another EMP question

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This summer I'm installing a couple of 500 gallon fuel tanks. One for gas and the other for diesel. Even with rationing this would only last so long. I think it would be important to have an alternative means of transportation available. In my case it will be horses. Post SHTF I really won't need to go anywhere other than for hunting and fishing.
horses or mules,,,the gas will only last so long
 
I think the strength of the emp is too variable to give this question a definitive answer. The sun has the greatest potential to put a really bad burst out, but it also blasts out smaller ones that the earths magnetic field can easily deflect. There's also the weather while the event is happening. Some conditions can make the effects stronger. Let's say for the sake of it that we get hit with a really strong burst, regardless of natural or man made. There is potential here to fry anything with wiring, but that's worse case only. I don't think we can really prepare for that. I do think that mid level bursts are possibly manageable though. The problem is, where is the car when it happens. Sure, building a metal carport gives some protection but only when parked in it. The car itself is some form of protection as its a natural faraday cage too, but only so effective.
I have read that the most resistant vehicles are older diesels. They don't use an ignition system, and have the benefit of being able to run off oils. Could you say they are emp proof, probably not, but they are tougher. Diesel would not be siphoned out of stations as quickly either, making another benefit.
My take on this is we prepare for as much as we realistically can. Kind of like an insurance policy. My focus is on these.
1. Water
2. Food
3. Shelter
4. Security
5. Luxuries, which includes vehicles.
If you have the first four covered and want to keep exploring ways to mitigate potential problems, I think that's great. However, I think any moving vehicle after an event like this is going to be a magnet for trouble though. There are way too many guns in this country, and anyone on foot with one is likely to try and take your ride.
 
I think a bicycle would be a good option. Ridden at night with dark clothing they are quiet and much faster than on foot. Fitted with bags they can also make carrying heavy cargo easier, even if just pushing them vs riding. I am inclined to think traveling anywhere and on any mode is a risky venture though. You are putting yourself at risk every time you venture out, and if it looks like you have resources ( by having transport) it is a magnet for those that want to take it.
 
No its not, a lot of stuff believed to be FACT from the Cold war days has been disproved, Also EMP was NEVER going to shut down ALL cars and trucks either.

I cannot find the articles that have come out in recent years but a lot of the supposition was wrong, starting with the fact that cars and trucks are natural Faraday cages anyway and we use faraday cages to protect our electronics from EMP.

Yep, correct. Virtually all we think we know about EMP is from ONE commission report years and years ago... And they only tested a handful of cars, and the vast majority experienced only minor electrical issues.

The bigger worry from an EMP attack is losing the grid, blowing components that could take YEARS to replace....chances are, your car would be fine, though of course, newer cars with more delicate electronics may have some features go out.
 
Much of the EMP scare in the last few years have been nothing more than sales pitch for products, books and 'likes' on youtube. As mention above, motor vehicles are Luxuries in a TEOTWAWKI non critical, I keep enough fuel to strengthen my defenses and add comfort to the kids and women folks during the transition time and supply fuel to the quads for no other reason than to get supplies to the BOL a side from that we have horses and mules or we can simply walk. I wouldn't spend a lot of money in hardening vehicles/electronics.

I have a small metal garbage can that cost me something like $21 that's about all I'm willing to spend and that's to keep backup drives, flash drives a couple of radios.
 
Even IF and its a big IF a CME or EMP toasts most petrolium powered cars there are still plenty of small capacity hand or air cranked, mechanically injected diesel engined vehicles, site trucks etc around working on places like warehouses, builders merchants and construction sites. All more than capable of running on home made biodiesel. But take it to the extreme and imagine no gas no diesel, all communities of preppers need to do is set up near navigable waterways or railroads (esp heritage lines) . And of course the hundreds of thousands of rechargable golf carts, bottled gas powered vehicles, horses, mules etc. LUXURY travel will be over, but essential travel should be maintainable.
 
if an EMP has struck, the world has gone to hell in a handcart, define "essential" travel please.

you are going to hunt ,aren't you,travel to and from hunting sites,my hunting range is up to several miles from home,,,,imagine the walk in and then out with say a deer,,,I will be several miles from a river,so without some sort of transportation I would not be doing much fishing,,,,,to me this is essential travel
 
Yep, correct. Virtually all we think we know about EMP is from ONE commission report years and years ago... And they only tested a handful of cars, and the vast majority experienced only minor electrical issues.

