How to Make a Faraday Cage: 6 Steps (with Pictures)

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How to Make a Faraday Cage: 6 Steps (with Pictures)
How to Make a Faraday Cage: 6 Steps (with Pictures)

Video: How to Make a Faraday Cage: 6 Steps (with Pictures)

Video: How to Make a Faraday Cage: 6 Steps (with Pictures)
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Named after Michael Faraday, Faraday's cage is a device used to protect electronic devices from electromagnetic radiation. It works based on a combination of conductive and non-conductive layers that create a shield, protecting the items inside it from radiation. While this sounds complicated, you can make your own Faraday cage out of aluminum foil, or even a slightly larger version out of a metal trash can.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Making a Faraday Cage with Aluminum Foil

Make a Faraday Cage Step 1
Make a Faraday Cage Step 1

Step 1. Wrap an electronic device in a layer of plastic

You can also put it inside a plastic bag. This will create a barrier between the device and the conductive aluminum layer. Plastic can also serve as extra protection against water.

Although it's not necessary, you can wrap the device in a layer of fabric so the edges don't pierce the plastic or aluminum foil

Make a Faraday Cage Step 2
Make a Faraday Cage Step 2

Step 2. Cover the device completely with aluminum foil

Aluminum foil will serve as the conductive layer. Do not leave any part of the item uncovered and be careful not to tear the sheet. Using your hands, run the aluminum foil through the entire device. This is the first of three layers of the type.

Aluminum foil acts as a conductive layer. Metal allows radiation to travel through it, while plastic prevents it from reaching your device

Make a Faraday Cage Step 3
Make a Faraday Cage Step 3

Step 3. Alternate layers of plastic and aluminum foil

Cover the entire appliance with at least three layers of aluminum foil. To maximize protection, alternate them with layers of plastic. Thus, you will alternate layers of conductive and non-conductive materials and protect your device from damage caused by electromagnetic radiation.

  • Faraday's cage serves to protect devices from electromagnetic pulses, or high intensity radiation explosions caused by a weapon or by very powerful natural sources such as the sun.
  • You can also use a Faraday cage to cut off a cell phone or radio signal. In that case, you won't need as many layers as the radiation is much lower than that of an electromagnetic pulse.
  • Sticking the layers together will make your Faraday cage more robust and resistant, but it will also be harder to disassemble.

Method 2 of 2: Building a Larger Faraday Cage

Make a Faraday Cage Step 4
Make a Faraday Cage Step 4

Step 1. Look for a conductive container

A stainless steel trash can with a tight lid is perfect for this experiment, but you can use any other metal container. This will be the first line of defense against electromagnetic radiation.

Make a Faraday Cage Step 5
Make a Faraday Cage Step 5

Step 2. Line the inside of the container with plastic

After choosing your trash can or the container of your choice, line the inside with a layer of plastic. This will prevent your device from touching the conductive layer of the trash can, as well as protect it from flooding.

  • To maximize protection, you can line the trash can with cardboard before adding the plastic.
  • You can add a few more layers of plastic and aluminum foil to make Faraday's cage even more effective. The more layers, the stronger the cage will be, even if they are thin.
Make a Faraday Cage Step 6
Make a Faraday Cage Step 6

Step 3. Place your appliances inside the cage

After you finish lining the trash, place your appliances inside the cage. Ideally, wrap each of them individually in their own Faraday cage, like the aluminum foil one. You can also buy a Faraday bag and place items inside. The trash can serve as an extra layer of protection.

After placing the appliances in the trash can, secure the lid with tape or screw it on to make the cage even safer. It's also a good idea to tie the cage to a metal beam or bolt it to the wall with a sheet of steel to keep it permanently in place

Tips

  • Do not use utensils like freezers or microwaves like Faraday cages. They don't offer enough protection.
  • You can make the non-conductive layers of rubber instead of plastic.
  • Conductive layers can be made from other conductive materials, such as copper, but this will cost a lot more.

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