Are Toughbooks hardened against an EMP

If you read much you may have read "One second After" or other SHTF type books.
After reading "One second After" and few others I am now wondering what really would
happen to our precious laptops and would they survive?
Would anything survive?
Awaiting your thoughts and ideas.


Bob

Faraday cages anyone?

 

If the SHTF what makes you think you're going to need a laptop?
CAP

 

Well that was kind of a non-answer. I think I am asking more then just a hypothetical question.
My question is how tough is a Toughbook? Are the military standards high enough?
Is it really a "toughbook"? Will it still work?
It doesn't matter what it might be used for after an EMP or the SHTF.

 

not really an useful answer, but I remember a line from a defunct sci-fi series (Jericho) when the (one of) the lead characters had a toughbook (AFAIR) that he used after the SHTF. he said it survived because they are ruggedized (he was wrong - they are designed rugged, not ruggedized afterwards ).
now, I don't think the magnesium casing gives any protection against EMP. a 10" thick metal safe would, though

 

IIRC... To be hardened against EMP it needs a faraday cage, be buried under a certain amount of Earth or be wrapped in lead.

From what I have read on other sites over the years... It would depend on the strength/proximity of the EMP and Toughbooks would be about the only thing that would likely survive. It would certainly outlast most/all others.

 

If the magnesium alloy is conductive, it should provide a strong degree of EMP shielding. A quick check with an ohmmeter on a CF-18 shows about 1,100 ohms between screws on opposite corners of the lid. I don't know if that's conductive enough for a really big EMP. It should not make much difference how thick the metal is, just need it conductive and completely surrounding the computer chips to act as a Faraday cage.

The Dwagon would know more . . .

 

After the battery that was inside ran out,,How would you power the Toughbook?

 

Rats on a treadmill hooked to an alternator.

 

Solar panels that were stored in a metal case, along with other essential electronics (radio, walkie-talkie, etc)

 

Solar, make your own generator, wife on the treadmill... lots of ways to power/charge your Toughbook.

 

So I guess the consensus is, what ever it is that might be damaged,
a faraday cage would probably help.


Thanks guys

 

I think that unless you are in very close proximity to the EMP burst, your Toughbook should survive unscathed.

Anyone want to run an experiment to see if Toughbooks are EMP proof/resistant?

 

Whilst a full faraday cage would be best, the CF-30 is designed for EMI/EMP.

Its also certified.

The spec your interested in is MIL-STD-461F

MIL-STD-461 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Which the toughbook CF-30 is certified to meet

http://nees.umn.edu/facilities/Telepresence/TB-30_ss.pdf

The only qualifier is that it needs a special AC adapter to meet the spec (whilst plugged in)

Its how the electronics are designed and shielded within the magnesium case.
If you've installed a third party GPS, you can probably forget about it still meeting MIL-STD-461F!

Toughbook EMI Certified - Panasonic Toughbook Reliable Laptops

Testing for Immunity to EMP

 

Ahhhh... Now THIS is what I need to have at the house so when the punk down the street rides by with his bass cannon blasting I can short him out...



But then I guess I would also blast the houses acorss the street too.

 

There are causality's in every war.

 

Collateral damage ?

 

.Very hypothetically speaking, there are some many ifs to consider the amount of damage. If our hemisphere is facing the blast, if the strength is high enough. If your TB is plugged in to any outside supported device. If the charger would be affected more. (any larger coil would collect this type of energy force like a magnet or maybe even a welded mass.)

All in all I would hope of all or many laptops out there TB would be one that might be one that has a slim chance to be of much help in the aftermath of this type of disaster.

 

EMP might come from a natural disaster like the huge coronal mass ejection (CME) in 1859 that melted telegraph wires. Or it can come from nuclear fireballs when we destroy ourselves. But on a more practical note, it can also come from pulse weapons like the picture above. Both police and military are working on this, and collateral damage can be expected -- unless you have a Toughbook!

 

If things or should I say "when" the world gets to this point, I am not sure "I" want to survive.

 

Ken,

I was reading in detail about that coronal mass ejection a few months ago in Discover I think.... That would certainly set the world back a good 20-50 years!

When you have to rebuild the machinery that rebuilds the machinery that rebuilds the machine that helps you rebuild the world.... It's going to take a while. Similar to the asteroid that just whizzed by at a million miles away... It is just a matter of time!

 

Humans are not as powerful or in as much control as we think we are. If the we start emp blasts, especially against other countries, throw the electronics away and hug the ones who love you......,

The first bright light you see won't be heaven...lets hope the second one is.

mushroom anyone?