Faraday Cage - Chicken Wire vs Aluminum Foil

Shows the performance differences between a Faraday cage crafted from chicken wire vs one made from aluminum foil. For more info on preparedness and EMP products, go to disasterpreparer.com.
Disclaimer: Our videos have been made available for informational, entertainment, and educational purposes only. Content should NOT be considered professional advice, engineering or otherwise. Neither Disasterpreparer LLC nor its member, Dr. Arthur Bradley, make any representation with respect to accuracy, applicability, or completeness of the content. Further, our videos are NOT intended to be a substitute for professional advice from an engineer, electrician, or any other professional. Disasterpreparer LLC and its member, Dr. Arthur Bradley, disclaim any and all liability to any party for any direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental, or other consequential damages arising directly or indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental, or other consequential damages arising directly or indirectly from any use of video content, which is provided as is, and without warranties.

[@wb5mgr]

We didn’t do it on purpose, but years ago we built a home using that old school foam board insulation that had the foil backing… That entire home was like a Faraday cage. Unless you got near a window you couldn’t pick up a radio station or a cell phone call. If we would’ve gotten leaded glass windows it would’ve been a dead zone.

[@ezdeezytube]

Very interesting! So simple foil backing on insulation for the roof and walls combined?

[@kengartner204]

@@ezdeezytube The foil-faced polyiso rigid board insulation will indeed block RF via reflection. This is great in avoiding external RF entering the building, BUT if you have Cellular devices they will have to punch harder to get to the tower and a lot of the signal will bounce in the house, possibly injuring the residents. WIFI will also bounce around. We run a zero-RF house due to a house member being quite electrically sensitive, but most people will find the side effect of reduced RF a demerit. Low-E glass will block 10-20 dB of signal, at least it does in our house. We almost never have any readings above 1.0 microwatt/meter squared, monitoring it 24/7.

[@riccaruso7791]

@@kengartner204 ~ Please correct me if I’m wrong; but, aren’t most WiFi radio frequencies NON~microwave~band?

[@NickFrom1228]

@@riccaruso7791 You have to understand that the definition of microwave varies and is quite broad. So one definition puts it at 300MHz to 300GHz and another at 1GHz to 100GHz. All wifi except 900MHz fits into both of those ranges and the 900MHz into the broader one. So take your pick. Interestingly microwave ovens run at around 2.45GHz (to match water absorption of the rf to generate heat) and wifi also uses 2.4GHz but at much lower power.

[@kengartner204]

@@riccaruso7791 The microwave band is very broad - from 300 MHz to 300 GHz so it encompasses all of the WI-FI and Cellular and Bluetooth signaling. WI-FI runs at 2400 MHz and also above 5000 MHz.

[@NewHampshireJack]

This series on EMP mitigation is great. Using good scientific method and proper instruments will set you free from the "I think, I heard, I hope" crowd. Perhaps viewers can now move on and prepare with confidence.

[@petem7693]

Link?

[@ademirxavierjr]

The EM leak inside the chicken cage is due to wave diffraction through the cage mesh. As you increase the frequency, the leak becomes worse. Thank you for the nice demonstration!

[@matthewsresilientways]

I've been wondering about this for a while because I realized that I can talk on my cell phone in my grandpa's house, which is a stucco house, so it's wrapped in chicken wire. But I don't have signal in his machine shed which is built out of galvanized metal. Maybe a cell phone isn't a good measuring tool, but I figured it was at least an indicator. Thanks for the testing!

[@disasterprepper]

Sure thing. Glad it was helpful.

[@lionessroar7471]

Cell Phone is a great source to tell. It’s powerful

[@himesjon]

I have seen your books, but have not had time to listen to them yet. I listened to your interview "NASA Scientist: Be Prepared for an EMP | Dr Arthur T Bradley" I am so finally relieved (as an RF Engineer who works in shielded rooms all day and help build ours with ETS) to find an EE out there providing accurate and purposeful information for this.

[@himesjon]

I have not read your book yet but was wondering if you have done testing with bronze wool and copper on the seems like ETS does. I do wonder what your testing is that was done into not using grounding rods, ETS uses dual shield with grounding between them and then earth ground. At this point I think that the impulse makes the difference of not using them rather than build up of latent charges. These rooms are 100dB down for 1GHz.

