Boxster Faraday Cage

[bigfoot]

Can someone tell me does Boxster 987 make so called "Faraday Cage"?

in other words is it protected from lightning strike?

thanks

[Lil bastard]

In pure terms - doubtful. But then, in pure terms, no car really is. A true Faraday cage exhibits equal electrical potential at any/every point on it's surface which, when an electromagnetic field is applied, generates a current that causes displacement of charge inside the cage that cancels the applied field inside.

The glass in a sedan, and the cloth top of a convertible do not exhibit equal electrical potential as the steel body and so cars in general, while exhibiting somewhat of a Faraday Cage effect, are not true Faraday Cages.

For example, for a lightning strike near the car, passengers inside are unaffected. But, for lightning strikes directly to the car, the occupants are protected only so long as they are not in contact with any metal of the car.

Sedans offer the greatest protection while fibreglass and convertible cars offer less. You could probably increase the protection of a convertible if a metallic mesh were woven into the top material, but then, it would apply only when the top were closed. While theoretically, people exposed in a convertible are not protected, I am not aware of anyone ever being struck by lightning while driving a convertible.

[blue2000s]

Lightning typically doesn't strike cars anyway. The tires and air in the tires are poor conductors and lightning is looking for something on the earth that will easily discharge it's energy. It's why buildings and trees are so much more likely to be struck.

Having said that, I've seen news reports of a motorcyclist killed by lightning. But I don't know if the person was rolling down the road or stopped. As soon as a person's foot hits the ground, they are much more susceptable. Especially if the shoes are not rubber souls.

[Lobo1186]

Originally Posted by blue2000s

rubber souls.

lol sorry i couldnt resist. :dance:

[JackG]

When it comes to lightning, there's almost nothing that's guaranteed protection, except not being in its path when it strikes.

Rubber tires on a car, or rubber soled shoes means nothing to lightning. While it generally takes the least resistant path to ground, it doesn't always. Remember, it's already arcing, in free air, a half-mile or so. Half an inch of rubber is nothing to it. For every story you can find of someone being "saved" by this or that, there's another story of lightning seemingly going out of its way to kill someone or strike something.

I've had it strike a tree 20 feet away from me. That was an experience I'll never forget!

[Lil bastard]

Originally Posted by JackG

When it comes to lightning, there's almost nothing that's guaranteed protection, except not being in its path when it strikes...

EXCELLENT point!

[Lobo1186]

I went to a science lightning exhibit once and it was talking about faraday cages and the like. and The presenter said something to the effect that it would take over a mile of rubber to "stop" a bolt of lightning. and that the fact is lightning "chooses" if you will another path.

[JackG]

Check this out...

http://www.arcattack.com/video/vid5.php

Not their best song, but it does include a faraday "cage" of sorts. Cool stuff!!

[mmontfort]

or check this one out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve6XGKZxYxA

[Lobo1186]

mm i remeber that episode!