Effects of EMP on LED Lights?

[gearbox]

Odd question: EMP effects on LED and incandescent

I am wondering if either is more resistant to the effects of an Electromagnetic Pulse. I am thinking that the filament of an incan could be fragile and sensitive to an EMP surge, but the electronics of an LED's converter board is especially vulnerable. Perhaps an LED operated just by batteries and resistors without "electronics" would be most durable?

 

[Grubbster]

Re: Odd question: EMP effects on LED and incandescent

Not an odd question. Questions on EMP effects are asked quite frequently. A search should give you all the info you need.

 

[jbviau]

Re: Odd question: EMP effects on LED and incandescent

I don't know much about it, but the FAQ on the Arc AAA website addresses EMP issues:

http://www.arcflashlight.com/faqs.shtml

The Arc AAA (an LED light) is supposedly resistant to EMP effects.

 

[gearbox]

Re: Odd question: EMP effects on LED and incandescent

Not an odd question. Questions on EMP effects are asked quite frequently. A search should give you all the info you need.

Will do!

 

[markfinn]

Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

Not that I ever want a live demonstration by someone...

This entirely theoretical question came to my mind when I read an article on electromagnetic pulses (by natural lightnings, microwave experiments - and nuclear weapons).
It said that most semiconductors within a certain zone around will be at least damaged - would the same happen to LEDs in modern flashlights or is the common aluminum housing protection enough?
So this could be the last reason/field of application for incans in military and civil defense area?

Probably someone with military background knows the answer?
Hope I will not receive the 'stupid question of the day' award...

Thanks,
Mark

 

[gearbox]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

I asked the same thing here a few months ago, thinking I was of an uncommon thought. Evidently it has been discussed ad nauseum....but the discussion is never resolved

Ultimately, there is no way to determine if your light will survive. You can't calculate it since there are so many variables, so the only way to know is....to test an EMP. They scatter pulses of a specific wavelength, and can be absorbed by a faraday cage if it's properly designed and executed. Supposedly the metal bodies of lights can decrease the chance of losing a light, but how can that be tested in its entirety?

Also, the pulse could ruin either the electronics, the emitter, or both. I'm not sure the emitter itself is or is not more/less susceptible than the semiconductors of the circuit board. :thinking:

 

[light_emitting_dude]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

If your that close enough to a nuclear explosion, you won't have to worry about your lights.

 

[markfinn]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

Thanks, to be honest I haven't used the forum search since I thought this was a very uncommon question...I'll have a look at the existing thread.

I read that there are small 'devices' (backpack size) based on nuclear chain reaction that are primarily designed for EMP and not for nuclear blast (and explosion damage, fallout etc.) so that there would be a very realistic chance of physically surviving this disaster but with all electronic communication and computer equipment destroyed, i.e. infrastructure damages that could already defeat a country.
Is this EMP device just a fairy-tale or really possible?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[svander07]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

thought you could have an EMP without the nuke and that an EMP will not harm anything biological?

 

[WadeF]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

Properly shielded, I think components can be protected from EMP. Maybe the aluminum bodies most our LED's are in would protect the LED? Of course the glass may not do much. Maybe if you're worried about it you could keep your lights stashed in some kind of copper mess bag. I noticed on these shows when they played around with EMS weapons they would cover themselves and their gear with some kind of copper mesh. Basically just shielding themselves like you'd shield a wire.

 

[gearbox]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

Is this EMP device just a fairy-tale or really possible?

Both, really. Baddies of late seem to be using mostly improvised conventional destruction, and only dabbling in the high-tech. Madrid, London, Indonesia, Thailand, WTC, Iraqi insurgency, etc.. It is all conventional explosives. That's not to say that it's not possible, only that there doesn't seem to be much evidence to support the idea that we would be attacked in other ways. For instance, there have been radiation poisonings in the former KGB. Dirty bombs are more likely here, then full-out nuclear, with EMP-specific weapons being low on the list...but who knows for certain?

 

[leprechaun414]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

This is a great question. I think anything with electronics runs the risk of being "fried" by an EMP. I think there are many factors such as how close you are, size of explosion etc that would come into play. It would be interesting to hear some theorys about this topic.

 

[Patriot]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

thought you could have an EMP without the nuke and that an EMP will not harm anything biological?

You can have an EMP without a nuclear explosion but nothing of the scale or order that nuclear weapons produce.


Even good old wikipedia has good info about EMP:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_pulse

 

[dk8558]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

There was actually a segment on the Future Weapons show of a device that can fire an EMP. During the show they demonstrated a scenario which they used a EMP device to disable a car that refused to stop at a road block. The host was driving at the time of the pulse and he wasn't injured but the car he was driving suddenly stopped. pretty cool.

 

[Marduke]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

The LED's themselves, maybe, I'm not sure. The circuitry that regulates all but direct drive lights,

One scenario that most people forget is one nuclear blast detonated about 100 miles in altitude would bath around 1/2 of CONUS with a strong enough EMP to wreak havoc. It would cause much more economical damage than targeting a single city. But like others mentioned above, you'd have bigger problems than if you can use your LED flashlight or not.

 

[TigerhawkT3]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

Perhaps this discussion should continue at one of these threads:

(Moderator note: several threads merged, inactive links removed. Thank you!)

The Search function can be finicky, but it mostly works.

 

[MarNav1]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

Better keep some X5's around!

 

[Patriot]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

There was actually a segment on the Future Weapons show of a device that can fire an EMP. During the show they demonstrated a scenario which they used a EMP device to disable a car that refused to stop at a road block. The host was driving at the time of the pulse and he wasn't injured but the car he was driving suddenly stopped. pretty cool.

I saw that

They also disabled a RC helicoper in flight with a generated EMP during the same program. It was very interesting.

 

[gearbox]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

Better keep some X5's around!

The Inova lights? What's special about those?

 

[270winchester]

Re: Will LED flashlights survive the EMP from a nuclear explosion?

I have a bunch of simple incandescent Surefires around. those are the least likely to be affected by EMPs as far as I understand.