[@disasterprepper]

Hi Jon, I replied to this on email, but I'll post here too. I haven't looked at bronze wool, but I am planning a few tests later this week to test EMI gaskets. I'll post a video of the results.

[@CBReal1290]

Thank you for keeping this a short video to the point. And showing your testing and measures super appreciated former home school mom.

[@pioneeringinprophecy2024]

ANEN to that

[@jimzivny1554]

I've also heard about the chicken wire but didn't think much of the idea. Thanks for performing the experiment and sharing

[@FMOF]

please note, You need to tun a wire to a ground so all the chicken wire becomes a Ground. This test was flawed for not using a 1 ft alligator clip and him connecting the boxes to the Metal electrical conduit behind it, that is a ground.

[@melindawolfUS]

Thanks for running these experiments! So many people making claims about what does and doesn't work, it's refreshing and valuable that you back up your conclusions with proof.

[@paulduncanson9898]

Thank you so much. I’m a EE too. I’ve sold my Technology company and retired. You are the first person that makes sense and know what he is talking about. There is so much irrational BS about HEMP and solar flares on the internet. The American military taught me Russian and sent me places, then brought me home and taught me to analyze intelligence. I purchased several ranches and invested heavily to make on completely solar powered. Then made big investments to make it reasonably comfortable at two levels of degradation. If you look at the my two orders in the last few weeks I’ve spent about $8,000 and will spend more. It’s a good size ranch. I’ll be spending more. I don’t see anyone else offering the high saturation magnetic cores like you. I’m glad you offer such reasonably priced 30 minute consulting sessions and will be doing that in a few weeks and I get everything installed and tested. I’m testing various configurations of Faraday Cages with the tester you sell for $260 I think. Should have thought of that myself. Sometimes I want to make it too complex. I’ll have fun playing with the tester. Thanks again.

[@ScotlandsBEST]

Super interesting, exactly what I was looking for. Thanks Dr!

[@Sol-Ark]

Love real testing results that you do.

[@cherylperkins7538]

Wow. Thank you. This is exactly what I've been trying to find out. Thank you. I'm going to buy your book.

[@flint303]

Just the info I needed. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.

[@notone4029]

Thanks Dr. Bradley for tips. Wow that door (behind you) sure is beefy with all those locks !! Never seen something like that.

[@disasterprepper]

I'm sitting in a shield room, so yeah, the doors latch really tight. Getting out can be a bugger at times!

[@notone4029]

I would imagine so sir.

[@nonelost1]

disasterprepper Therefore it would be a good idea to have an ax handy inside your shield room in case of fire, in order to get out in a hurry. Oh,...and a fire extinguisher as well, to hopefully put out the fire without having to break out.

[@reeblesnarfle5443]

Really really nice documentation the problem IS out there, and the fact the aluminum foil works very well! Thank you for sharing this. Now know how to deal with crap when I sleep. Put find and tablet in foil lined box when I sleep or it not being used. Let it live in an ALUMINUM casket! Time to line the drapes! And the walls..... sigh.

[@y2klucker]

Thanks Doc. I appreciate you doing what you do. Be healthy abd safe.

[@hannas4486]

Dear Doctor, can you please also talk/make a video about Copper shields/tapes too, and also are non-stick oven trays counted as good block for emp?

[@OfficialGhostBoiiz]

That’s pretty awesome. 💪😁👍 Thank you Dr. Bradley for this lesson.

[@disasterprepper]

Sure thing. Glad it was helpful.

[@robertschlesinger1342]

Very interesting, informative and worthwhile video.

[@kevenc]

Yes, as the equations show, the leakage is proportional to the size of the opening vs wavelength. If the opening size is larger (like 1" chicken wire) the shielding will be less and less as frequency goes up. The tin foil has openings too, most likely. There are tiny openings around the side of the box as it's not completely contacting all the way around the lid, but these are small enough where they wouldn't show up until you get to much higher frequencies.

[@wesleycameron1034]

Super helpful thank you. I’m trying to figure out if I could make a cage around an already built garage. I think it could be done if the concrete floor wouldn’t be an issue?? Idk thanks again

[@taunjiachandler6607]

There is paint use could use to keep out the radiation. Do as much painting as you can outside, then do the concrete floor and ceiling etc inside. Or do the whole inside to have double layers.

