Gasoline powered Electric Generators

Hey Guys,

Is anyone aware of any possible threat to gasoline powered electric generators from EMP?

I'm talking about the common generators for home use like the Generac, Champion, and Briggs & Stratton types that output ~5 - 10KW and run from a few $100 to around $1k.
Not sure if these "lower" power output generators include any solid-state electronics and i've asked at the home depot but couldn't get an answer for sure (I can understand it's not a commonly asked question).

Thanks for anyone who knows.

a reply to: AtlantisAgain

Build a Faraday cage around your generator if you're worried about it.
en.wikipedia.org...

a reply to: AtlantisAgain

What exactly would you do with everything else electrical that was blown by EMP?

I dont know if light blubs would blow, but other things with any circuits in will be damaged.

You can however create a Faraday cage around it and a stock of equipment you would need too. A grounded Faraday cage would shield the charge around everything in side thats how "shielded" substations are done, it doesnt take a bunker 10 miles under group to stop it.

How to build one? thats not my specialty, i just know the basics.

I have three generators, one is new (junk), one is as old as my youngest daughter (30 yrs old) and the other is an early seventies/ late 60s generator.

The oldest one is the quietest and starts even if it isn't started for years. It also has a metal cage around it. The only problem is it is small and it smokes when you start it for a little while.

That old generator is only about fifteen hundred watts like my new one. They both can run all day on a gallon of gas. I run the small generator about an hour for each freezer, once a day and about half an hour for the fridge twice a day during power outages. If I take a roast out of the freezer and stick it in the fridge to thaw, it keeps the fridge cold all day. So we have roasts or roasted chickens or a turkey during power outages. It also makes you look forward to power outages because the food is great.

Oh yeah, I forgot, I am supposed to get upset if the power goes out for days. I'll try harder to get upset but it is kinda hard when you are prepared.

originally posted by: Biigs
a reply to: AtlantisAgain

What exactly would you do with everything else electrical that was blown by EMP?

ahahahaha Good point

i was not seeing that one coming

It makes me wonder why you want an electric generator. If the SHTF tv and radio wont be working (except the military) so what do you want to use? Fridge, freezer or lights maybe(lights of course would transmit to everyone"here I am come and get it"). What do you do when you want more fuel? The only way forward is to learn the lessons of how your descendants lived before electricity. Like when it gets dark go to bed, when it gets light get up and work. There is of course loads of other disadvantages with electricity, ie. getting fuel, getting spares when the generator breaks but most of all you get reliant on it so when it fails it hits your life style harder. When the SHTF change your plan to live without electricity, the human race has survived thousands of years without it.

Gas powered genny is great if its not electric start, you can run it on methane with a few tweeks (try youtube) and as skunkape says build a faraday cage

Besides building a Faraday cage like many said I'd look into whether or not a mini fridge or even a microwave could serve as one for small electronics. Maybe if it's unplugged and resting on a rubber mat. If not the problem with generators is that they're more than a temporary link with the world/comfort. They're literally temptations to a lifestyle that's no longer possible (in the event of a game changing situation where the chances of the juice being restored soon are very low).

In a survival situation I'd try not to use juice. Maybe battery powered radios and crank lights though. The gasoline could be put to better use such as a car if it's not an EMP. The time spent keeping it running and worrying about how much is left can also be spent on other more essential tasks such as keeping an eye on the surroundings, getting firewood, maybe even reading a book or keeping the kid calm.

They're also noisy, depending on the survival situation you're in it could mean a drain on the resources plus attracting looters.

Edit: I forgot to add that even though your generator is protected by the Faraday cage, other posters pointed out that most likely the items you want to run off the generator will be fried. I'd have to say imho that small sized devices (like tablets, tiny GPS units (if the GPS systems are still running and the satellites weren't effected), smaller laptops and phones plus all the cords and chargers) are the better bet. Packed together in a cage they take up less room than larger standard objects and they'll most likely weigh less, so you can keep them on your person while surviving. And they're portable.

But would turning on a cell phone after that be a good idea? Not sure, maybe they can see who's still powering things?

A micro wave IS a faraday cage......
I thiunk a copper mesh net or screen maybe even chain link fencing would suffice.....
How about putting your survival gear in a chain link lined room" or closet....

a reply to: stirling
a chain link fence won't work,something about the wavelength of the pulses of some such.Hardware cloth is about the biggest the openings can be.A grounded metal trash can works.

a reply to: Yeahkeepwatchingme
use the gas in the car with an inverter,power the big stuff for an hour or 2,recharge the battery stuff off the lighter socket.May not be as powerful or efficent as a generator.Maybe get a 3 way fridge from a RV,gas,12v,or 110 power.Truck stop carry lots of 12v appliances too,but not real efficient powerwise.Microwaves would be the best buy,IMHO.

Honestly I think they would be worthless in an EMP attack. But cant stress to much, I would like to convert my gas powered into an LP powered Gen, So I can at least hook it up through my fireplace gas outlet. The gas seems to always be on, even when the lights go out, Of course it wouldnt last very long in an EMP attack, but I still believe it to be better than Gasoline

Or you can forget about a generator all together.
If the zombies (unprepared people) don't see the beacon of electric lights in the night, they will almost certainly hear the generator from a long way out.
If you're worried about food storage, Zeer pots do work

Zeer pots only work in low humidity areas.

Gasoline would not work in a shtf situation there is a shelf life, so a year into a shft gas will go bad.

Use a diesel or a propane, these fuels will last longer and with diesel you can make your own. YouTube is great for learning how to make your own diesel fuel.

Think a diesel powered generator with mechanical fuel injection should fair better against an EMP than anything else. They can also run on other fuels including soybean oil.

metal garbage cans ( w/ lid on) etc work great as faraday cages
gas doesn't store well these days so add stabilizer
in an emergency nothing crankier then a gas engine sitting on the shelf varnishing itself

also noise will draw the rath of the thou shalt not prep: "we passed a law" bunch....
all your gennies and supplies are belong to us

a reply to: Danbones

would the metal siding on a mobile home work as well?

Mostly, it would be helpful to have a metal roof, as an EMP is most likely going to come from on high.
Something I learned elsewhere, from a specialist in the area, is that if under a large enough metal roof, things under it would most likely be fine.

Personally, I keep a metal cabinet turned Faraday Cage, that I simply use to store my power tools, some flashlights, radios, spare electrical components, batteries, light bulbs, etc., so they are always passively protected.

If we have some fore warning of an impending EMP attack, can toss your devices in your oven, a microwave, dishwasher, dryer, washing machine, etc. and have a good shot at them being fine.

Of course, for strict emergency use only items, wrapping in some aluminum foil can't hurt

As for the generator, yeah, unless it is in a Faraday Cage or otherwise protected (and unhooked from things), it would be fried. I haven't gotten there yet, but once I install our two generators, we're building such a cage around them (as another function of the covering will be to hide them and to limit noise generated). Just in case, some spare electrical components for the gennys wouldn't be a bad idea...