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Prius & EMP

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by taxachusetts, Jun 21, 2013.

  1. car compulsive

    car compulsive Active Member

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    I just had a mental picture of a foreign power detonating an EMP device over the U.S. and all operating Prii suddenly accelerating to over 200 MPH.
     
  2. retired4999

    retired4999 Prius driver since 2005

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    OMG!
     
  3. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    My reading is 1470 mile radius @ 300 miles altitude and not vice versa.

    Your 41 Jeep will be also useless, unless you stashed a lot of gas.
     
  4. KK6PD

    KK6PD _ . _ . / _ _ . _

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    Yep you are right, Dyslexic me... I will go back and fix. I thought it did not sound quite right!
    Tip O the hat! +1
    I can convert the Willeys to run off LNG or Propane!
    Besides I always wanted my own "Nellie Belle"
     
  5. JimisonPrius

    JimisonPrius New Member

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    A coworker was driving on the parkway. A lightning bolt hit about 10 feet from his car (2014 truck not a Prius). His electronics are fried. He is waiting to see if they declare his Truck totaled. A solar flare probably wont hurt the car unless it is plugged into the grid when the EMP happens. A nuclear blast close enough to damage your car would probably hurt you also.
     
  6. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Drifting off topic as usual. BUT...
    So many myths, so little time!
    A nuclear EMP will NOT damage electronics not connected to the grid. It's the grid acting as an antenna that allows damage to occur. It won't harm any car, it won't damage your cellphone (though probably will take down the network), and it absolutely won't harm anyone on the ground. Buy and watch the DVDs "America's Atomic Bomb Tests". They detonated very powerful H-bombs at about 100,000 ft. No damage to anything except from the EMP in the power system. They lost control of two of the test rockets, and one detonated directly over Johnston Island, the launch site. No damage. Even from the EMP (no power grid). Scared a lot of servicemen though.

    Oh, and I'm not a spy. I like fireworks. And if someone is going to destroy my planet I'd like to watch. ;)
     
    #26 David Beale, Jul 31, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2017
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  7. 04priusnow

    04priusnow Active Member

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    i at least have one vehicle thats clear of this

    Pixel XL ?
     
  8. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Is that a twist on the old "Doc, will I be able to play the violin" joke?

    -Chap
     
  9. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    Also be concerned of China. They don’t need to get a nuke to the USA to deploy warheads…they just need to get warheads into an orbit that passes over the USA. Send them up in a “satellite” launch to keep them concealed.

    Well, a few points….

    1. ANY sufficient length of wire (or an antenna) can conduct the EM flux and produce power. IF it is sufficient to damage electronics is the real question. The longer the wire run or longer the antenna mast, the greater the flux. The question with cars is the many, many yards of wire inside…how are they affected?

    2. I’ve surmised that EMP will impact according to voltage in the system at the time of the event. So, a digital watch or pocket calculator may see no effect. A smart phone may need to be powered off then on again. The real issue will be things like laptops, PCs, etc. We may lose the Internet, but most things need computers working locally. Whether the board gets fried or whether data corruption ruins the system until it is restored from backups is hard to call at this point. Indeed, the destruction of the electrical grid is the bigger concern. Without power, basic necessities of life will cease, and it could take 6-12 months to restore reliable power.

    3. I don’t know how trustworthy atomic tests from before open air tests were banned are for data on EMPs. Detonating above the ionosphere amplifies the EMP effect to much greater than if you were within the blast radius. Most of what we know about such attacks are based on the calculations done with the date we have, not empirical testing.

    4. There is a product to protect cars from EMP (link below). It hooks into the 12 volt system and basically is a surge suppressor. For ordinary cars it makes sense as the whole electrical system runs off the battery. I asked, and for the Prius, it would only shelter the 12 volt battery…which, to my knowledge, only is used to keep the computer powered when the vehicle is off. Once on, the main battery pack provides all power (let me know if I’m wrong). So, if an EMP hits when the car is on, it may offer no protection at all…at best you just lose the hybrid motor. I’m planning to ask Toyota if this would protect more or what EMP protection exists for the hybrid system.

    EMP & Lightning Protection for Vehicles (DC-12V-W) | EMP Shield
     
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  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i was just ondering this recently. o/p, any update?
     
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  11. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    You gotta shoke it, eh!!!
     
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  12. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    The wire harness on this device will seriously interfere with useful protection against the fastest rise time transients. The wire inductance is too much.
     
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  13. Johnny Cakes

    Johnny Cakes Senior Member

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    Maybe we'll get notified in advance where this will occur so we can plan to attend.
    I'm interested in a mod that will permit my Prius to reach 200 MPH.
     
  14. Valiant V

    Valiant V Member

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    I feel much better knowing that.....
     
  15. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    Really? I'm sure when installing one would use as short a length of the wire harness as needed to install the unit...trimming off the excess length.

    Toyota was no help...no surprise.

    I did find the following...