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[Adventurer, Explorer, Inquiring Mind.]

Do you think the grid can withstand an EMP? Modern vehicles? If that answer is no, then what does it matter if a computer motherboard can take it with stride? No power, no computer.

I'm not dissing you. Maybe you know something about it that I don't. If so, please share. I'm genuinely curious.

Bumping my post since it was ignored.

I'm still curious.

Many people, especially gun nuts screaming for freedom from controls don't pay attention to how many rednecks are IDIOTS.  In our homeland "Wyomin'," we have these idiots shooting at the power transformers (the big multiple can arrays in the middle of a field set up in a wood bracket.

Our local coop in northern Wyoming has been issuing warnings in their bi-monthly newsletter to the local idiots to PLEASE stop shooting at the cans.  Nothing's worked.  Threats of imprisonment, lawsuits, federal time... no changes.  Private property?  Doesn't deter them.  Cops have made exactly ZERO arrests on the issue.  Those transformers aren't cheap, and the linemen are paid six figures plus a generous retirement (union workers, Wyoming's HEAVILY unionized for the energy sector.)  Just imagine what would happen if we actually did setup wind turbines out here.  Morons would be shooting them up all the time unless the death penalty was strictly enforced for such nonsense.  May sound cruel, but it appears the low average IQ translates into drive by shotgunning of important infrastructure components.  Who needs terrorists when our own locals shit in their own drinking water supply and blow up their own infrastructure?

With that in mind, I doubt the power grid will survive the extra artificial scarcity a Hillary presidency will inflict upon it.  States which have diversified off of "nukular" power and off of the coal/gas/oil grid will end up weathering the storm better, but currently, other than off grid homes with proper setups, its highly unlikely the average power consumer will have an easy time.  Having some first hand knowledge of what's going on in some parts of the world due to nuclear storage fuckups beyond imaginable bounds of reason (and sadism/negligence) I can clearly say that without a sword of damocles hanging over them promising real death for their crimes, most of the big corpers are going to douchebag their way out and dump the stuff in someone else's drinking water.  Somalia's been a popular place because, being anarchic, the only defense against so called "illegal dumping" has been the pirates.  I've mentioned this before.  A couple of times here and there, tankers covertly carrying radioactive waste were jacked or attempted to be jacked.  Ironically they're the only tankers which were equiped with military snipers.  And were promptly scuttled off the coast before the media was even done asskissing the snipers.  World is full of irony and sarcasm.

Not that government-topias are any better off.  For shits and giggles check out Denver with a portable counter (should set you back no more than 700 bucks for a high quality one, but I sadly don't sell them.)

[DiabloLoco]

Do you think the grid can withstand an EMP? Modern vehicles? If that answer is no, then what does it matter if a computer motherboard can take it with stride? No power, no computer.

I'm not dissing you. Maybe you know something about it that I don't. If so, please share. I'm genuinely curious.

Bumping my post since it was ignored.

I'm still curious.

Many people, especially gun nuts screaming for freedom from controls don't pay attention to how many rednecks are IDIOTS.  In our homeland "Wyomin'," we have these idiots shooting at the power transformers (the big multiple can arrays in the middle of a field set up in a wood bracket.

Our local coop in northern Wyoming has been issuing warnings in their bi-monthly newsletter to the local idiots to PLEASE stop shooting at the cans.  Nothing's worked.  Threats of imprisonment, lawsuits, federal time... no changes.  Private property?  Doesn't deter them.  Cops have made exactly ZERO arrests on the issue.  Those transformers aren't cheap, and the linemen are paid six figures plus a generous retirement (union workers, Wyoming's HEAVILY unionized for the energy sector.)  Just imagine what would happen if we actually did setup wind turbines out here.  Morons would be shooting them up all the time unless the death penalty was strictly enforced for such nonsense.  May sound cruel, but it appears the low average IQ translates into drive by shotgunning of important infrastructure components.  Who needs terrorists when our own locals shit in their own drinking water supply and blow up their own infrastructure?

With that in mind, I doubt the power grid will survive the extra artificial scarcity a Hillary presidency will inflict upon it.  States which have diversified off of "nukular" power and off of the coal/gas/oil grid will end up weathering the storm better, but currently, other than off grid homes with proper setups, its highly unlikely the average power consumer will have an easy time.  Having some first hand knowledge of what's going on in some parts of the world due to nuclear storage fuckups beyond imaginable bounds of reason (and sadism/negligence) I can clearly say that without a sword of damocles hanging over them promising real death for their crimes, most of the big corpers are going to douchebag their way out and dump the stuff in someone else's drinking water.  Somalia's been a popular place because, being anarchic, the only defense against so called "illegal dumping" has been the pirates.  I've mentioned this before.  A couple of times here and there, tankers covertly carrying radioactive waste were jacked or attempted to be jacked.  Ironically they're the only tankers which were equiped with military snipers.  And were promptly scuttled off the coast before the media was even done asskissing the snipers.  World is full of irony and sarcasm.