[@lmajeff1577]

So a question is would foil faced foam insulation work fairly well as protection shield. I envision that I would use alluminum duck tape to seal the seams together. I would mainly be using as a solar shield to reflect some of the radiated heat from the summer sun.

[@Indiansmoke1]

Cool video . Just bought a few traps from you . My all metal barn gets no cell signal nor am fm radio . Wonder how my barn will do in an event?

[@6PoPs9]

I would like to see this done with metal scene. Like the old screen doors.

[@PLeejo]

There's a guy who builds one for his dual fuel generator & makes it out of aluminum screening. Did very well.

[@boge2001]

​@@PLeejo do you have the link?

[@PLeejo]

@@boge2001 i see my post is not here. Search DIY faraday cage for generator.

[@karenpeaden271]

Will you test aluminum screening. Thank you

[@brucewayne-cave]

Fantastic Demo Doc ! I would still love to see my setup: a Medium size Trash, can inside a Large trash can, with no tape on either lid.

[@disasterprepper]

It would really depend on the trash cans and how well they seal. I've tested some that even without tape provided close to 40 dB of protection, and others that offer only 10. If you layer them, you could expect something a little less than their sum. So, two untaped cans could give anywhere from 20 to 80 (just a swag).

[@brucewayne-cave]

@@disasterprepper Thank you very much Doc. Oh, I also keep everything inside the dual-cans, in 3M Dry-Shield Bags. I am hoping for the best -dB possible, for maximum accessibility sake.

[@halbertking2683]

Dr. Bradley , Are you familiar with radiant barrier ? It's large sheets of aluminum with another material next to it . It's used for insulation . It reflects 97 percent of the heat back. It might be useful for shielding for a Faraday cage .

[@disasterprepper]

Hi Halbert, yes, I'm familiar with radiant barrier. Lots of people have asked about using it when building a Faraday cage, and I think it would work well (assuming all the seams are properly taped with aluminum tape). I just haven't had a chance to test it yet to see if there are any issues.

[@Valorius]

This is very useful data. Thanks.

[@sparrowwren8673]

Great scientific video! I have a question: Do you have to removed the batteries when you put things in the Faraday cage for protection?

[@kubhlaikhan2015]

Surely this test needs to be re-run with a range of wavelengths, mesh sizes and signal intensities.

[@VADemon]

thank you for the videos definitely an interesting topic

[@marjoriewhite7711]

Dr. Bradley, I would love to know if an EMP would affect things like pacemakers. I am totally dependent on my pacemaker due to complete heart block, so this is pretty concerning to me. Thank you in advance for any advice.

[@disasterprepper]

Hi Marjorie, no one really knows for sure. I looked at a pacemaker a few years back, and they can withstand high field levels without disruption. Would they survive the strongest fields from an EMP? Not 100% sure. More study is needed.

[@unclearvin3718]

Howdy and thanks much for your work.

[@altonengles2581]

Hi, thanks for all your helpful information. I have some Solar Generators I need to protect from EMP. Would aluminum foil and the proper tape work if I wrapped the boxes in such? I know about the sheets and blankets that are sold and they would probably be easier to work with because of their rigidity and thickness compared to aluminum foil, but as a quick fix for now would the aluminum work as protection if wrapper securely? Thanks

[@slyprykniple7623]

Chicken wire makes a horrible hat!

[@alifelesstoxic1253]

🤣♥️

[@SaintTrinianz]

Try paper mache over it darling!

[@aimeeosmulski1831]

🤣

[@SaintTrinianz]

@paul beenis Your guarantee is worthless, I want my money back ; )

[@mattfm101]

lol

[@innercityprepper]

I'm trying to come up with a way to cheaply and tough-ly (not a word) protect all of my modern 20v power tools and batteries by creating a daily-use cage of some sort and still have them easily accessible. I'd love to be able to use that small opening 1/2" grid garden fence etc, as it looks decent and is cheap-ish. Even if I had to double it up. I'd love to see a test of something like that.

[@kevinjones2145]

Thanks for great information.

[@Devin82m]

Could you possibly make a video explaining protection strategies for base (home) ham radios that are actively being used? For instance I will be making a faraday cage for extra/old radios I have, but about my nice new Icom radio sitting on my desk. I assume disconnecting the antenna and unplugging the power would help, but is there sometime like a box I can I set over the top of it to protect against EMP? I just hate the idea of having to using my old tech and lose the great features the new modern radio provides. Also, the EMP Shield protects against transmitted surges of power lines, but what good is that to electronics not in faraday cages?

