EMP Effects on Vehicles

Partimehero · Post by **Partimehero** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 11:08 am

I know this topic has been covered elsewhere but this is a very weak area of knowledge for me!

I was sent this link by a colleague in The US:

http://www.futurescience.com/emp/vehicles.html

How accurate is this

ForgeCorvus · Post by **ForgeCorvus** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 6:34 pm

If this was QI I'd be holding up my "Nobody Knows" sign

What is written there is probably correct, the problem is that what little testing has been done was done badly (non-distructive testing ) or is being kept secret (car makers).

Can EMP kill your car? ..... Maybe
Can EMP destroy infrastructure?.... Probably
How big an EMP to cause widespread problems?..... Nobody Knows

Partimehero · Post by **Partimehero** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 7:25 am

Very true indeed. The moral of the story is to just be prepared for the worst case scenario! Can't go wrong then. Thank you.

Camoninja · Post by **Camoninja** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:40 pm

That's why we have bikes and fitness, cars are a solid escape but could become coffins, but yea store the car in a shipping container you should be pretty sound from emp as long as it's all locked up

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Steve20vt · Post by **Steve20vt** » Thu Aug 07, 2014 6:54 pm

Bumping old post.

Interesting vid on the effects of emp on a car

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0odJKYTzXg8

Although it doesn't say what it actually did to the car it doesn't turn over any more.
I suspect an emp would most certainly fry all the ecus in modern vehicles.

An emp proof(ish) car would have to be an old (80s early 90s) diesel such as a Citroen / Peugeot 205 diesel or ford or merc etc.
they don't require complex electronics to control the engine. Purely mechanical. Generally they only need electric power to start the thing and turn it off via a basic solenoid.

Hamradioop · Post by **Hamradioop** » Fri Aug 08, 2014 11:33 am

I think the jury is out on this one,
1. The effects of and EMP/CME will depend on the field strength.
2. The UK Grid is supposedly fairly resistant to this type of event, mainly due to the way the grid is structured.
3. Older Vehicles with out ecu etc are more likely to be resistant, spare coils, alternators, starter motor and points should be kept. Diesels were the best option until all the EU regs were enacted. But as the OP side again older ones are better.
4. Bicycles will always work after an emp/cme event. as will horses and yomping.

Part time heros link is essential reading on this subject

Steve20vt · Post by **Steve20vt** » Fri Aug 08, 2014 11:57 am

The thing with CMEs is that there is also a risk of melted wiring and or fires.
That 1859 event made telegraph wires burn in places. And back then there weren't really many things in life that used electricity.
Things are different now. And high currents going through cars wiring would certainly end in flames lol.

Devonian · Post by **Devonian** » Fri Aug 08, 2014 12:50 pm

But does the steel monocoque construction of modern cars act as Faraday cage thereby protecting the sensitive electronics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve6XGKZxYxA

preppergb · Post by **preppergb** » Fri Aug 08, 2014 12:58 pm

Devonian wrote:But does the steel monocoque construction of modern cars act as Faraday cage thereby protecting the sensitive electronics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve6XGKZxYxA

No a cars body will protect its human occupants but because its not a completely enclosed full faraday structure its likely to toast fuses, relays, bulbs, connected batteries, and if the lift pump / injector pump are electric not mechanical those as well.

Problems is there is a lot of BS posted about diesels being EMP proof, some very old one are because they are nearly all fully mechanical in operation, but most modern diesels have electronic security systems installed, for example the later marks of Transit have a chip in the fuel pump. Also many modern diesels have electro solenoid operated fuel cutoffs as well.

Devonian · Post by **Devonian** » Fri Aug 08, 2014 1:26 pm

preppergb wrote: No a cars body will protect its human occupants but because its not a completely enclosed full faraday structure its likely to toast fuses, relays, bulbs, connected batteries, and if the lift pump / injector pump are electric not mechanical those as well.

Problems is there is a lot of BS posted about diesels being EMP proof, some very old one are because they are nearly all fully mechanical in operation, but most modern diesels have electronic security systems installed, for example the later marks of Transit have a chip in the fuel pump. Also many modern diesels have electro solenoid operated fuel cutoffs as well.

My posting was nothing to do with Petrol v Diesel or Old v New.

Given the speed of your response I'm guessing you didn't actually watch the Youtube clip?

uk-preppers.co.uk