Are you unplugging your Model 3 during thunderstorms? Had a pretty bad one in my area the other day. It suddenly occurred to me that maybe unplugging is a good idea.
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Poll: Unplugging during thunderstorms
- Thread starter Darwood77
- Start date
Another thing to consider is a panel surge suppressor which could help with a close by strike. I have multiple levels of main panel and sub panel surge suppression. I have it mainly for surge events during power restoration, but it certainly can help with a close by strike. Unplugging is the best solution for a bad storm though. One to look at is the square d HEPD80.
ucmndd
Well-Known Member
Anecdotal experience:
Not long after I got my model S we had a rather strong thunderstorm pass by overnight while the car was charging. There was a big lightning strike very close by that caused a power surge and momentary outage.
Right after it happened I could hear my car in the garage, cooling fans going absolutely crazy, running at full tilt. Stayed that way until I stopped charging, unplugged the UMC, and rebooted the MCU.
No apparent damage or long term impacts, but since that event I make an effort to unplug the car in weather like that if I can.
Not long after I got my model S we had a rather strong thunderstorm pass by overnight while the car was charging. There was a big lightning strike very close by that caused a power surge and momentary outage.
Right after it happened I could hear my car in the garage, cooling fans going absolutely crazy, running at full tilt. Stayed that way until I stopped charging, unplugged the UMC, and rebooted the MCU.
No apparent damage or long term impacts, but since that event I make an effort to unplug the car in weather like that if I can.
Watts_Up
Well-Known Member
srs5694
Active Member
I have a driveway but no garage, so I charge outside. I prefer to unplug when it's raining or snowing, but I'm not obsessive about that. I know that all EVs are designed to be charged even in bad weather, but I figure there's little or no disadvantage to unplugging (or holding off charging) until the weather clears up, and I'd rather not tempt Mr. Murphy and his eponymous Law.
Kognos
Member
Full disclosure: I live in Oregon where there are very very few thunderstorms (lightning and thunder is rare, but drizzle is like 6+ months of the year).
Having said that, I probably wouldn't unplug. I park and charge outside, with a 14-50 and the mobile charger. However, in full disclosure, as advised earlier in this thread, I did get a panel surge suppressor when I had the electrical work done, and validation of our house grounding.
I believe that if lightning were to strike the house, it would have to hurt the panel, then the plug, then the mobile connector before passing through to the car.
Here's a video of the worst case scenario actually happening. I presume systems have probably improved since this video.
https://jalopnik.com/heres-what-happens-when-lightning-strikes-a-charging-te-1708184871
Having said that, I probably wouldn't unplug. I park and charge outside, with a 14-50 and the mobile charger. However, in full disclosure, as advised earlier in this thread, I did get a panel surge suppressor when I had the electrical work done, and validation of our house grounding.
I believe that if lightning were to strike the house, it would have to hurt the panel, then the plug, then the mobile connector before passing through to the car.
Here's a video of the worst case scenario actually happening. I presume systems have probably improved since this video.
https://jalopnik.com/heres-what-happens-when-lightning-strikes-a-charging-te-1708184871
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