EMP Ready M1009 question

I apologize if this has been discussed in prior threads. Im a relative newbie. Purchased my M1009 last January. In great shape and I love it btw.

Here's my question: What parts must i be concerned with in the event of a strong EMP? I would like to store extra electrical parts susceptible to EMP in a faraday cage. Also, can anyone comment on the practicality of installing a Kettering Ignition System in the vehicle as a means of EMP proofing? Thanks.

I have driven though many McDonald's and Burger King drive-thru and had no ill effect on my CUCV from the microwaves there. I wish I could say the same about the food...

What part of western, PA you from?

I am not to far from a power plant and never worried about EMP, too many other things in life to deal with.

There is a lot of good info on the website already about the CUCV and any possible EMP.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/cucv/7981-emp-cucv.html

I think more and more that having a bug out vehicle is not the way to go. If you are trully worried about a wide scale EMP attack then you would probably be better served living at your BOL. Me and my wife are making plans for something like that now. We make good money working in Houston but would rather live somewhere in the mountains and make a little less. Plus that's where we want to retire anyhow so why not move sooner than later?

Oh and about the veracity of EMP attack claims. The US government has done a lot of studies on them and find them to be a real threat but it's not in the budget to protect against them right now. They are too busy taking away a nine year old girls shampoo at the airport because the container is too big.

Scottsman said:

I apologize if this has been discussed in prior threads. Im a relative newbie. Purchased my M1009 last January. In great shape and I love it btw.

Here's my question: What parts must i be concerned with in the event of a strong EMP? I would like to store extra electrical parts susceptible to EMP in a faraday cage. Also, can anyone comment on the practicality of installing a Kettering Ignition System in the vehicle as a means of EMP proofing? Thanks.

Click to expand...

Swap your glow plug system to a manual switch, keep some extra diode packs packs for your alternators, and you are good to go.

As far as ignition, a Kettering is a points style system for a gasoline engine that uses spark plugs. Your diesle uses compression ignition and has no ignition system.

Emp

To say EMP is just some paranoid delusion is to not have a clear understanding of the facts. Plenty of info readily available on the net.

That having been said, it doesn't sound like EMP is likely to be a large threat to our vehicles. EMP always has been a threat for our power grid. In fact, read todays post on survivalblog for pertinant emp info with regards to vehicles.

EMP is, certinally at the very worst case, unlikely. However, it is only a matter of time until we are devestated by a solar flare. Maybe next week, maybe 1,329 years from now, who knows, but it is only a matter of time. When we get hit I think a 10% survival rate 12 months post event is wildly optomistic.

So, if you really are concerned about this threat, move somewhere with low population density. Transport isn't going to be something you are able to do 5 days after the grid goes down anyway...you would be a moving target and some scumbag with a deer rifle will end your evac plans.

niferous hit the nail, IMO.

J

They actually did a segment on "Future Weapons" on the Discovery Channel about the real world threat of an EMP attack, so it is a possibility. But the people who should be most worried about an EMP attack, should one ever happen, should be people in large cities like Mr. Cranky Pants in New York.
Here is a nice article on E-Bombs
HowStuffWorks "How E-Bombs Work"

Lightning also emits EMP. Most strikes don't hurt vehicles, direct or indirect. It is because the energy isn't focused through the electric system enough to harm anything. It is rare but lightning can fry a car's electrical parts.

joeinaforest said:

To say EMP is just some paranoid delusion is to not have a clear understanding of the facts. Plenty of info readily available on the net.

That having been said, it doesn't sound like EMP is likely to be a large threat to our vehicles. EMP always has been a threat for our power grid. In fact, read todays post on survivalblog for pertinant emp info with regards to vehicles.

EMP is, certinally at the very worst case, unlikely. However, it is only a matter of time until we are devestated by a solar flare. Maybe next week, maybe 1,329 years from now, who knows, but it is only a matter of time. When we get hit I think a 10% survival rate 12 months post event is wildly optomistic.

So, if you really are concerned about this threat, move somewhere with low population density. Transport isn't going to be something you are able to do 5 days after the grid goes down anyway...you would be a moving target and some scumbag with a deer rifle will end your evac plans.

niferous hit the nail, IMO.

J

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I really opened up a can of worms with this one. I have been reading various research reports including NASA reports over the last several years and increasingly they are concerned about solar cycle 24, our present cycle. Through the research reports, It is my opinion, we will have a Carrington type event (1871?) not if but when. I am where i will be, low population area, and I agree, i would be a moving target for anyone who wanted a running truck after TSHTF. I need that truck to run immediately following said event to collect my daughters from their various schools and bring them home. It is the primary purpose I bought the truck. Not completely accurate, I really like the vehicle. After that the truck would make a good diesel generator and emergency transport vehicle. I also was with the understanding the truck was EMP proof to an extent but my thinking has changed as the weirdness with the sun escalates... i think there will be a strong EMP when it goes. I will checkout survivalblog. thank you for your tip.

Chief_919 said:

Swap your glow plug system to a manual switch, keep some extra diode packs packs for your alternators, and you are good to go.

As far as ignition, a Kettering is a points style system for a gasoline engine that uses spark plugs. Your diesle uses compression ignition and has no ignition system.

