I read "One Second After" about six months ago and have been looking into this threat. This video is a good explanation of the theory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0odJKYTzXg8
High altitude EMP's are the most feared for a reason. They would cause a "grid down" senerio for a year, possibly more. Do use realize we depend on OVERSEAS distributors for ALL of our electrical transformers?? The EMP commission has said that it would take AT LEAST a year to get just the transformers made overseas. That's just the transformers. Who's going to replace them?? What about all the other critical components that will be fried and need replacing? And yes, EMP protection is fairly straightforward, BUT WE ARE NOT PROTECTING OUR GRID. The military is the only one doing anything about this. EMP is not a new thing, yea your right. The Russians have been testing effects of EMP since the early sixties. In fact, they have HIGH YIELD nukes in there arsonal, WHY?? You may want to Google 'Soviet Test 184'...........
1776... I know quite a bit about this threat. In fact, been studying it for a while now.
I monitor this site all the time. Some interesting information on there... http://www.empactamerica.org/
Last edited by DMack; 12-26-10 at 09:26.
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SGT Steven McGovern KIA - Iraq 21 APR 05.
A friend, a brother, a true quiet professional. You will NEVER be forgotten.
I too have read One Second After. This is pretty much what would happen after an EMP attack. The author has done extensive research on EMP and has been trying to educate the public to what has been called the doomsday weapon. I just can't believe that with so much evidence on what Iran, North Korea, and even Russia have been doing, AND SAYING on EMP that most people don't know that this is probably the worst thing that would happen to the U.S. and it could happen tomorrow with NO warning.....
It takes a year (18 months) to manufacture one of the large transformers. Currently, there is a three year waiting list. The demand of completely outfitting all essential generators and substations would spike the wait exponentially. Nat Geo's Explorer did a program on this, and I recall it being said that it would take 10 years to bring the U.S.A. back to pre-detonation condition. The name of the program was Electronic Armageddon. It was on Hulu some time back.
I would need to see some good evidence that a transformer could be taken down by an EMP. They take lightening strikes on a regular basis and survive.
"The sword is more important than the shield, and skill is more important than either. The final weapon is the brain. All else is supplemental." John Steinbeck
I think you can make a transformer in much less time. Really it is a bucket with 2 windings (calculated to drop to the appropriate voltage) insulated insulated from each other. This is repeated 3 times in a typical industrial transformer, but we have all of the materials to build them here. We have people who can make them too. They are very robust. I am more concerned with power generation failure. Solid state components are likely to fail. These are small controlling electronic components usually found on printed circuit boards. Main electrical components are usually little more than copper wire. An EMP is not going to hurt copper wire.
"Oh, its a wonderful day! My sun is shining, my birds are chirping, my humongous chicken defeated Elmo." Huxley
MarshallDodge- Google the E3 effects of EMP, thats the transformer killer.
pilotguyo540- Thats the timeframe for the 100 ton and larger transformers on power stations and sub stations, not the little ones on poles. And the large ones are no longer made in this country, globalization.
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