[@disasterprepper]

Sure, I'll put together a video discussing this. You are right that the two most important steps would be to disconnect the antenna and power lines, but yes, a shielded enclosure could be set up to protect from the radiated energy.

[@Devin82m]

Thanks, I look forward to it. One consideration is do you think a quality antenna switching device, like an Alpha Delta brand switch with an arc-plug would be enough to prevent coupling over the antenna/coax with the transceiver? When we speak of EMP I'm just not sure I understand the levels of electricity involved and how likely or unlikely it is that it will arc. Not to mention what specifically in electronics are susceptible to the transmission through the air (not power or feed lines), I would assume any IC and coils. This is all very interesting to me and I'm slowly learning electronics from you and a couple others. Thanks for all your time. :-)

[@6969smurfy]

I live in a round metal house. My phone reception is fine unless I'm under the big steel beams that run through the center on every floor. So if I put my solar and electronic equipment in theses areas with this work for EMP protection? Just wondering?

[@jacquelinemanzano9328]

The holes in the chicken wire are large , hence allowing radiation to escape the faraday cage. Tight meshed metal screen (window screen) does work. Thanks for sharing.

[@AllAmericanGuyExpert]

Um, it doesn't work that way.

[@JakeKlineMusic]

@@AllAmericanGuyExpert wavelength dependent?

[@AllAmericanGuyExpert]

@@JakeKlineMusic Definitely, yes.

[@novdt]

@@AllAmericanGuyExpert with all due respect, but to just say, um, it doesn`t work that way is not a helpful comment. AllAmericanHandymanHarrison, maybe could take the time to explain in laymans terms, why it doesn`t work.

[@bobb7792]

I have noticed in my steel barn I get low signal strength on cell phone. So would sheet steel boxes work . I've got a ton of flat steel. I'd like to build a 10 by 15 room that's shielded. Or have a layer of foul back insulation. Then steel then glue one or 2 tinfoil layers on it????

[@MagentaRV]

How does wired glass fair against EMP blasts? I'm working on building an RV/Camper, and I'm wondering if wired glass windows would protect against EMP/CME if connected to the outer shell of the camper.

[@disasterprepper]

I'm guessing not so great if the spacing of the wire is similar to chicken wire. When I tested that, it only provided about 10 dB of shielding.

[@rickvia8435]

Higher frequency components in an EMP would probably be able to find their way through the openings in the chicken wire much better, so I'd say the aluminum foil would provide better all-around shielding.

[@kyounghoonkim7122]

Thank you. Dr. God bless you.

[@themetaphysigal7870]

Hi great video. I'm renting a room with an huge fuse panel next to my bed. What would be the most cost effective, safe way to cover it? It would still need to be accessible. It is in a wood box, covered by a pull up wood blind.

[@disasterprepper]

First, I'll say that it's very unlikely that the current flowing through the fuse panel will harm you. With that said, some people do experience headaches and other health issues when around electromagnetic fields. There isn't a good way to shield against it though. The reason is that the current flowing is very low frequency (60 Hz), which is not easily blocked. Two things come to mind. First, if it's possible, you could move your bed to the other side of the room (I know that's obvious, sorry). The other thing you could do is to buy some conductive cloth sheets. They'll set you back several hundred dollars though. You can search EMF-blocking clothing and find them.

[@techdiyer5290]

Nice video Dr Bradley! I have an airport timecapsule and i want to put a faraday cage on it, but i need an effective cage so that the airport time capsule dosen't overheat. Is there a chance that you can try out some different types of metal? thx B

[@disasterprepper]

I'm not familiar with the Time Capsule, but if it is in use as a router, the shielding would degrade the wifi connection. Also, you wouldn't want power wires coming into the Faraday cage. If it's not in use and just being stored, you could wrap it up in aluminum foil for safekeeping. Nearly any metal shields about the same. It's the size of the holes and seams that ultimately affect the shielding effectiveness.

[@innercityprepper]

Along these lines... say you've got an Airport Time Capsule, which generally needs to be hard-wired into your network, and you put it in a faraday cage to protect from EMP. However.. in order to work it needs to be plugged into wall for power, and the LAN via an ethernet cable, both of which I have to assume act as conductors. I could be wrong, but wouldn't this be a fruitless endeavor?

