Pre Planning

You probably have one of the few devices that might survive

by crustyg - 2020-02-15 18:14:42

The EMP generates huge voltages in electronic circuits which destroy the semiconductor junctions.  There was a lot of speculation during the 1970s about whether thermionic valve-based systems would be better in this scenario.  A Tornado military jet flew too close to the megawatt radio transmitter mast for Radio Free Europe during the Cold War and although the electronics were supposedly hardened against EMP they still failed.  Equipment is often designed to protect itself against nearby lightning strikes and sometimes succeeds.  Wireless World ran a report of some valuable recording equipment destroyed by a lightning strike on the lightning arrester on a church tower back in the 1970s.  Satellites are designed to protect themselves against huge electrical surges during solar flares and so far, most of them do very well.

The electronics in your PM have been designed to withstand some big voltages if someone puts an external defibrillator on your chest and uses it.  The induced voltages in your leads (and aerial) from this are probably larger than they would pick up from an EMP, and most PMs will survive external defib usage - although healthcare staff are trained to avoid putting the paddles directly over the box.

My prediction is that your PM will survive the putative EMP - but depending on the cause (deliberate EMP for crime/terrorism, or multiple thermonuclear airbusts as part of a nuclear strike), you might wish that you hadn't survived.  But the human drive to live is very strong.  Having a PM and being a prepper are probably mutually incompatible.

MrTech may have more/different information.

That is

by Pacer2019 - 2020-02-15 20:08:21

Very interesting.  What would get me would be when my battery life ended and my device couldn't be replaced I guess

Solar Flares

by Seo - 2020-02-15 23:54:25

Funny you should ask. I'm an engineer, so I think about stuff like this. I didn't think to ask my EP at my last checkup. I've also been curious about whether ir not solar flare activity will have sn effect. Even if just temporary. My guess is that both events would be survivable for the device, but I dont know. Mine is MRI compatible if "certain precautions are taken," and that's a pretty strong nearby magnetic field. Only semi-serious now, but I'd be more concerned about a thermal runaway of the lithium battery. Will your chest explode?  Ouch. 

EMP nd other mental masturbation

by AgentX86 - 2020-02-16 00:05:09

Being an engineer, my guess is that an EMP would fry a pacemaker and if it didn't, the air burst that caused it wouldn't do the owner much good.  If that didn't get you, the next few months will.

Pacemakers use a "lithium battery" but it's not a normal secomdary battery that we have in our power drill.  It's a primary cell and quite benign.  There is no thermal runaway with these batteries.  For one thing, they're not rechargable and no one is going to drive a nail through one.

EMP

by WazzA - 2020-02-17 11:12:54

Mine is MRI compatible, BUT........ :-)

faraday cage

by dwelch - 2020-02-17 12:21:37

the device itself is surrounded by metal it is in its own faraday cage.

the reality is in this very unlikely event, your pacer is the least of your worries and you probably wouldnt want to be around for the apocalypse.  If a nuclear device were to hit I would much rather be ground zero.  EMP, is more of a movie/tv show thing than much of a reality these days.  Not that it doesnt exist, but not enough to bother with some average Jane at Starbucks getting a coffee or Joe at the grocery store.  The amount of energy required to do anything useful is massive and you would have to not waste it.  Far easier to detonate a nuclear device.  The battery for such a pulse would be the size of kentucky or ohio.

You want to shut down the country why waste all that time with EMP you use your keyboard to take down power and communications.  EMP is pretty much the last thing you would use if you wanted to take over something or shut down something, except in the movies.

If worried get some chain mail and wear that all the time, create an additional faraday cage around your device.

Chain mail ......

by Pacer2019 - 2020-02-17 16:20:34

My worry would be more recharging when the time came...... I could stock pile and extra charged up device but without power I don't know how I would get it switched out ? 
I have a generator would just need fuel to create power... anthesia then a willing skilled surgeon