The bigger worry from an EMP attack is losing the grid, blowing components that could take YEARS to replace....chances are, your car would be fine, though of course, newer cars with more delicate electronics may have some features go out.


I like the fuel injected engines so I am thinking about something that is throttle body instead of multi port injection,less electronic parts involved,,,,,,hell if nothing else an electric gilf cart will do the trick,,,I just don't like the idea of being dependent on battery's,,,,,,,,,

in the end any modern type of transportation is going to fail it will be nice while it last but in reality we will all end up afoot ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,HORSE AND BUGGY TIME WILL BE BACK
 
in the end any modern type of transportation is going to fail it will be nice while it last but in reality we will all end up afoot ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,HORSE AND BUGGY TIME WILL BE BACK


Agree mate but I dont write off solar powered vehicles quite yet, Modern panels are good for at least 25 years and many modern deep cycle btteries are good for ten to fifteen years. So Electric bicycles, Motorcycles, Golf Carts, Factory carts, and battery powered mule type vehicles will be able to help us transition. EG near me the local golf clubs carts have full size roof canopies covered with solar panels. I intend to nab one as soon as TSHTF.
 
Agree mate but I dont write off solar powered vehicles quite yet, Modern panels are good for at least 25 years and many modern deep cycle btteries are good for ten to fifteen years. .
solar panels might and do last up to 3 decades but the electronics, inverters and stuff you plug into wont. unless you have a warehouse full of spare parts?
 
you are going to hunt ,aren't you,travel to and from hunting sites,my hunting range is up to several miles from home,,,,imagine the walk in and then out with say a deer,,,I will be several miles from a river,so without some sort of transportation I would not be doing much fishing,,,,,to me this is essential travel

That's why horses and or mules are viable. For centuries humans have ventured by foot for miles upon miles if not hundreds of miles for food, in earlier times they were called hunter-gatherers or the nomadic people that traveled with migrating food. In modern times (going back several centuries) they were called a hunting party, all by foot. ;)

For years we have used a toboggan for hunting given on a lot of our hunts I'm out 5 or 6 miles on foot and sometimes further from our drop camp, most times I have to trail camp as I'm dragging the animal back to our drop camp. In a TEOTWAWKI we have to go back to the primal past and must bring our way of thinking in such a way.

If one is able, raising chickens and rabbits along with a garden than most travel isn't necessary, we have many options in a TEOTWAWKI that make any mechanical vehicle a luxury not a necessity.
 
solar panels might and do last up to 3 decades but the electronics, inverters and stuff you plug into wont.

WHY wont they work? please explain why no invertors that are boxed and not part of a completed circuit will not work, Solar panels put out about 17v to charge batteries or around 13.4 volts to drive 12 volt electric motors. Even if the throttle control is by some weird reason friend you can make a replacement resistor throttle out of a bit of copper wire?
 
That's why horses and or mules are viable. For centuries humans have ventured by foot for miles upon miles if not hundreds of miles for food, in earlier times they were called hunter-gatherers or the nomadic people that traveled with migrating food. In modern times (going back several centuries) they were called a hunting party, all by foot. ;)

For years we have used a toboggan for hunting given on a lot of our hunts I'm out 5 or 6 miles on foot and sometimes further from our drop camp, most times I have to trail camp as I'm dragging the animal back to our drop camp. In a TEOTWAWKI we have to go back to the primal past and must bring our way of thinking in such a way.

If one is able, raising chickens and rabbits along with a garden than most travel isn't necessary, we have many options in a TEOTWAWKI that make any mechanical vehicle a luxury not a necessity.

And Dogs, Cattle like Oxen, Canoes, Rafts, Sleds, Reindeer, bicycles, tricycles, bicycles and trailers, single cyl hand cranked home made diesel using Tuk Tuks, Lister diesels, Sail power Steam power, Pre 1970 cars and trucks, hardened NATO spec military soft skins. and that is only IF a CME or EMP knocks out all cars etc which is very unlikely.
 
I have never seen an oxen in my life, reindeer are all up north, I saw a few Water buffalo a couple of years ago and of course we both know Bison are to be found in Wiltshire, bit of a jaunt from Devon tho.
 

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