One Second After (A novel about EMP)

[natehale1971]

As long as they weren't in operation (ie, having an electric charge flowing through them) when the EMP.. they'd still be usable.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by natehale1971

As long as they weren't in operation (ie, having an electric charge flowing through them) when the EMP.. they'd still be usable.

That isn't my understanding of how EMP works. At least, it doesn't work as a general rule. And I think it would depend on how old the generator was. The older it is the less likely it is to be badly damaged (with some possible exceptions such as, for instance, modern day safety switches and circuit breakers might actually help protect them).

In any case I'm pretty sure that while something like a generator might not work due to EMP they aren't actually all that complicated in their basic workings. Modern day electronic power regulation systems attached to the generator may not be fixable but with a bit of trouble shooting, re-wiring and/or re-winding the spool I'm pretty sure someone with a bit of electrical knowledge could repair one to the point where it would deliver electricity.

[Legbreaker]

EMP is a beast with a life of it's own. This is a GOOD THING for GMs, bad for anyone trying to model how it actually might effect things should the balloon go up.

As a rough rule of thumb, anything that's not shielded and grounded is going to be adversely effected by EMP. A trailer mounted generator left outside is likely to be so much scrap metal after it's exposed, however as Targan has stated, anyone with a bit of electrical and mechanical knowledge (and access to undamaged replacement parts or manufacturing facilities) should be able to get it up and running again with a little effort.

However, if the same generator was stored in an underground garage of a high rise building, or better yet a mine shaft, the chances are quite good it will still be functional afterwards.

Ultimately though it's a crap shoot. It's up to individual GMs to decide for themselves just how much survived, how much is repairable, and how well the equipment will operate. It may be easier for survivors to simply scrap the damaged machinery for parts to build wind, water, animal or steam powered generators.

[Marc]

Bon dia!

Just a few notes. Being or not being in operation does assure protection against EMP effects. The EMP can generate its own magnetic-induced current in any conductive element belonging to any electric or electronic device. No need to be connected to a source or running. The vulnerability is the worst for the electronic components, which are generally designed to operate between very low and delimited parameters of current and tension. Of course, if the device is not connected to the electrical power supply, you eliminate one possible vector of aggression: the induced intensity in the electrical network. Any normal electrical protections, like these we have in our homes or in the factories or offices we work, will not work properly. I will try to explain me…First, I have my own doubts about if they will switch-off the load from the power supply, given the frequencies and emitted by the pulse and its short duration. And second and more important: at best, if these protections work, they will isolate your home / factory / office from any effect coming from your power supply, but if you are still inside the effect radius of the EMP, you will have your own short, powerful and “private� induced current in all the conductive elements independently of any protection. The short wavelengths detected in an EMP causes that a lot of electrical circuitry could work as an antenna. For example, for an electronic plate protected by a simple fuse, the device will be fried regardless of the state of the fuse. The short wavelengths detected in an EMP causes that a lot of electrical circuitry could work as an antenna.

And talking only about the generators, their electronic parts are few and simple. Lots of them (especially those that must be transported by trailers) have metallic enclosure and all of them (if installed properly) have good ground connection. If the generator is not connected in any way, its chances to survive will be better.

[pmulcahy11b]

Here's a random thought: would the re-bar in reinforced concrete act as a sort of Faraday Cage?