08 Prius struck by Lightning!

[Patrick Wong]

Originally Posted by 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...

Hi Bear68,

Congratulations on your success. Its great to hear that you were able to restore this vehicle to service at a relatively low cost.

Since the lightning struck the antenna, there's no surprise that the radio head unit failed. However, how about the four ECUs that you replaced: do you have an opinion regarding why only those four failed while others survived?

[Sheepdog]

and... Did you put a shark fin in instead of that derned lightning rod?!!

[David Beale]

I have worked with lightning protection and radio electronic systems for 40 years. There is no reason to expect a Prius to be more or less susceptible to lightning than any other car.

The "leader" advances in 2-5 metre increments usually, so the small difference in antenna height between vehicles will have little effect. The leader travels from the charge in the cloud to the ground (or from the ground to the charge in the cloud), taking perhaps a few hundred milliseconds to do so, in the short steps. Once completed the full charge travels up or down the path created (a channel of ionized gas), on average 2-3 times (yes, lightning does strike at least twice ). Lightning can be +ve or -ve BTW. From the damage seen the pictures this was probably a -ve strike. They are usually the least powerful. The +ve strikes are the really dangerous ones, usually conducting 20,000 Amps and up. I've witnessed a 150,000 Amp +ve strike near my home, and it rattled the windows and knocked people off their feet with the sound clap. I know it's intensity because I used to operate/maintain the Provincial lightning detection system, and it records the intensity.

In the "old days" the theory was you were protected by a "cone of protection" under the highest conducting object. This has been proven mostly wrong.

Don't worry about what you can do to protect yourself. The only thing you can do is get the car under a metal protected structure or just take your chances like everyone else.

In earlier days I was on a motorcycle trip, returning from the west coast, on highway 11 through Rocky Mountain House. I was "shot at" three times by a monster storm. Twice when I stopped to warm up my hands on the engine (each time the strike hit a tree about 100 m beside the highway). The third time was in the town of Rocky Mountain House, at a construction site on the road. I was waiting in line close behind an 18 wheeler (hoping it would protect me). The strike hit the power line at the other end of the construction and I watched three balls of "fire" travel towards me on the three phase power lines at the top of the poles, causing the lines to rise up and fall back down as they traveled (earths magnetic field and moving charges causes a force). The flag girl at the other end immediately tried to get into the foreman's pickup, who had just stopped there to confer with her. He tried to convince her to stay there and direct traffic. Funny! At least now.

Trying to guess why some computers died while others didn't will drive you crazy! Some that still work may or may not fail in the near future due to partial damage. Just be happy you found the ones that currently don't work!

Oh, and yes, I have lightning protection installed on my house! My experiences over the years have made me "gun-shy".

[Sheepdog]

In FL we have a product called 'flashwarden' and can be put on the power input by the power company. I have had toasters die but the TV was fine. go figure.

FL is the zap capital of the world I believe.

[Bear68]

Well, the insurance company authorized a factory replacement for the antenna. I don't think the six inch height differance would change much. Lightning strikes would seem to me to be simply a matter of chance. Same thing goes for the ECUs, although perhaps those four, being in active use at the moment of strike may have had some slightly greater potential for damage.
As for the HV system having any effect, I really don't think it likely since the actual HV components and the wiring for them is generally well insulated and protected. Within the next few weeks, I will be teaching a class for local Emergency First Responders (police and fire rescue) on safe procedures for handling Prius and other Toyota Hybrids involved in collisions. The training materials provided to me by Toyota show just how well those systems are protected to help prevent high voltage from ever reaching any part of the car body. After all, imagine using the "Jaws of Life" with a 220VDC potential! Or the thought of turning a water hose on a burning Prius!
Thankfully, Toyota designed them very well! It would take a terrific impact even to breech the HV wiring or components and then the redundant systems would shut down the HV battery thereby protecting anyone coming into contact with the car.

[galaxee]

whew, i'm sure that was a hell of a bill.

[ZippyPri]

what ever happened to the car is the one of the safest places to be in a thunderstorm? (esp. without a sunroof...right)

[Rybold]

Did it recharge the battery?

[Bear68]

Originally Posted by ZippyPri

what ever happened to the car is the one of the safest places to be in a thunderstorm? (esp. without a sunroof...right)

Ahhh... but a car is safe in a thunderstorm, for the occupants that is....
The lightning flows through the body of the car and to the ground, whether it passes through the radial tires or through the rainwater covering the tires. The people inside are not exposed to the electrical charge. A car can be repaired or replaced. So long as no one is hurt, that is the important part.

[Bear68]

Just a little side note here... a body shop manager told me a story of a lady who was involved in a severe head on collision in her Camry. She stated she would NEVER buy another Camry as it had been totally destroyed in the accident. He was a little astonished and replied, "You walked away from a major head on collision with minor injuries (bumps and scratches) and you think the car should have survived better? It saved your life!"
After a moment of thought she amended her statement by saying she didn't want to be reminded of the accident, a concern most can understand. Seeing a car that has been mangled by another vehicle and knowing that the passengers were able to go home to their families that night can give anyone reason to think.