Not that government-topias are any better off.  For shits and giggles check out Denver with a portable counter (should set you back no more than 700 bucks for a high quality one, but I sadly don't sell them.)

Are you sure you're not a politician? Just wondering, since you just answered the question with out answering it.

That had nothing to do with whether or not the grid or modern vehicles could survive a HEMP.

[Tahn L.]

12 V batteries would not be affected any more than they are affected by a lightning strike nearby. 

Thanks Adventurer***,

 How about solar panels themselves?

I have hooked a 12v solar panel directly to a 12v battery before.

I'd worry about the charge controller if you have one or if your panel has one.  Realistically, any rechargeable battery is likely to get supercharged if the theory of high altitude EMP is true. 

Thanks Adventurer***,

I believe I will keep a solar panel and a deep cycle battery, along with some jumper cables and a charger for smaller batteries, in a metal shed, unconnected. Understand about the charge controller as I have already lost 2 to lightening. But going back to simple works for me.

[Kurt]

I believe I will keep a solar panel and a deep cycle battery, along with some jumper cables and a charger for smaller batteries, in a metal shed, unconnected. Understand about the charge controller as I have already lost 2 to lightening. But going back to simple works for me.

Much easier to shield everything when they aren't in use, and a metal shed would be a good start I'd think.  EMI finger stock gaskets around the entry door might help.  A couple rolls of aluminum foil and some scrap cardboard for an insulator, and wrapping all the items, would be additional cheap insurance too.  Or go the aluminum trashcan/aluminum tape route if the items will fit and leave that inside the shed?

I'm planning for the worst and figuring my installed panels on the roof, along with the charge controller and inverter/charger inside, will be toast in a HEMP.  Anything that survives, even if it's efficiency is reduced or some functionality was lost, would be welcome but not counting on it so we have some spare equipment in shielded boxes just in case.  While I've never seen it discussed much I think many electronic items might be damaged but not necessarily destroyed in a HEMP, a shortwave radio that has the audio amplifier IC damaged so the speaker no longer works, but the rest of the radio (with headphone/ear buds) still functions as an example.  Or a transceiver that receives but won't transmit.  Heard lightning mentioned as an analogy before, but I think electrostatic discharge might be a better one - imagine a dozen people walking on shag carpet and then touching individual ICs inside an electronic device all at the same time.  Some ICs might be damaged, some won't be.  The effect on the device depends on what was damaged, anything from the device not even powering on to something minor that isn't even readily apparent and the device appears to operate normally.  Then again, maybe I'm just more comfortable with the ESD analogy because it makes it easier for me to understand.

On solar panels, a short article lacking detail, on protecting installed solar panels here: http://solarindustrymag.com/threats-and-protection-to-solar-pv-industry-growth   Haven't read the author's book, but it's the same guy from the Future Science site ML posted a link to earlier.

[Rarick]

power lines with long miles to build induced current, and those connected to them, will have the most problems.  I am planning on doing with out electricity in an EMP, since the powerful survivors with the gear to resist it will be looking for EM signatures as possible competition. 

I wonder what an EMP would do to the nuclear reactors given how the Japanese reactors fared?

In a SHTF short of an EMP, I will be fine with Water, Wind and Solar already working as the mood strikes me.  The power lines I currently pay the grid tie fees on lead to an old shack that has the meter attached.  I borrowed a drain tile plow and buried my electric connection 8 feet down in flexible pipe that was not drain tile.  Unless your have specific equipment you will not find the real house that easily.

I do not know if 8 feet of dirt has shielding properties, but with luck the EMP will ground out on other stuff. <shrug>

[Rarick]

As time goes on I become more convinced that there is huge virtue in Simplicity.
The more complex the system, the easier it is to f*** it up.

A few suggestions:

1. Do not use wireless computer or network connections of any kind.
2. All connectivity that is required goes through shielded cable.
3. Don't use DHCP or other 'convenient' security measures. In fact, avoid using 'servers' in general.
    They are a week point and an achilles heel for many systems.
4. Do not load anything on to the system which does not have a reason for being there.
5. Critical systems should be isolated.

Bear

Amen, Hallelujah and pass the honey pot please....