Stupid Question

I would say no.

I really don't think that's a stupid question.

It depends on whether the circuitry is behind metal. You might want to call the manufacturer to see how or if the circuit is shielded. You could also wrap the safe with wire mesh then ground the mesh.

Just another reason to use the old fashioned dial.
When I read about entry issues they almost always involve the electronic locks.
All mine are dial S&G's

This is exactly why I chose an old safe from the seventies and had it re-comboed.

Definitely not a stupid question, friend.

Fella's;

Hah! Makes no nevermind to me. I've got three silos within five miles. If those birds go it's likely my safe will glow in the dark for about 10,000 years, or so.

900F

A more important question is.

Would it matter if there were an EMP attack on the USA??

If you can't get the safe open, nothing else would work either.

And you will starve to death, die of thirst, or run out of toilet paper in a week anyway.

Might as well just go belly up from the nuclear fall-out from the EMP attack, and get it over with quickly.

rc

An EMP can come from another source besides a nuclear attack. If we get a solar flair pointed in our direction and it is large enough that could result in an EMP. Not to make you worry.

The beauty of an EMP device is that there ISN'T any fallout. Very clean weapon. And yes, your safe keypad will be toast. Along with your cellphone and your electronic fuel injection. I have read that the Soviets developed a fairly powerful EMP device that was man portable and could wipe out a small city. And like so much of their stuff they claim to have "lost" track of a few.

If you are interested in EMP effects, read One Second After by William Forstchen. Scary senario about what could happen.

I don't keep my family jewels in the safe just for that reason ! Well, maybe a couple other reasons too.

84B20 said:

An EMP can come from another source besides a nuclear attack. If we get a solar flair pointed in our direction and it is large enough that could result in an EMP. Not to make you worry.

Click to expand...

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/sun_darkness.html

Nice write up of the 1989 solar flare induced blackout in Canada.

I wonder if that would be enough to fry today's unshielded electronics.

Jim

Battery may survive, but the circuitry won't. EMP will cook the sensitive digital stuff first and foremost. Analog systems are still susceptible, but more tolerant. However, a powerful enough EMP will cook even the most basic stuff; there was a solar flare generated EMP in the 19th century that zapped telegraph operators, burned telegraph paper and torched lines.

The Starfish Prime test in the Pacific knocked out tons of traffic lights and such in Hawaii back in the '60s.

The beauty of an EMP device is that there ISN'T any fallout. Very clean weapon.

Click to expand...

There would be, just nothing like a conventional nuke, in which the EMP is the byproduct. High altitude, high intensity fission nukes are the ones that have weaponized the EMP itself.

NNEMPs, such as the EPFG or microwave type, are short range and far, FAR less powerful

Bet there's a few folks in every modern country that know quite a bit about this topic....
I figure it's the primary surprise that we and our allies (as well as our enemies) worry about. If the ayatollahs have any smarts they ought to be worried as well....

Apparently there is a market for shielded anti-EMP safe blankets. Is there no fail-safe method for getting into a "real" safe equipped with an electronic keypad?

Most of the EMP hype is just that, hype.

While the field strengths sear large they are not really all that big, and small objects will not see all that much voltage even at 10,000 V/m filed strength if they are less than a meter in dimension.

It is larger items like power lines that will be able to couple the field, and they are designed for far higher surges from lighting.

It also does not take all that much metal to shield from the fields.

I work as an MRI tech and am very familiar with magnetic pulses. To answer your question ....NO, it will not survive an emp affect from a nuclear device. There are certain things you could do to the safe to protect it. You could build a faraday cage around it, wrap copper sheeting around the electronic device that houses the batteries and keypads.
Faraday cage would be your best bet.

1) If EMP is no problem tell that to the Canadians. 2) my son is an locksmith. Do not get electronic safes. The National Guard in Homestead, Fla couldn't get to their guns for 2 weeks while his crew drilled night and day to overcome the hardened steel. A neighbor of mine in Tn had his electronics go out and it took 3 days of drilling to defeat it at of cost of $650.00. Think about it.
ll

Even beyond at EMP blast, which is highly unlikely to ever happen, I wouldn't trust an electronic lock alone without having a manual backup. I am sure they are convenient, but as with any electronic item they are prone to failure, hopefully just not when you need it to work most.

(yes I know some electronic systems are built better than others)

I have read that the Soviets developed a fairly powerful EMP device that was man portable and could wipe out a small city. And like so much of their stuff they claim to have "lost" track of a few.

Click to expand...

They REALLY need to get a new inventory control system!

Stupid answer: "Well, that depends on how well it stops the 9mm projectile from the [Springfield Armory] EMP!"

But seriously, . . . yeah, the pad will be destroyed. Don't keypad safes have another way to get the safe open? I personally think I would just stick with the dial.

It is my understanding from locksmiths that they get more calls for safes that have digital electronic locks. It seems that the average lifes span of these locks is around 3 years.