Power drain

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Template:Weapon The power drain is a combat support device used by the Covenant's Jiralhanae forces. It creates a short-range electromagnetic pulse (EMP) effect, which interferes with all electronic equipment within the radius of the pulse. It is primarily designed to interfere with common varieties of energy shielding and the electrical components of vehicles. After a short time, the device overheats and explodes, which can wound or kill combatants in its resulting explosion.^[1]The electricity it produces can also cause significant harm to unshielded biological targets. Power drains saw usage by Jiralhanae during the last few months of the Human-Covenant War, both during the Battle of Mombasa and the Battle of Installation 00. In 2555, power drains were used by Spartan-IVs in War Games simulations onboard Anvil Station.

Trivia

Once thrown, the Power Drain takes 0.5 seconds to activate, and subsequently lasts 6.5 seconds, equaling a total of 7 seconds.
The Power Drain, Radar Jammer, and Flare are all visually identical save for the color of the glow each item emits.
The effects of the Power Drain pass through walls and floors, so simply fleeing to the bottom floor of a structure after an enemy activates one will still strip your shields if you pass through the field. This is most noticeable on levels such as Guardian.
The power drain can be used in a glitch called Equipment Jumping by moving against a wall, jumping, and then at highest point of the jump deploy the power drain. This allows you to jump off of it in mid air. This is a great tactic for reaching high areas of a map such as the second level of the tower on The Pit. This can also be done with the Radar Jammer and Flare, however, the Power Drain variation of the glitch can only be performed as an Elite.
Strangely, in Halo 3: ODST, when you are in the radius of a power drain, your stamina will drain, even though it's not powered by anything at all. This is simply for gameplay purposes, although research indicates that electromagnetic frequencies can affect one's sense of well-being, sometimes making one feel unusually tired. It is also possible that it is meant to represent the electricity causing damage to the ODST.

Gallery

The Power Drain icon in Halo 3.
An inactive Power Drain in Halo 3.
An inactive Power Drain in Halo 3 beta.
A deployed Power Drain, about to activate itself.
The power drain emits a field of blue energy that strips away all energy shielding within its range.