what I'm doing
And I forget to mention also store an ignition module for it as well if it's electronic ignition!
I have a portable SiriusXM radio in my kit. Do you think I could get news from this if we have an EMP?
I'm not sure. I think most satellites would survive, but I'm not sure about the infrastructure that provides your service.
@@disasterprepper I did not think satellites would survive. If you think there is a good chance they will, I will add a gps.
@@icelandviking1961 GPS satellites are not geostationary, so even if some are damaged, others will eventually come up over the horizon. Coverage may not be 24 hours a day, but you'd likely have some.
👍👍
Store your favorite baseball cards and comic books ...
Cpap machine
Get the bunker first, it serves dual purpose.
why would you take a laptop when you can just put all the same files on a phone and use probably 20X less power
My laptop can do a lot more than my phone, or maybe I'm just more versed with it. Still, your point is valid.
@Situational Ready One misconception is about solar storms. A CME would not affect small free-standing electronics, such as phones, laptops (unplugged), or cars. This is different than in the case of a nuclear EMP.
2 is 1 and 1 is none
Thanks Craig. This is a great motto regarding backups and spares.
@@disasterprepper it is the only prepper motto i know , cause on bugout day YOU WILL leave something behind
💥WHAT ABOUT AA RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES ? 💥
And you were holding a nickle cadmium battery not lithium.
Isn't a EMP going to take out all of the satellites in space?
All, no, but it could damage some within line of sight.
Lol telling the government your in trouble.
Has an emp ever wrecked your devices before. Seems like a waste