An EMP blast from the right spot is capable of doing significant harm to the power grid. While you may think this is a preppers and survivalist illusion, I can assure you this is a real threat. Our government has produced a hundreds of pages long report to answer the same questions you have. Not only is an EMP a serious concern for our country, after such an event most of us are terribly ready to find control.
Following an electromagnetic pulse, there is a popular misconception that whether through the sun firing a powerful solar flare in our direction or through the detonation of a nuclear bomb over the world, everything electronic becomes useless. Thankfully this really isn’t real. Appliances and power supply must thrive. While this certainly won’t involve many of the things that we currently use, it won’t mean we’re back to the Paleolithic Period either.
We say there’s about 3 million preppers working out there by the moon’s light to be ready for these situations. If that’s real, I think the amount is dreadfully small. There will also be devices which have been secured by Faraday cage.
Related: The Domino Effect of Disasters And How to Prep for It
Power Sources
- Car Batteries – The robotic cars of this age will surely have most of their useful parts scrambled but the power you can yield from a car battery is substantial. In fact with a simple converter you are able to power homes with your car!
- Household Batteries – If you are already prepping you should have this power source en mass. If not seek them out. I am sure Americans have tons of batteries in use they could pull power from. Dump toy boxes, search pantries, video game controllers and other appliances that hidden and rarely used.
- Alarm Systems – Criminals evolve just like the rest of us. Since they realized cutting the lines that run to your alarm system is a good way to neate its efficacy alarm companies have moved to wireless. That means your system is powered by some alternative source of power. Your cameras as well, if wireless, are pulling power from a source.
- Cable Boxes – The monster cable companies install these boxes on the side of our home and even sometimes inside our home. These are wired to the power but are also backed up with a some type of battery.
- Marine Batteries – In a situation like this it’s very unlikely that you will be trolling around the local bass waters in your jon boat, especially, if you have no way to tow that boat. Utilize the power of your marine batteries as well.
- Laptops – Most of these shutdowns with 10 or so % of power left to assure you don’t find it completely dead. Either way with the right tools you can easily harvest power from your laptops.
- Cell Phones and Tablets – Following an EMP I think you will be surprised at how little interest you will have in your phone or tablet. Particularly because there will be no Wi-Fi and the unit itself will most likely be compromised.
- Portable Electronic Power Sources – These wonderful power bars or power boxes can be fueled by anything with a USB port and left on standby for a day such as the one we are discussing.
Batteries
BatteriesBeyond the outlets and the system of power lines pulling electricity from the major power generating companies there is power all around you.
You may not realize it but there are easily 10 sources of power in your household that are fully accessible and with more than likely be effective following a grid down scenario.
Related: How to Tell in 5 Minutes If It’s a Power Outage or an EMP
Tools for stealing power
Insulated Wire Cutters – In most cases you will need wire to harness electricity. Particularly stuff like car batteries. Although wire lengths in a grid down situation will be plentiful, you will want a nice pair of wire cutters and strippers for these tasks.
Hand Protection and Eye Protection – If you plan on working on anything that has an electrical charge you better take the proper precautions or your quest for survival may end much earlier than you would have expected.
An array of USB cables with various fittings for Androids, iPhones – Of course it is very easy to knock our addiction to electronic devices. Its also very important to understand what an incredible tool they can be. These fittings will allow you to draw power and absorb power to a number of different gadgets and devices.
Converters – With certain applications, it can require many types of electrical converters to use those sources. Plan what your power source is going to be, and look for the converter for the appliance you want to power. It might turn out that you don’t need a converter, but you don’t want to find out after an electromagnetic pulse shuts down the eastern seaboard for 1 hour.
The honest truth of the matter is we simply don’t know when it comes to EMP’s. We don’t know what’s going to work, and what isn’t going to work. There could be a ton of variables depending on where the impact site is, and the power of the blast. I think it’s very important that you decide now where you are going to derive your power if a situation like this ever happens.
Of course, you will have a number of challenges if the impact site is close to your town. Including finding sources of electricity. I offered 10 of those power sources which could be used after an EMP attack. Those aren’t the only choices out there. So many things run on batteries that the EMP might live. Getting the capacity to produce the energy would be of utmost importance.
