Faraday cages are a good way to protect you and your family from surprise attacks. But does a gun safe work as a Faraday cage? It is a fairly common question among gun owners. If you do not know anything about these concepts, this article will show you some useful information. Check it out now!
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What Is A Faraday Cage?
A Faraday cage is essential for your home safety.
Faraday cage is an electronic isolation enclosure. It forms a shield to prevent the interaction between the objects inside and the electric field outside. In other words, the electronic signals distribute an electrical charge onto the insulating material outside the container without passing through it.
The main purpose of this construction is to resist EMP (Electromagnetic pulse) and ensure that the electronic devices work properly. Manufacturers create separation between the two environments using wood, plastic, or glass to make the container.
So, will a gun safe act as a faraday cage? Scroll down for the answer below.
Does A Gun Safe Work As A Faraday Cage?
Unfortunately, the quick answer is no. The gun safe’s solid metal exterior may block certain radio signals, but not the EMP.
Gun owners are often concerned about the dangers of EMP. This phenomenon can be caused by a nuclear attack, an electromagnetic jamming weapon, or a cyber attack.
No one wants their guns and valuables disabled in a container they consider safe. In this case, the Faraday cage offers more benefits. It helps to protect some objects inside from the effects of electromagnetic energy. The risk of theft is also significantly reduced.
A gun safe cannot work as a Faraday cage.
Can a gun safe be a Faraday cage? It would help if you considered other materials such as aluminum, copper, or conductive alloys to create an effective Faraday cage instead of a gun safe.
Depending on the material, they can provide various user experiences. Another factor that also affects performance is the size and shape of the mesh holes. A small change results in a different radiation blocking ability.
Why Should You Have A Gun Safe Work As A Faraday Cage?
Protect Against Solar Flare
A solar flare is a type of reaction that causes a large explosion in the sun. Though the distance is quite far from the Earth, it leaves certain consequences.
Scientists have grouped the effects into three categories based on how damaging electromagnetic radiation is. First, the X-class fire causes the strongest impact. The worst-case scenario for the whole world is a massive radio blackout.
The smaller flare, the M-class, prevents short-term radio access by residents of the polar regions. Lastly, C-class flares are not much of a nuisance to life on Earth.
Protect Against Electromagnetic Pulse Attack
Undoubtedly, Faraday cages protect the devices inside from fluctuating magnetic fields such as a nuclear attack. You can never anticipate the destruction caused by nuclear power. They resonate with the Earth’s magnetic field and lead to unpredictable consequences.
Investing in a Faraday cage is a great choice to protect you and your family from serious crises. Cages with small stimulators can hold guns, electronics, and lighting equipment needed for emergencies. If your home has a large size available, storing your car is not impossible.
Eliminate Phone Tracking
Smart devices always have harmful side effects. GPS is the clearest proof. We cannot deny that this feature gives the most accurate directions to the destination quickly. However, some also accuse phone carriers of using GPS to track their location. We do not know at all whether our personal information is stolen this way.
That’s when a Faraday cage comes in handy. It prevents telecommunication signals from reaching your mobile phone. This way, you prevent GPS location tracking and record-keeping whenever you want.
Avoid RFID Skimming
Once again, information security always receives considerable attention from everyone. Besides its conveniences, the growth of the Internet has also increased the opportunities for cyber criminals.
Bank cards, social media accounts, or IDs are always their top targets. They can easily access your device from a far distance without your notice. So, equipping an RFID Faraday Cage wallet is the best way to protect your assets.
How Does An EMP Attack Affect Your Gun Safe?
Every object on Earth, including humans, from a thousand miles or more away is affected by HEMPs. It consists of the discharge of a huge electromagnetic field in all directions to the planet’s surface.
Its main effect is to generate a high voltage current of sufficient magnitude to affect electrical circuits or wires. In other words, there is always current flowing through these conductors.
Your electronic equipment without some protection features does not survive from an EMP attack. As you know, humans cannot control EMP attacks such as thunder. If the voltage of the magnetic field exceeds the tolerance of the circuit, your device experiences serious internal damage.
Another shortcoming we must face is that EMP attacks come suddenly. Preparing a Faraday cage at least reduces the intensity and minimizes the consequences. While it is impossible to cover everything in your home, being prepared in advance can protect some precious things in the short term.
A gun safe does not save your devices from EMP attack.
You should understand that there is better than nothing. Though the electronic lock may suffer from damages after a disaster, you still have a protection cage with an override key to free up your electronics and guns inside.
How To EMP-Proof Your Gun Safe?
Will a gun safe work as a faraday cage? In fact, it cannot prevent magnetic field penetration. However, there is a lot to help you increase the effect of the gun safe and turn it into a real Faraday cage. Check it out!
Mechanical Lock
You have to consider many things before setting the mechanical lock for your gun safe. Luckily, we have compiled a list of things to do that you can refer to as follows:
- Mechanical locks are the first choice to increase the security of your gun safe. Choosing the dual locking system pushes it to the next level. After installation, we recommend checking the power with a multimeter. Please put it on any part of the door to test the lock operation.
- Another popular option at auto stores is a ground strap. Using them does not require much effort. However, the additional screwing to the safety frame creates a more stable connection to the door. Once the setup is done, it is best to install one more coating with aluminum foil. Then check the quality of the gun safe, especially the inside. If you feel moisture, cover it with a layer of foil.
Removing paint from metal contact areas makes lock installation easier. Finally, remember to double-check the quality of the Faraday cage once everything is done. The readings on the voltmeter show you how resistant the gun is when an EMP occurs.
Use EMF Proof Material
Scientists have shown that copper has excellent resistance to electromagnetic radiation. Some manufacturers combine it with other raw materials to form alloys with higher conductivity. Besides, we appreciate the corrosion resistance of the original copper, brass, or beryllium bronze.
If you are looking for a cheaper case, tinned carbon steel becomes your savior. It almost retains the same properties as copper. On the downside, the blocking ability declined slightly.
Last but not least, aluminum is a good conductor of electricity. It also provides relatively stable durability. However, you need to consider its oxidizing properties before use.
Conclusion
Does a gun safe work as a Faraday cage? We hope that you can find the answer after reading the whole article. A Faraday cage protects your electronic devices from collisions with magnetic fields that can lead to serious damage to internal components.
If you do not want ready-made ones, use our simple guide to turn your gun safe into a sturdy Faraday cage as soon as possible.
