The "E" Bomb

McGyverish · 02-07-2010, 05:34 AM

I have alway been a bit of a survivalist. But one thing that concerns me as of late is preparing for the detonation of a EMP (Electro magnetic pulse) bomb by Iran or N. Korea. I did some brief searching on this forum and didn't see a thread for EMP so I thought I start one. In a nut shell EMP will kill anything electronic right down to the l.e.d flashlights we love, leaving us blind in more ways than one. Just think NO INTERNET. EMP can be from a bomb as well as a large solar flare such as the concerns with the 2012 scenario. I don't know about any of you but I think it is a scenario to really concider preparing for.

UncleJoe · 02-07-2010, 12:55 PM

I just started thinking about this since reading some of Jerry's stories. I have a 1982 GMC truck with minimal electronic components and a '94 Dodge diesel. Anyone know which components would fry in the event of an EMP?
Many, many years ago I had a '74 Dodge truck, one of the earliest vehicles with an electronic ignition system. One day it wouldn't start. It turned out, the "brain" of the EI system had gone bad. It was a 5" square black box mounted on the firewall. I had it replaced and the truck gave me many more years of reliable service.
I've been considering buying the sensitive parts now to keep on hand for just such an event. I've thought about asking my mechanic but I think he might look at me like I had a screw loose.

McGyverish · 02-07-2010, 05:41 PM

I am no expert. I have just started reserching this subject online but from what I have gathered. vehicle ignition systems as well as engine management systems on newer vehicles, would likely be affected so having spare igntion parts such as coil and CDI unit, kept protected in a "Faraday Cage" would be advised. Also iv'e read about removing the batt. cables and hooking the vehicle to a dedicated ground rod when not in use can be a good idea, if done corectly. Also parking the vehicle in a properly grounded metal building(a sort of Faraday Cage) is also a good idea. The main problem with having one of very few vehicles operating is, some one is bound to want to take it from you.

Concerned_ Citizen · 02-07-2010, 09:54 PM

read the book "one second after"

2006 a commission was formed to outline all about EMP attack......i would venture to say this will be the "one" that takes us.......we are SOOOOOOO reliant on technology that people are forgetting how to function without an electronic device to tell them what to do

EMP.....theres an App for that ha ha

anyway chk out this link

Commission to Assess the Threat to the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack

mosquitomountainman · 02-08-2010, 03:32 AM

Any vehicle with electronic ignition but without a computer on it can be converted to point/condenser ignition with a different (point type) distributer, coil and ballast reisister.

If you have a computer that controls the carburetor (not electronic fuel injection) the carburetor can be set to run without the computer input so you'd need to change the coil,distributer and ballast resister.

If you have electronic fuel injection you'll have the change the ignition components as previously listed and get an intake manifold and carburetor to replace the EFI intake and injector system. (And the appropriate linkage for the accelerator pedal and kickdown valve or throttle valve for the automatic transmission.)

If you have an automatic transmission like the THM 700 R4 you must have the throttle valve cable hooked up or your transmissions lifespan will be considerably shortened. It is not a kickdown cable for hitting passing gear but regulates line pressure instead.

With a diesel engine the conversion will vary depending upon what extent the electronics control engine function. One early diesels the only electronics involved are the fuel switch, You can convert most of these to a manual switch very easily.

Go to your mechanic and explain what you want to do and have them set you up with the parts now. If there is an EMP blast the parts will be very expensive (and scarce) in a short time. Not to mention you can drive to the salvage yard now and after an EMP you'll have to walk to the salvage yard.

For your alternator you should get a couple of regulators and a couple of sets f the diodes and the rectifier bridge. They might be fried, might not, but an alternator will not work without them. If you can find an old generator you can probably use it with some modifications fo the mounting system. Just remember that the old generators put out about 15 to 25 amps max while a small alternator will kick out 35 amps and most are in the 75 to 125 amp range.

Obviously older vehicles are easier to convert than newer vehicles.

I'm not totally convinced that an EMP will take out as many components on vehicles as some think. I've worked on a few cars that were struck by lightning and the only components we had to replace are the computer and radio. (Usually the antenna acted as a lightning rod and channeled a big impulse into the radio.) Most vehicles act as atype of Farady cage when struck by lightning. As long as you stay inside the vehicle and the windows are closed you're safe and it protects the engine electrical components the same way.

