08 Prius struck by Lightning!

[Rokeby]

abq sfr, donee, kohnen,

thank you for the come-backs. That was educational, I learned some things.
The only downside being the further loss of innocence; another childhood myth
shattered.

My apologies to the OP and Coplanddg for this diversion.

As they used to say in old-time TV and radio;
"And now, its back to our regular scheduled programming... "

08 Prius struck by lightning!

[abq sfr]

Originally Posted by donee

Depending on weather conditions, air blowing across an insulated metal structure will pick up charge. When I was younger, I climbed up towers for installations of antennas. Early in doing this, I was with a very inexperienced foreman. He had us use nylon rope to lift a 30 foot by 20 foot aluminum metal antenna structure. It was dry windy fall day, and guy ropes were used to hold the antenna away from the tower as it was hoisted. I was at the top of the tower awaiting the antenna. As the guy ropes were used to swing the antenna into the tower, so that we climbers could grab it, and prevent protruding pieces from snaking into the framework of the tower, a huge spark jumped across to tower. It was about 1 foot long, blue white, 45 caliber hand gun loud, and about 3/4's of an inch in diameter. And that charge had been picked up on the antenna in only the 20 minutes or so the antenna was lifted 150 feet. I was about 5 feet from the discharge, luckily. Anybody who would have tried to touch that charged-up antenna would have been killed surely.

Interesting.... I think helicopters build up such a charge too. I've seen in a movie (Hunt for Red October?) they use an insulated pole with an inside conductor to bleed off the static charge when they are picking up somebody from a submarine where the copter can't actually land. If you're standing on a steel perfectly grounded submarine and touch a hovering helicopter, you'll probably die. Same thing with powerline workers who are dropped onto steel electrical towers.

[qbee42]

Originally Posted by abq sfr

Interesting.... I think helicopters build up such a charge too. I've seen in a movie (Hunt for Red October?) they use an insulated pole with an inside conductor to bleed off the static charge when they are picking up somebody from a submarine where the copter can't actually land. If you're standing on a steel perfectly grounded submarine and touch a hovering helicopter, you'll probably die. Same thing with powerline workers who are dropped onto steel electrical towers.

So do fixed wing aircraft. The first thing you do when refueling is to attach a ground to the aircraft to bleed off any static charge. It's not a good thing to draw an arc to an open fuel tank.

Tom

[Jack66]

Yes, helicopters have that static electricity build-up. A grounded pole is used to touch the helicopter and/or its slung cargo. The static electricity can also be discharged by having the pilot key his/her radio mike -- it sends a burst of static on the frequency in use. The timing has to be nearly perfect so the grounded pole is used even if the pilot keys their microphone. I saw someone thrown twenty feet through the air when they didn't wait for the pole to discharge the static charge.

[dandeman]

Originally Posted by abq sfr

Interesting.... I think helicopters build up such a charge too.

I know they do... I've been personally helo'd off a destroyer deck (no helo pad) by a hovering helo to the carrier we were in company with during my Navy service.. I took the photo below of my ship I was helo'd off from the carrier I was helo'd to. As you can see from the photo link below, the helo had to hover quite close to the aft fire control radar, just above the missile launcher on the main deck.. You feel pretty mortal when hanging off a cable from a hovering helo..

http://home.4x4wire.com/deddleman/jpj32.jpg

As mentioned the helo lowers a steel cable with a padded loop on the end of it that you drop down over your head and under your arm pits and up you go.. You can see the winch stowed inboard above the half door in the pic below..

http://home.4x4wire.com/deddleman/insightb.jpg

A steel wand grounded to the ship is touched to the steel cable before anybody touches the loop..

Have watched planes land at night on the carrier while standing on the catwalk near the cat launch control station. You can see roughly a good 12" long static discharge arc from the tail hook just before it strikes the deck..

A typical power level aircraft UHF comm radio mike keyed is not going to have any effect on an aircraft's static charge. I was our ship's ELINT officer and well aware of the nitty gritties of every RF radiation device, power, RF effects, including safety. If there were some plausible mechanism for this to work, there are far more higher powered "illuminators" in the vicinity of ship ops, for example, 2.3 megawatt (peak eirp) air search radar.

[Jack66]

It must be the particular airframes -- keying the microphone worked most of the time on UH-1 Hueys.

[Sheepdog]

Gawd I loved Hueys! Best seat of the pants rides I ever had at 50ft or less was in those things! Best wow was in a Canadian F-104 at something like 1300 mph at 150ft! Maple flag was fun for me!

Sorry about the thread hijack...... Now back to electricity!

[Bear68]

Wow!! Some awesome stories coming out here with no complaints on my part!!

Anywho.... Here are the pics I have so far... First is the antenna, on the car then both sides on the bench. Next is the locknut. (Note the burn marks) Finally, is the location of the gateway ECU, located next to the passenger dash airbag. (Brown box) Awaiting insurance company to authorize engine ECU, Hybrid ECU, and HV Battery ECU.










More pics and info will be coming as I continue this winding path of diagnosis.... Hopefully, things will progress quickly and cleanly for the sake of the owner and all involved...
Also, having spoken with him... This car does indeed belong to Coplanddg.

[Bear68]

Success!! After replacing three more ECUs (engine, Hybrid and HV battery) and the radio head unit, the Lightning Prius is up and running perfectly. I am in the midst of an owner approved, extended test drive in order to verify that all systems are go.
Internal inspection of the ECUs and the radio show no visible signs of damage so I didn't bother with any more pics. I was able to retrieve the customer's CD that was in the radio.
I won't reveal numbers here (not my place to do so) but I gotta say.... Good advertisement for full insurance coverage!!

[ZippyPri]

Originally Posted by Bear68

Well, the day has arrived. I have repaired a number of cars struck by lightning and today I was assigned an 08 Prius that got the Big Spark. This should be a rather interesting case since it is the first Hybrid I have ever heard of being hit by lightning.

I will be give more information as I continue, (providing the insurance company decides not to total the car) and I will photograph any interesting sights, including the antenna remains. This should get Very Interesting!

WOW, especially in the summer months, where here in Boston we have already had our fair share of thunderstorms, I did wonder, as I was driving through them, if I had an increased chance. Obviously there is a chance of lightning striking anywhere, but what about electric cars, or a hybrid in ev mode. Is there an increased chance, I wonder. From my past experience with physics and weather I believe that the positively charged clouds are often attracted to the negatively charged ground, and things that are closer to these clouds (and usually good conductors) are more likely to attract a bolt. I wonder if the charge emitted by the hybrid battery is carried throughout the vehicle and as a result charges the metal parts. Something to look into for sure...