# Electromagnetic railgun: why all the smoke and fire?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electromagnetic-railgun-why-all-the-smoke-and-fire/614353>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 29, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electromagnetic-railgun-why-all-the-smoke-and-fire/614353 "2012-02-29T16:05:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 23

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**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electromagnetic-railgun-why-all-the-smoke-and-fire/614353/23 "2012-03-01T01:36:06Z")

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> [@yoyodyne](#):
>
> You could charge one up from an outlet in your house, but it may take a couple of weeks per shot.

I think you are overestimating a little bit, 32 MJ is only 9 kWh. That would only take about 5 hours maxing out a 15 A circuit. Though I suppose 5 hours or a week to reload would be effectively equivalent in combat.

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