A Faraday cage is a protective enclosure that blocks its contents from electromagnetic radiation. You will find it in many of the EMF blocking devices. It is a sealed container, made of conductive material, like copper or aluminum.
How Faraday Cages Work?
These cages have a conductive outer layer which reflects and blocks incoming EMF waves away from it, while the non-conductive inner layer absorbs any EMF that penetrates the outer layer. The size of the mesh openings is smaller than the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, preventing the waves from passing through the openings.
Essentially, the metal cage creates a conductive path around the perimeter of the cage, preventing the electromagnetic field from penetrating inside the enclosure. With advances in this technology you can now purchase products that have Faraday cage material for electronics.
Everyday Examples
In your kitchen, you will find your microwave is a real-life example of a Faraday shield. The metal shell blocks microwaves used to cook your food from escaping into the environment.
More importantly for your safety, an airplane uses an aluminum hull to create a shield. This prevents passengers from getting an electric charge if the plane is struck by lightning and prevents any damage to the plane’s equipment.
You can also find examples in hospitals. MRI rooms use them to block radiation from leaving the room. You can see the metal cage in the window.
They’re also used in research laboratories to shield sensitive equipment from outside electromagnetic fields.
Elevators and other rooms may simulate a Faraday cage effect, due to their metallic conducting frames. This would be why you may not be able to get a signal on your device while in the elevator.
What are the Benefits?
There are many benefits to using these shields. They are used for your safety, as in airplanes, cars, and MRI machines. They protect your data and privacy by blocking hackers from accessing your cell phone, tablet, laptop, RFID chips in your bank cards and driver’s licence, and other devices.
They also protect people from harmful EMFs, including Wifi, Bluetooth, 5G, cell towers, power lines, smart meters, and more, through the use of Faraday bags, silver thread bed canopies, Faraday clothing, shielding paint, etc.
Are There any Drawbacks?
There are several potential drawbacks to using a Faraday cage. First, if the cage is not properly grounded, it may actually attract and amplify electromagnetic fields rather than shielding against them.
Second, the cage must be large enough to completely enclose the area or object to be protected, which may not be practical in some situations.
Third, the cage may block out some types of electromagnetic waves (such as radio waves) that are not harmful to humans, making communication difficult or impossible.
Will They Protect Against an EMP?
Yes. In order to protect your electronics from an electromagnetic pulse, I strongly recommend using protective bags or containers. This is a popular choice among those preparing for such an event. Bags come in a variety of sizes, while containers can be made to protect large items, including generators, solar panels, vehicles, etc. You can also use nesting bags for additional protection within your shielding bag or container.
An EMP is an intense burst of energy that is very localized, which can potentially wipe out electronics and information systems. It could have devastating consequences. There are natural EMP’s, like lightning strikes, as well as man-made EMPs.
EMP’s can damage your phone, your electronics, electrical systems, the power grid, security systems, water and sewage systems, internet, ATMs, transportation, etc. It can cause them to stop working temporarily or permanently.
Is there Anything a Cage Won’t Block?
They cannot block static or slowly varying magnetic fields, such as the Earth’s magnetic field. And if there are large gaps, or if over time the material breaks down, they will lose their full effectiveness, allowing electric fields to penetrate.
How to Make a DIY Cage
The most common method is to use a metal mesh, such as chicken wire or hardware cloth. You can also use a solid metal sheet, like aluminum. Simply enclose the area you want to protect in the mesh, while making sure the mesh is in contact with all sides of the enclosure and that there are no gaps.
Tinfoil can be used to create a quick (more temporary) type of cage as long as there are no holes in it, as aluminum foil is a conductive material.
More About the Inventor
Faraday Cages were invented by Michael Faraday, a 19th century British physicist and chemist, building off the work of Benjamin Franklin. At the Royal Institution in London, Faraday built a 12 foot cube on a wooden frame and lined it with metal foil.
He used an electrostatic generator to blast the room with electricity. However, inside his “cage,” which he lived in for two days, his electroscope detected no electricity. Demonstrating that an electrical conductor, when charged, will only exhibit the charge on its surface and does not have an effect on its interior.
Thus began the concept of the Faraday cage.
Fun fact – Albert Einstein had a picture of him on his study wall, alongside other important scientists, according to Wikipedia.
Other Significant Discoveries and Inventions
Michael Faraday made many significant discoveries, including the concept of electromagnetic fields, principles of electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism, and the laws of electrolysis. As a chemist, he discovered benzene.
He also invented electromagnetic rotary devices, an early form of the Bunsen burner, and the system of oxidation numbers. Faraday was the first and foremost Fullerian Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution.
