EMF radiation shielding and dirty electricity

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
15 replies · 3K views
ilii
Messages
39
Reaction score
1
Hello,

Does anyone shield themselves from computer / monitor from EMF radiation? if so what materials do you use to cover/coat your electronics?

I am buying an EMF meter soon (Trifield 100XE) and plan on solving all my EMF issues, specifically around my computer tower, monitor, and other electronics.

I don't know what materials to use or where to get them - I would greatly appreciate some help in this.

Thank you ~
 
Physics news on Phys.org
This website sums up what I am talking about:

http://www.lessemf.com/index.html

I guess I am just trying to find someone who is familiar enough with EMF radiation to give a beginner some advice...

Also, everything on this site seems very expensive and maybe there is an alternative to finding the materials I need?
 
ilii said:
Hello,

Does anyone shield themselves from computer / monitor from EMF radiation? if so what materials do you use to cover/coat your electronics?

I am buying an EMF meter soon (Trifield 100XE) and plan on solving all my EMF issues, specifically around my computer tower, monitor, and other electronics.

I don't know what materials to use or where to get them - I would greatly appreciate some help in this.

Thank you ~

I've heard that tinfoil works well. You can form it into all kinds of useful shapes... :rolleyes:
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: davenn and dlgoff
Interesting. There was an article a friend was lambasting on FB just the other day about "Dirty Electricity". I followed the link to a soft-fuzzy site that tried very hard to convince me that the electronics and electrical systems in my house were polluting me, and that they had the antidote.
 
Cost me at least 45 seconds that I'll never get back.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: davenn and berkeman
ilii said:
Hello,

Does anyone shield themselves from computer / monitor from EMF radiation? if so what materials do you use to cover/coat your electronics?

I am buying an EMF meter soon (Trifield 100XE) and plan on solving all my EMF issues, specifically around my computer tower, monitor, and other electronics.

I don't know what materials to use or where to get them - I would greatly appreciate some help in this.

Thank you ~
Just don't hold a laptop too long on your lap. You know, it can cook your testicles:D
And don't ever use a cell phone and you'll be fine.
 
Heck. I'm trying to use dirty electricity. Working on generating soft x-rays for the "Beauty ..." thread. :approve:
 
First: "EMF" does not mean "Electromagnetic field", "EM Frequency" (which isn't even a thing, though I've heard this term used) or anything of the sort. It stands for "electromotive force". Maybe coat yourself in resistors?

Anyway. While all electronic devices do necessarily produce some radiation, it's not the dangerous kind. The radiation from electronics typically lives in the microwave to radio area of the spectrum. This happens to any changing current in a conductor.

Now, understand a few things. UV, X-ray, and gamma radiation are dangerous because they are 1.) high frequency (wavelengths small enough to interfere with chemical bonds in cells) and 2.) high energy (they are incident on atoms with enough energy to ionize them). IR and Microwave radiation (the sort you can likely expect to be produced by your electronics and appliances) have wavelengths billions of times longer than UV, X, and gamma rays, far too large to mess with atomic bonds. As a result, they are also extremely low energy. They certainly have less energy and longer wavelengths than radiation in the optical spectrum (AKA visible light). So suffice to say, if the truly tiny amounts of low energy, low-frequency radiation from your computer or home wiring was dangerous, then visible light would be downright lethal.

Of course, if you're still concerned (which you shouldn't be) the FCC requires all electronics to be properly shielded so as not to produce electromagnetic radiation that may interfere with other devices (the only reasonable concern from radiation coming from your appliances).

berkeman said:
I've heard that tinfoil works well. You can form it into all kinds of useful shapes... :rolleyes:

Just be careful about which one. The wrong shape might actually end up amplifying the signal, apparently: http://web.archive.org/web/20100708230258/http://people.csail.mit.edu/rahimi/helmet/ (maybe the most delightful thing I've read all day).
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: mfb, zoobyshoe and berkeman
I hope Evo is taking notes. :olduhh:

She uses them for meteorites and things coming from above.

Just kidding. Don't ban me Evo.
 
Yes this is all very interesting ~

I spend literally all day in front of a computer and various electronics so I am a bit worried. I am trying the tinfoil idea until I can find a better solution, as I heard tinfoil reflects em-waves very well. I heard that anything wireless emits a much stronger signal than if it is corded and grounded, and the base of laptops also emit high radiation. I don't have a SmartMeter attached to my house, but based on what I have been told they cause a major radiation problem.
 
I believe your fears are unfounded.

We've lived in a sea of radio waves since early 1900's.
I am within sight ot two cellphone towers and a FM radio tower.
Nowadays everybody seems to have a cellphone in their pocket or purse.
Forget the smart meter it's nothing more than a cordless phone that only reports in a few times a day.
http://www.fpl.com/energysmart/pdf/radio_frequency.pdf
http://www.arrl.org/smart-metersCFL lamps are more intense than computers.
http://www.ieice.org/proceedings/EMC09/pdf/22S3-3.pdf

Don't live a fear based life. Knowledge is power. Train your search engine.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: dlgoff
You might, for your own enlightenment, apply Planck's radiation law to the tree in the back yard, the spider plant or philodendron in the house, or the hair on your head to get an idea of how much electromagnetic radiation in what bandwidths you're exposed to as a result of living in a 300 K environment.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: jack476 and dlgoff