Cannot lock FOB inside car

prius04 · 09-03-2004, 03:11 PM

I found out by accident that you can't leave the FOB anywhere in the car even if you want to.

This is for the SE/SS.

If you try to, you get the same alarm as when you try to lock the car with a door open.

So far I have 221 miles on my very first tank of gas and my average MPG is 54. Today is my 5th day of ownership.

**efusco** · 09-03-2004, 03:29 PM

If, for some reason, you WANT to lock the fob in the car put it in an Altoid's can or wrap it in Aluminum foil. It will block the signal so that you can leave it in the car.

Somebody here knows a fancy name to call that box, but I can't remember.

prius04 · 09-03-2004, 03:38 PM

Thanks.

gwilliams · 09-03-2004, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by efusco
If, for some reason, you WANT to lock the fob in the car put it in an Altoid's can or wrap it in Aluminum foil. It will block the signal so that you can leave it in the car.

Somebody here knows a fancy name to call that box, but I can't remember.

In RF-speak, I think you're describing a "Faraday cage", a device to shield electromagnetic radiation (e.g. RF)...

G.

bruceha_2000 · 09-03-2004, 03:44 PM

Faraday cage? You car is a Faraday cage too that is why you don't die when lightning strikes nearby :-) So, theoretically, if you put your fob in another car parked very close by, you still won't be able to unlock the door with SE. Would be a fun experiment.

**efusco** · 09-03-2004, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gwilliams+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gwilliams)</div>

Quote:

<!--QuoteBegin-efusco

Quote:

If, for some reason, you WANT to lock the fob in the car put it in an Altoid's can or wrap it in Aluminum foil. It will block the signal so that you can leave it in the car.

Somebody here knows a fancy name to call that box, but I can't remember.

In RF-speak, I think you're describing a "Faraday cage", a device to shield electromagnetic radiation (e.g. RF)...

G.[/b]

Yup, that's it...but b/c I don't know anything about Faraday I'll never be able to remember that....But thanks! :?

gwilliams · 09-03-2004, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bruceha_2000
Faraday cage? You car is a Faraday cage too that is why you don't die when lightning strikes nearby :-) So, theoretically, if you put your fob in another car parked very close by, you still won't be able to unlock the door with SE. Would be a fun experiment.

True, but it is kinda hard to get your car inside a Prius.

:lolup:

canuckican · 09-03-2004, 05:15 PM

Actually, no...

Your car is NOT a Faraday cage. If it were, you would not be able to call out of it from a cell phone or listen to a portable walkman-type radio while within it. A Faraday cage stops all forms of electromagnetic radiation (which the cell phone signals and radio waves are). Your car is more like the Altoids box with the lid left off... the metal body acts like a cage, but the big oil' windows let the EM right through. A Faraday cage must COMPLETELY surround the object to be shielded with a conductor. A solid metal wall will work or a mesh with a mesh size smaller than the wavelength of radiation you're trying to block. Screen window type mesh works fine for radio waves.

The reason you are (more or less) safe in your car during lightning activity is that the rubber tires act as an insulator under the metal body and deny the lightning a path to ground. I would note though, that I would not bet my life on this fact as 1) personally I believe that lightning packs enough voltage to burn/melt right though your tires or 2) if the lightning has just arced several kilometers down from a thunderhead, through the sky to your car, do you think it couldn't arc the remaining 6 inches to the ground after passing through your car?

Something to think about...

daniel · 09-03-2004, 06:23 PM

Evan - If you can remember the Latin names for all those body parts and illnesses and stuff, you could remember Faraday, if you wanted to.

If worse came to worse, maybe you could just forget the name of some obscure bone somewhere to make room for the extra word.

prius04 · 09-03-2004, 06:43 PM

Actually, the rubber tires have NOTHING to do with safety in being inside a car during a thunderstorm.

Electricity takes the route of least resistance and that least resistance is along the outside of your car to the ground. Lightning simply has no reason nor desire to go THROUGH the car. And THAT is the principle of the Faraday cage when it comes to lightning.

So don't have your hand on the outside of the car during a T storm because electricity kind of likes the conduction of human tissue.