[@trcostan]

I would like to try and wallpaper my ham shack with al foil. Put some rf gaskets in the door and see how it does. Of course then I would have to filter all the cables coming into the room.

[@disasterprepper]

Yes, this is exactly how a professional shield room is done. Keep in mind that if you broadcast from the room, your external feed would obviously need to be filtered.

[@John-vb8gr]

I'm wondering if a big alluminum pot will work well.I want to put one of my spare engine control units from my car in it and some other small electronics.

[@disasterprepper]

Hi John, As long as you cover or wrap the pot with aluminum foil, it should work well.

[@jeremiahjohnson6160]

I like the security lock on his door .

[@swampfox5329]

Great video Doc.

[@disasterprepper]

Thanks. I thought folks might like to see a comparison of how they perform.

[@swampfox5329]

disasterprepper Always! Most of us are ignorant on the subject and have to learn from you guys.

[@mylilly3994]

...or simply don't have the equipment to test.

[@swampfox5329]

my lilly or both, LoL

[@robertkemper8835]

Does it pay to wrap source level audio equipment (Cd players, external DACS, etc. with Faraday cloth. Obviously, the units could not be completely covered as access to the connectors, controls and disk slot is necessary? Would the cloth reduce RFI/EMI crosstalk between equipment?

[@dorothybradley6936]

If the equipment is in use and plugged in, there isn't really much benefit from wrapping it in conductive cloth.

[@user-bz2ic4ni7j]

Thank you sir, Galvanized trash bins work as well?

[@calebmyers1442]

Does anyone have recommendations on how to protect a Solar System solar cell battery set up in the event of in the event of is an X class or stronger flare? High intensity proton storms are not something I really care to deal with.

[@springalingading]

What’s the cheapest easiest thing I can do to see if my chronic skin burning is from emfs? I live in a basement and they have like 10 different WiFi networks that we can hook into between this house and with the two neighbors close by. I know nothing about all this. I jam chronically ill, skin burning being the worse and was wondering if you could recommend something cheap I could by to drape over me or wrap up in or something to see if I can get away from these frequencies to see if it help the skin burning. Any advice is much appreciated. I react to food and odors too. I retained the heavy metal Gadolinium in mri dye contrast.

[@notsocial8035]

Move, Check out robert morse youtube.

[@robnowe5464]

The question arises as to what the mesh of screen/wire to pulse energy reduction is. For example, would a 1/2" mesh give 40 db of attenuation and would a 1/4" give 80db... what exactly is the relationship and does the frequency also come into play?

[@robertd6925]

Is there a good way to glue aluminum foil to fabric (canvas) to make a large cover?

[@tableta6305]

Do you have the formula that links the size of the holes and the ability to act as an efficient barrier?

[@steverogers1976]

What if you double up the chicken wire, offsetting the holes? Or triple up? Trying to determine the best impact/value material for large spaces, like inside a garage.

[@disasterprepper]

I'm sure it would help, but still probably not great.

[@guidot7207]

Thank you for your videos. Is it enough to stick/lay a cooking aluminum foil on the ceiling of a room (say in a condo) in order to protect it (at least partially) from an harassing radiofrequency source located on the floor above it? Or does one need to erect aluminum protection shields also on the four lateral sides of the room, and perhaps also on its floor? Thank you. It would be great if you could post an example video about this.

[@disasterprepper]

You might get some signal reduction from just covering the ceiling, but I don't think it would be very much.

[@guidot7207]

@@disasterprepper Thank you for your reply. Any suggestion on what would be a more effective protection? perhaps a thicker foil of aluminum, say 0.5 mm? or 1 mm? or some other material or application?

[@disasterprepper]

@@guidot7207 The thickness isn't the issue. It's as you suggested, the energy will simply come through the sidewalls. To create effective shielding, you'd have to essentially create a conductive cube around yourself or the offending source - not easy to do. Do you know what frequency is being transmitted and from what? It could be that they are illegally broadcasting, in which case you could report them to the FCC.

[@mementomatrix]

@@disasterprepper maybe using a mirror?

[@dennisrobinson9408]

Explain what would happen with PACEMAKER s I know we can't get MRI s so wonder if EMP WOULD SHUT DOWN OLDER PACERS

[@MsDusty7771]

l just heard all this stuff yesterday ...l am so shock

[@cmussomaha]

So, would all electronic equipment on store shelves and in warehouses, etc. be ruined by an EMP? The equipment doesn't have to be energized or turned on or have batteries installed?