Dean · 02-08-2010, 09:35 PM

Doesn't something have to have electricity going to it in order to be affected? As in if something is off it will be unaffected?

bunkerbob · 02-08-2010, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean

Doesn't something have to have electricity going to it in order to be affected? As in if something is off it will be unaffected?

No, it does not have to be on. It affects the micro ic circuits, overwhelms them like a static charge. If you have ever worked on electronic equipment especially ic modules you need to wear a anti-static cuff to ground your hand and body to guard against discharging into one of these, they are very sensitive to this.
Basically that is what a EMP has, a bazillion volts discharged all at once. Good grounds, faraday cages, and isolated electronics will help.

mosquitomountainman · 02-09-2010, 01:23 AM

In order to produce elctricity you need three things: a conductor (wire, antenna, etc.), a magnetic field and the motion of either. The generators on old cars had permanent magnets in the cases and and the armature (wrapped with wire) rotated inside the magnetic field producing direct current electricity.

An alternator uses an electric magnet that rotates and the field coils are stationary. The electric magnet has several positive and negative poles in the magnetic field. this constant switching of the polarity cause current to flow first one direction then the opposite direction (alternating current). Since you cannot charge a battery with alternating current an alternator has little electrical gates (diodes) that only allow current go through if it's going the right direction. Thus the current flowing in the positive direction is allowed through and the door is closed when the current wants to flow the other direction. Thus you convert alternating current to direct current you can use to charge a battery. (This is a little bit oversimplified but you get the general understanding of it.) Since and alternator depends on electricity to turn on the magnetic field you must have some electricity to get things going. If your battery is completely dead and your engine starts (usually requires a magneto type ignition system) the alternator will not charge until you can excite the current in some way.

An ignition coil has a steel core (conductor) wrapped with two layers of wire. Electricity is applied to the first layer of wiring which turns the steel core into an electric magnet. The magnetic field expands until it is larger than the second coil of wire. Now the electricity is shut off suddenly and the electric magnet is deactivated. The magnetic field collapses across the windings of the coil and a high voltage spark is created. (Remamber, to create electricity you only need a conductor, magnetic field and the motion of either.) Again, this is somewhat oversimplified.

How this applies to electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is that when a nuclear weapon is detonated at high altitude it creates a wave of magnetic energy. As that energy passes across a conductor like power lines it creates a very high voltage electrical impulse that takes the path of least reisitance to ground. It may travel thousands of mile through eletrical transmission lines and jump across switches that are normally open like a spark jumps acrosss the gap of a spark plug. Electrical diodes and resistors are very sensitive to voltage surges and most things with a diode or resister will be instantly fried. It happens so fast that voltage surge protectors will not be able to open the circuit in time to protect your computer, etc.

Even those things that are not directly connected to power lines are affected because as the EMP wave travels over any conductor (like a printed circuit it) will produce a voltage spike and damage any diodes or resisters in the circuit.

A farady cage can protect electrical components to a degree. A farady cage is a metal cage that fully encompasses something and is grounded so that the EMP is diverted to a ground (kind of like the old lightning rods used on barns).

The metal bodies of vehicles may (or may not) act like a faraday cage to some degree in an EMP. For sure you're going to lose your radio since it has a direct link to the antenna which makes a great conductor. There's a lot of controversy about how much damage will occur to other electrical components in your vehicle. In our case we have the means to convert some of ours to a pre-electronics state if they are disabled by EMP.

Dean · 02-09-2010, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunkerbob

No, it does not have to be on. It affects the micro ic circuits, overwhelms them like a static charge. If you have ever worked on electronic equipment especially ic modules you need to wear a anti-static cuff to ground your hand and body to guard against discharging into one of these, they are very sensitive to this.
Basically that is what a EMP has, a bazillion volts discharged all at once. Good grounds, faraday cages, and isolated electronics will help.

I did not know that. Scary.

mosquitomountainman · 02-09-2010, 07:14 PM

One more thing regarding vehicles and EMP. If it fries the electronics in your vehicle and you have an electronically controlled transmission you may be walking at worst or driving slower at best. If the automatic transmission is fuly electronic it will just quit working. Some have what's called a "limp" mode in which you will have second gear, park/nuetral, and reverse. With electronic activated 4wd you'll be stuck in 2wd.