The amount of electricity in lightning is not going to be slowed down by pittling rubber tires. So once the bolt reaches the car, it is going to the ground along the path of least resistance and when it reaches the rubber tires, it is not going to say oops and turn around.

Plus, in almost every instance of lightning it is raining and we all know what a good conducter of electricity water is.

Again, a car does offer some protection during a T storm, but attributing it to the rubber tires is a myth that just seems to never go away. It's the metal cage that you are in.

The Museum of Science in Boston has a giant Faraday cage on a stage where the guy does experiments from inside it as edutainment.

09-03-2004, 03:11 PM	#1
prius04 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: NorthEast USA Posts: 1,155 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Cannot lock FOB inside car I found out by accident that you can't leave the FOB anywhere in the car even if you want to. This is for the SE/SS. If you try to, you get the same alarm as when you try to lock the car with a door open. So far I have 221 miles on my very first tank of gas and my average MPG is 54. Today is my 5th day of ownership.

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09-03-2004, 03:29 PM	#2
efusco Troll Slayer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nixa, MO Posts: 12,940 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 1 Time in 1 Post TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 21	If, for some reason, you WANT to lock the fob in the car put it in an Altoid's can or wrap it in Aluminum foil. It will block the signal so that you can leave it in the car. Somebody here knows a fancy name to call that box, but I can't remember.

09-03-2004, 03:38 PM	#3
prius04 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: NorthEast USA Posts: 1,155 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Thanks.

09-03-2004, 03:44 PM	#5
bruceha_2000 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: South Burlington, VT Posts: 2,129 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #8 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Faraday cage? You car is a Faraday cage too that is why you don't die when lightning strikes nearby :-) So, theoretically, if you put your fob in another car parked very close by, you still won't be able to unlock the door with SE. Would be a fun experiment.

09-03-2004, 05:15 PM	#8
canuckican Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Windsor, Ontario, Canada Posts: 75 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Actually, no... Your car is NOT a Faraday cage. If it were, you would not be able to call out of it from a cell phone or listen to a portable walkman-type radio while within it. A Faraday cage stops all forms of electromagnetic radiation (which the cell phone signals and radio waves are). Your car is more like the Altoids box with the lid left off... the metal body acts like a cage, but the big oil' windows let the EM right through. A Faraday cage must COMPLETELY surround the object to be shielded with a conductor. A solid metal wall will work or a mesh with a mesh size smaller than the wavelength of radiation you're trying to block. Screen window type mesh works fine for radio waves. The reason you are (more or less) safe in your car during lightning activity is that the rubber tires act as an insulator under the metal body and deny the lightning a path to ground. I would note though, that I would not bet my life on this fact as 1) personally I believe that lightning packs enough voltage to burn/melt right though your tires or 2) if the lightning has just arced several kilometers down from a thunderhead, through the sky to your car, do you think it couldn't arc the remaining 6 inches to the ground after passing through your car? Something to think about...

09-03-2004, 06:23 PM	#9
daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 8,590 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Evan - If you can remember the Latin names for all those body parts and illnesses and stuff, you could remember Faraday, if you wanted to. If worse came to worse, maybe you could just forget the name of some obscure bone somewhere to make room for the extra word.

09-03-2004, 06:43 PM	#10
prius04 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: NorthEast USA Posts: 1,155 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Actually, the rubber tires have NOTHING to do with safety in being inside a car during a thunderstorm. Electricity takes the route of least resistance and that least resistance is along the outside of your car to the ground. Lightning simply has no reason nor desire to go THROUGH the car. And THAT is the principle of the Faraday cage when it comes to lightning. So don't have your hand on the outside of the car during a T storm because electricity kind of likes the conduction of human tissue. The amount of electricity in lightning is not going to be slowed down by pittling rubber tires. So once the bolt reaches the car, it is going to the ground along the path of least resistance and when it reaches the rubber tires, it is not going to say oops and turn around. Plus, in almost every instance of lightning it is raining and we all know what a good conducter of electricity water is. Again, a car does offer some protection during a T storm, but attributing it to the rubber tires is a myth that just seems to never go away. It's the metal cage that you are in. The Museum of Science in Boston has a giant Faraday cage on a stage where the guy does experiments from inside it as edutainment.