[@matthewduffy4730]

Would a second or third layer of chicken wire offer better protection?

[@Em-wb4kf]

Very helpful video. I am wondering if I use only aluminium foil completely around my Wifi router, will it eventually overheat and cause a fire. Also in the UK it is hard to find aluminium window screening but I did find (not purchased yet) some aluminium screening that has holes 1mm x 2mm used for art modelling. Do you think these holes would work to reduce the radiation but also allow heat to escape? Your help is appreciated as is your video.

[@disasterprepper]

Are you trying to protect the router from an EMP, or reduce its emissions? Either way, I wouldn't recommend wrapping your router in foil. No matter what you do, the power cord will penetrate your enclosure, greatly compromising any shielding. It would need to be battery-powered to really pull this off. As for holes, if they're 1-2 mm, you can still create an effective Faraday cage. Long slots are what compromise the shielding the most.

[@Em-wb4kf]

@@disasterprepper Thanks for the reply. I am trying to protect myself from the router's emissions. Faraday Cages also have a cord outlet. Wish they weren't so expensive here in the UK.

[@disasterprepper]

@@Em-wb4kf Yes, it's possible to route a cord through a Faraday cage, but you have to put an inline filter to remove any energy picked up from outside. You're right, they can be quite expensive.

[@IGanas-ks3lz]

Drakilicious. Thank you for the info

[@davechapman7735]

well done ! great info

[@brentwilbur]

So what I'm getting out of this is that I should layer my homemade cages with aluminum foil, and then additionally wrap some various gauges of wire mesh around that.

[@debbiehellionandtheapocaly845]

🤣😂🤣😂 easy as hell

[@danschreckengost6153]

Would grounding the boxes help provide more protection?

[@SandyMcClintock]

@wb5mgr and @empDoctor. I'm in the same situation with Styrofoam boards on all exterior walls. Both the interior and exterior surfaces of the boards are aluminum. Mobile phones are almost useless, so I got a 'repeater' with an external antenna. It works ok, but get advice on which frequency you are using. Bluetooth transmission through a window is good but bad through the wall. Windows have a fine metal mesh to keep out insects. 😉 The roof is steel, with more aluminum insulation. I wonder if I get any useful protection from the steel reinforcing in the concrete slab below the house.

[@mrthinky]

You are amazing person very good thank you

[@Dante95240]

Mr Prepper, I thought Dr Prepper lol, could one use the perforated radiant barrier aluminum scrim to line a room, ceiling, floor etc to create a cage? I put it in my attic, very tough stuff, and cheap for the coverage. I guess it too would need to be grounded for proper attenuation no?

[@disasterprepper]

I haven't tested radiant barrier, but I think it would probably work well if the seams were taped with conductive tape. It would not need to be grounded.

[@Justinpie91]

With earthing your faraday cage, what's the difference in effectiveness between one of those thin ~1ft steel(?) earthing rods and wire connection vs a thick 6ft copper grounding rod and copper wire connection? Also would an aluminium canopy be sufficient around my bed for most signals?

[@disasterprepper]

You don't actually need to earth (or ground) a Faraday cage for this type of shielding application. An aluminum cloth canopy would certainly help to reduce RF signals, but it might only provide 30 dB of protection. That's not typically enough to block a radio or wifi signal.

[@Justinpie91]

disasterprepper - How about if I coated it in copper? I'm trying to make a cheap one but I'd definitely like to block WiFi too

[@life-longpatriot8258]

Would an EMP be a broad frequency band pulse, or a narrow one? If narrow, can you estimate from previous nuclear tests what bandwidth we should be concerned about? Great video!

[@disasterprepper]

The content of a pulse that is narrow in time (such as the E1 of an EMP) is very broad in frequency. The EMP pulse has energy content from about 100 kHz to 1 GHz. Note that low frequency energy couples well into long conductors, but not short ones, whereas high frequency energy can couple into both short and long conductors.

[@life-longpatriot8258]

Thank you Doctor Bradley!

[@literallyhitler7589]

One issue with foil shielding is that if there are repeated mechanical stresses, foil can crack and have much lower shielding or permit higher frequencies through. On low-level analog signals, when we wanted the best shielding for cables, we used a combination of foil and braid shielding. Of course, in that case, the foil shielding was primarily for electrostatic shielding and the braid would ensure conductivity even though flexing of the cable could cause cracking in the foil.

