Faraday Cage Question

[DootyBeet]

I've seen on shows how faraday cages will protect the electronics from an EMP. I've also seen that a metal garage can is just as effective. But not understanding the exact science behind the 'grounding', it seems to me that a metal building, such as a metal shop or garage would protect bigger assets such as a vehicles electronics.
Would that work? What am I missing?

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[donMiguel]

If the building is all metal, it should offer significant protection. Windows and doors in general, especially without appropriate screening are giant holes for EMI/EMP, as are most wooden and block/brick walls. This is because the opening in the metal conductor is larger than the wavelength of the radiation. If you are defending nuclear EMP, where wavelength (optical) is measured in hundred's of nanometers (really small), the only way a normal person gets there is solid steel, grounded.

 

[AMProducts]

Depending what shows you're watching, they probably have about as much understanding about RF shielding as most third world primitives.

Here's the question, does your FM radio work inside the building? If the answer is yes, then it's probably not a great faraday cage.

Before you get too excited about needing a faraday cage. Why don't you read the EMP commission report, available here: http://www.empcommission.org/docs/A2473-EMP_Commission-7MB.pdf Realistically, sections 6, 7 and 8 are the ones most people should be concerned about from a "survival" viewpoint. However, it's very important to understand what EMP is, what EMP does, and what the net effects will be. Without this, you end up looking like a fool on national TV hooking jumper cables up to a trashcan.

Don't hook jumper cables up to a trashcan. No one is impressed by this except other slack jawed yokels who don't know any better.

Now, if you did something like this, you would look like a rockstar: