Hello Jim,
I recently finished reading [the recently-released novel] One
Second After [by William R. Forstchen].The potential realities of
this story can grab you. [In the novel] a young girl who dies because her insulin
supply deteriorated. Lack of adequate refrigeration degraded the quality and
effectiveness of the insulin.
I was reviewing some bug out literature and ran across a list of equipment
that included a portable 12 VDC cooler
unit. This would be great for transporting heat sensitive pharmaceuticals during
a move of some distance.
My question is this: What effect would an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack
have on this kind of machine? Does it contain modern circuitry that would be
susceptible
to the
EMP effect?
The second question:
Are solar panels susceptible to EMP effect?
I am referring to just the panels and not associated secondary storage, control
and electrical connections.
The third question:
The chargers that come with solar panels, spotlights, hand held radios, scanners
and the like seem to be simple transformers.
But do they contain any circuitry that an EMP wave would destroy?
I read your site every day. Cordially, - JWC in Oklahoma
JWR Replies: In answer to your questions:
Even if your refrigerator has some microcircuits, it is probably not at
risk to an EMP waveform, especially if it is running from a
stand-alone
12
VDC power
system. (Generally, devices that are connected to grid power are at greater
risk of EMP coupling.) But just to be safe, when your compact refrigerator
is not in use, you should store it in a galvanized steel garbage can (with
a tight-fitting
lid),
to act as a protective Faraday cage.
Solar panels themselves are not at risk, but charge controllers and
possibly inverters are, because they use microcircuits. Since protection via
zener diodes
is
not always reliable, the most practical solution is to buy a couple of spare
charge controllers, and store them in ammo
cans.