[@disasterprepper]

Absolutely true. Most cables that bend frequently use multi-layer shields that better withstand the motion. I don't know that it's quite as important for an enclosure, however, since the walls and seals are not really moving around. That said, foil can certainly crack, and those cracks can lead to RF leakage.

[@henryjraymondiii961]

would a ground wire increase the effectivness of the aluminum for wider and more powerful frequencies as expected from a blast?

[@elio9207]

Gi sir i have a question. Does it matter wich material is best for EMP shield. Its better with aluminium or metall steel is best.?❤

[@ApocGuy]

very fine mesh at out layer and solid conductive layer on inner or other way around? or would be multiple layers of solid conductive material best option?

[@disasterprepper]

It shouldn't really matter which is outer or inner. Ideally, you'd like an insulator between the layers; even air is fine.

[@MrDeterministicchaos]

I'm just curious could you take a large corn been a metal corn bin and make a big Faraday cage out of it where you can be inside of it would it be safe to be inside of just curious

[@disasterprepper]

I don't know what that looks like, but if it's well sealed, it should work okay.

[@deannaclements3782]

At night the EMF sound is louder because of heat waves. Would a candle effect EMF?

[@rvp_4101]

@empdoctor Dr. B got a question bugging me. Will electronics that are not on closed loop be effected by emp. In other words will my generator be safe from emp if i remove certain components such as fuses?

[@disasterprepper]

Unfortunately, even open-ended traces or wires act as efficient antennas. You don't need closed loops to couple in damaging levels of energy.

[@rvp_4101]

@@disasterprepper gotcha thank you. Been debating to build a faraday box or try to find a simpler solution. Thanks for your help

[@mikemadsen2716]

thank you.

[@doniphan72ify]

I was having some breathing issues(non KO-vid related)from the Wi-Fi signal being so strong at my house, so I bought two galvanized trash cans to put over the modem. Will this work to just LOWER the signal alittle, because it seems to have done that ? My phone Satellite/Wi-Fi icon now mostly reads half power instead of full power. I appreciate your response in advance. Thank You

[@disasterprepper]

Yes, I imagine this would lower the signal. There are also metal router cages that people sell on Amazon to help lower the levels.

[@doniphan72ify]

@@disasterprepper ... Thank You !

[@BillyBob-sd2sb]

It's all about the wavelength of the attacking frequency. As the wavelength gets shorter, more EMI shielding is needed.

[@disasterprepper]

Right, the wavelength explains why the chicken wire does significantly worse at high frequencies.

[@BillyBob-sd2sb]

Thanks for the videos!

[@lionessroar7471]

5G is @ 24GHZ - 100GHZ. Short Millimeter, High Frequency Waves.

[@tableta6305]

but to equate the conditions of E1, E2 and E3 it is not only about the frequency but also about the power of the field and the duration, am I correct?

[@whitecloud2313]

Some people don't have a fancy device. An AM radio works just fine. Put the device in the Faraday cage put the AM radio on. Put it on the low band 5:30 a.m. if it picks up your phone beep or any radiation it'll start humming then you know you need more shielding. it also lets you know if you phone is on or off if the screen is off it'll tell you whether there's radiation coming out of the phone or not. If it's not on you should hear no radiation.

[@disasterprepper]

Unfortunately, that's not a very scientific way of testing a Faraday cage. The signal level and radio's receiver technology can vary greatly. Same goes for the phone.

[@levijessegonzalez3629]

I have a question... I'm building a house and all the electrical power cables are going down the wall between two studs. then to the outside box.... From my understanding, those cables, especially when all together like that, are going to emit high levels of radiation. Would putting 2 or 3 layers of aluminum foil beneath the sheetrock in that area, null the problem?

[@disasterprepper]

Probably not. Low-frequencies (such as from 60 Hz AC power) are difficult to block in this manner because you're in the near field, which means you have to worry about both electric and magnetic fields. That's not to say that the fields in that immediate area couldn't be reduced some, but I don't think it would offer much reduction overall.

[@elio9207]

What material is for EMP protection.EMP blast and electromagnetic..rfid Metall, steel or aluminium ? Wisch one to is better

[@elio9207]

Does metall steel solid box work as EMP protection?

