EMP Protection Devices

The fun part about preparedness is that there’s always more to learn and discover. The less than fun part is that there’s always something more to do, buy, or fix as a result. EMP preparedness appears to be next on my radar as I, admittedly, have ignored it for the better part of a decade. Why? I simply never saw it as a genuine threat…until lately.

So, I started to watch YouTube videos on the topic and ended up really liking the EMP Doctor. He has a website where he sells quite a few EMP devices intended to protect everything from sensitive electronics to your whole house.

Most items he sells, regrettably, are rather expensive, but if you’re trying to (1) protect all electronics in your home or (2) protect crucial items necessary for SHTF survival, then maybe they’re worth the investment. That said, I’ve yet to purchase anything he sells as I’m still researching and deciding what exactly I may need or want, and as you might suspect, I’m searching for alternatives though not finding any.

The first video I watched of his was a good primer as to how exactly an EMP damages equipment as well as some useful devices he recommends:

While I tend to prefer DIY options, such as aluminum foil wrapped boxes or microwaves, there are just some protective measures that simply cannot be makeshifted in such a manner. The above video briefly discusses some areas where you need specific equipment, such as the Siemens FS140 Whole House Surge Protector and Whole-House Ferrites, which wrap around the main electric wires coming into your service panel. The following video discusses those devices better:

But that’s only the beginning to full protection. Each individual appliance that you want to ensure survives (like a refrigerator or chest freezer as opposed to a television) should be further protected with their own broadband ferrites, which are slightly different than the whole-house ferrites mentioned previously:

What about protecting generators, inverters, batteries, and other useful off-grid or SHTF power generating equipment? He discusses all of that here:

Sadly, not all EMP bags are created equal according the video, and if you want to use the conductive cloth he recommends, then you’d better be really sure about your measurements. Personally, I would have a hard time shelling out money on cloth like this as I would likely DIY an aluminum foil box instead, but even that isn’t as straightforward as I’d hoped for:

The doctor has posted many more videos on EMP preparedness, as well as videos on survival topics besides EMP, but the above videos should get you started. His website, DisasterPreparer.com, also includes a variety of products for other useful devices, such as HAM radios, RFID, and vehicle protection using something called the T.R.A.P. device, which probably where I’ll start. He sells books, too.

Honestly, there’s so much to go over that I’m only skimming the surface here. And, truth be told, I don’t yet know enough about EMP preparedness to properly steer you one way or another besides pointing out this website that I found useful on my own journey.

Let me be clear: This stuff isn’t cheap, and you can’t exactly skimp on the products, either. Even the Siemens FS140 Whole House Surge Protection device, which is the very first item he suggests you start with, is a cool $260. And I’m afraid I need at least two of these as I have two electrical panels in my home. I haven’t figured out if I need a third for my subpanel box in the garage. And that’s to say nothing of the whole-house ferrites, which cost $60 each, for which I might need nine (three per panel)! The list goes on and the cost goes up. Such is the life of a prepper, I guess.