Click to expand...

You did not mention the electric starter so you are not concerned about?

gunboy1656 said:

What part of western, PA you from?

I am not to far from a power plant and never worried about EMP, too many other things in life to deal with.

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Northeast Butler county

niferous said:

There is a lot of good info on the website already about the CUCV and any possible EMP.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/cucv/7981-emp-cucv.html

While I don't agree with Doghead about it being pure paranoia I think more and more that having a bug out vehicle is not the way to go. If you are trully worried about a wide scale EMP attack then you would probably be better served living at your BOL. Me and my wife are making plans for something like that now. We make good money working in Houston but would rather live somewhere in the mountains and make a little less. Plus that's where we want to retire anyhow so why not move sooner than later?

Oh and about the veracity of EMP attack claims. The US government has done a lot of studies on them and find them to be a real threat but it's not in the budget to protect against them right now. They are too busy taking away a nine year old girls shampoo at the airport because the container is too big.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply. I am not concerned about a nuke attack, I am concerned about the sun. I would definitely get out of Houston . There is quite a bit of information available about this solar cycle and according to research as well as NASA, they're concerned. Just want to take a few precautions so the CUCV will run when I need it most.

Scottsman said:

You did not mention the electric starter so you are not concerned about?

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No solid state electronics in the starter, so no worries there,

My second worry after my deuce running after an EMP event would be not getting shot. If I have one of the few vehicles that runs in the whole city, a lot of people are going to want to take it. From gangs to crackpots, a person would need to sneak away from the general population fast. That may sound a little apocolyptic, but we all know that we are surrounded by crazy people.

thats a good point. i think i would lay low with my truck for a while and use it when i make my break and not jsut for general operation around town.

AW MAN!!!
Everytime I get a good feeling about my life something like this comes along! LOL!!

I am on a strict schedule to be totally debt free, (business and personal) in May 2012 and living the good life.
It's bad enough that the world is scheduled to end in Dec 2012...now I have to worry about something even sooner??

Dang...better get the CAMO crew busy and get 8 deuces, 7 5tons, armor, gassers, jeeps etc etc etc... oh wait...we already did that part.

Gonna start constructing the Thunder Dome next month I guess......one man enters...and one man...gets eaten!!

Don't you guys listen to Coast to Coast AM? (radio show) oh, you actually sleep at night.

Being an electrical engineer and knowing a bit about EMP, I know that the voltage and current will be induced by the EM wave as it crosses electrical conductors. The longer the conductor, the more voltage and current will be induced. So, the power lines, copper telephone lines, and cable TV wires will have HUGE voltages and currents induced on them.

Saying that, the wires in your vehicle are both very short and inside a metal cage (the metal body). This means that the metal body of the vehicle will be the first thing the EMP reaches. The EMP would have to be EXTREMELY strong to generate more than a few volts. And when it passes, the voltage will dissipate. Think of a wave coming towards a ship. Unless the wave is HUGE, it will simply pass under the ship and the ship will return to normal.

So, for argument's sake, I'm wrong. The best thing you can do to protect your vehicles is to connect them to a GOOD ground. Believe it or not, most houses have a poor ground wire. Unfortunately in order to determine if you have a good ground, you need a special piece of equipment that isn't cheap. Alternately, you can drive several ground rods and then use an inexpensive ohm meter to measure the resistance from one to the other. Check the ground when the ground is fairly dry. A great ground would measure less than 1 ohm between rods, but even if it is more than that, connecting to several rods will reduce the resistance. Then connect all the rods together with a good bonding clamp and 8 AWG solid copper wire.

Make sure all the wires connecting the battery to the body are good. Take off the terminals and clean all the corrosion off the ground and put some electrolytic grease on them to prevent further corrosion. Now, if an EMP passes across the vehicle, any voltage that is generate gets passed (hopefully) harmlessly to ground.

Of course none of this does any good if you are killed by the nuclear blast or the radioactive fallout or you forget to connect your vehicle to the ground wire.

Funny...I was just researching this yesterday. Here is a link to a site with some good ideas. I perticully like the chain idea (wrapped three times around hitch!) and the electronic bypassing for the glowplugs. Also some other nonvehicle related emp stuff.

http://www.endtimesreport.com/EMP.html

Chief_919

Chief_919 said:

Swap your glow plug system to a manual switch, keep some extra diode packs packs for your alternators, and you are good to go.

As far as ignition, a Kettering is a points style system for a gasoline engine that uses spark plugs. Your diesle uses compression ignition and has no ignition system.

Click to expand...

Appreciate the information, thanks. With regards to swapping out my glow plug system to a manual switch, can you be more specific. What i need to know is what kind of switch and where I might find this equipment. Also, are there printed instructions for such a procedure? Can you describe how this manual switch operates in terms of the operation of the vehicle... no more key ignition? Any cons to such a system? Confessing up front, my profession is far removed from that of a auto mechanic and my knowledge base is somewhat marginal. I am familiar with the basics but know enough to seek assistance when I'm over my head ... yeah, that's right, I'm a dumb ass. It appears the guy who recommended a Kettering is a dumb ass too. Thanks again. Scottsman