[@WJ6FRadio]

Does the chicken wire contained in a stucco house then somewhat make a house a gigantic faraday cage, assuming you chicken wire the roof trusses too?

[@disasterprepper]

It no doubt provides some shielding. Not quite a Faraday cage, but it would attenuate signals a bit.

[@wildechoes]

no chiken wire in the roof or window openings . what good it it really then

[@Frohicky1]

It is because of the incomplete coverage or the different material? (presumably the chicken wire is SS?). Also is that only for higher frequencies (ie mHz to hundreds of mHz?)

[@disasterprepper]

It's due to the larger holes in the chicken wire. The wavelength of the RF energy is relatively small compared to the holes, so it manages to get inside.

[@ColocasiaCorm]

How did you cue the spectrum analyzer inside the cage?

[@disasterprepper]

It has a max signal capture function. So you put it in the case with no signal applied, turn on the generator, then turn it off, and open the cage. What you'll see is the largest signal that the inside of the cage was exposed to.

[@JASfitnessVero]

Dr. Bradley!! Awesome stuff. This has been a concern of mine for a while, but with all the different opinion driven posts and blogs, it's hard to know what to believe. I bought your book and hope I'll have time to read it. I thought with all your efforts with these videos you ought to be applauded. Bravo. I viewed three videos so far. I have a question though if you have the time. It appears double layering provides the best protection, such as electronic device in cardboard placed in wood box wrapped in aluminum foil sealed with conductive tape and then placed in galvanized trash can again sealed with conductive tape. The question is should there be a non-conductive layer between the can and the box? Such as wrapping the aluminum foil box in a t-shirt, plastic bag or something before placing it in the garbage can. I would think if the can is touching the aluminum foil box then the energy would actually travel to the box more quickly and the whole point of double wrapping is useless. Correct?

[@JASfitnessVero]

oh yeah....ground or no ground? And if yes how?!?!? They say on the blogs if you don't ground all the energy will go in once you open the box. Huh?

[@disasterprepper]

Yes, ideally, you want to create an isolated interior Faraday cage within the outer Faraday cage. That will provide the greatest level of shielding. As for grounding, no, despite claims to the contrary, it is not necessary. The assertion that energy would go inside the box is incorrect. There is a lot of misunderstanding out there.

[@markj284]

Do magnetic fields reduce the frequency from emp? Things like ferriet magnets. Could chicken wire be magnetized?

[@charlesfoehner2598]

Not to nitpick, but did you use heavy duty foil, or standard weight? Just curious. Great info to be learned here. Congrats on essential knowledge transmitted!

[@disasterprepper]

I use heavy-duty foil (roughly 24 microns thick). At a frequency of 200 MHz, the skin depth is 21 microns, so two layers of foil is about as much as you would need. Even a single layer gives excellent protection.

[@mrgundog_07]

@@disasterprepper thank you. Great info! Would it be advantageous to put sensitive items in an aluminum box inside an aluminum can for extra protection, or would that be redundant and pointless?

[@javierromero9929]

I have frequency interference in my church building because its near an airport is it practical to build a faraday cage and how would this be installed

[@disasterprepper]

Hmm... I think you'd need some expert help to pull this off. You need to determine the frequency, where it's coming in, and then address sealing the space.

[@johnnyblade6088]

Wouldn't a stucco house being covered with lathe (chicken wire) act as a farady cage? And does all the wire making the faraday cage need to be linked together or touching?

[@disasterprepper]

You'd get some shielding from chicken wire, but the holes (and gaps between sections) would be so large, you probably wouldn't get more than a handful of dB. A good Faraday cage is seamless, or nearly so. If seams are required, they are tightly sealed with conductive materials.

[@concernedcitizensfordecenc3830]

Thanks doc..

[@pioneeringinprophecy2024]

Love this!

[@Olivia-cw8qn]

Thank Yoi

[@terryqueen3233]

Well that was very interesting. I wonder if you wrap the aluminum foil box twice would it double the protection??? I'll never get an answer I've asked you several questions and still haven't gotten answers. Oh well I'll just try it anyway. Have a great day and stay safe and keep your powder dry!

[@disasterprepper]

Hi Terry, it definitely improves the protection. While it will still work with just one layer, the double layer will be helpful, especially against any rips or tears in one of the layers. It will lower the risk of leaks in the cage.