S&G just had their non-government safe locks tested. This is the first official and documented testing of commercial/residential locks. Like many of us have been saying for awhile, it had no effect on the locks. None of them were specifically designed to be "EMP Proof". I suspect other manufacturers products would pass the testing as well.

"Generally, EMP-resistance requirements for electromechanical locks that protect the nation’s most classified documents only requires successfully passing testing at an EMP level of between 28 and 37 kV/m exposure. S&G’s study ¸ however, went beyond the standard testing and used an EMP exposure at levels of 50 kV/m – the U.S. military’s highest EMP impact standard as found in MIL-STD 461F, Method RS105. The lab tested all three lock series, applying radiant transient electromagnet field, and each were tested with a variety of S&G keypads, following the Military Standard MIL- STD461F, Method RS105 at 50 kV/m peak exposure.

At the end of the testing series, the S&G locks were still fully functional. S&G credits the locks’ resilience to the expertise S&G engineers have applied from working with high-security locks for U.S. government facilities."

http://www.sargentandgreenleaf.com/pdf/EmpRelease.pdf

http://www.sargentandgreenleaf.com/pdf/SGEmpTesting.pdf

Can't say that I have seen many S&G electronic locks in government facilities, but perhaps all of the work they are doing is in anticipation of future sales.

Either way, now we know.

EMP is the least of my worries with an electronic lock.  Solenoid, keypad, solder joints, batteries - all the other baggage that comes with them over a dial; no thanks.

Still cool that they tested though.

Alas exactly this.

Just yesterday I had to order a very expensive electronic component for a touch free Zurn urinal that was less than six years old.
The little motor that makes the urinal flush gave up the ghost.

I have never drilled a lock due to EMP.  I have drilled many for all of the other reasons you mentioned.

Hmmm does that mean you advocate mechanical over electric?  

It depends.  There are clearly things that electronic locks can do that mechanical locks can not.  But for most basic residential applications, a mechanical lock is still one of your most reliable options.

The whole EMP scare and safe locks has always given me a chuckle. A few years ago, ARRL (American Radio Relay League) which is the premier organization for Ham Radio in the US, had a great article on EMP in their monthly magazine. Since Ham Radio Operators have an emergency communications responsibility, this is a somewhat important topic in the amateur radio comunity. While the science is outside of my area of expertise, the general overview is that radios that did not have an antenna outside the building at the time of the EMP and were unplugged from the power grid were unlikely to be adversely affected by the EMP.  Put a handheld radio in a metal toolbox, and it is pretty much immune.

The idea from the movies where there will be an EMP blast and everything with a transistor in it for hundreds of miles is destroyed is overblown.

The risk from an EMP is really more for the power grid. The wires on the poles act like big antennas, receive that large pulse, and blow out a lot of the intricate components on the grid. Devices in homes that are plugged in at the time of the EMP are at some risk too. Power could literally be out for months before the utility gets things repaired.

The idea that all safe locks in the radius of the pulse immediately stop working just seems very unrealistic.

---Aaron

My thoughts exactly.

so get a lock duo. best of all worlds problem solved end of story.