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Lighting strikes 2nd Gen Prius and Driver has video of the event..

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Kaptainkid1, Apr 15, 2022.

  1. Kaptainkid1

    Kaptainkid1 Active Member

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    Check out this video...



    Android ?
     
    edthefox5 likes this.
  2. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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  3. ColoradoCrow

    ColoradoCrow Active Member

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    This guy is from Colorado Springs. Good dude. Great drone footage. Lol wow. Lucky.
     
  4. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

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    What was the path from the body to ground? Hard to tell from the video, but there appear to be some sparks under the car.

    Does the radio still work?
     
  5. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    It could be arcs across the air gap from metal to ground, going around the rubber tires. Lightning certainly has the voltage needed to jump across those few inches.


    For those who missed them, see also:
    Gen 2 versus lightning bolt | PriusChat
    Risky high-speed charger | PriusChat
     
    #5 fuzzy1, Apr 15, 2022
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2022
  6. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Someday somewhere long ago I read that the carbon black in tire rubber compounds made the things more conductive than you might expect.

    Here's a paper about 'green' tires being somewhat less conductive on account of replacing some of the carbon black with other stuff.
     
  7. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

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    The current need not have passed through the tires, there is more than enough voltage to cause dielectric breakdown in the air and jump straight from the ground to the car body, but a path through the tires is possible, as the rubber too is beyond its dielectric breakdown limit. The OP should carefully examine the underside of the vehicle, and especially the tires, to check for damage.

    Lightning and Cars