RE: [TCML] Frying cars with Tesla coils

[bturner@xxxxxxxx]

Could be that the earlier ECM's were more ESD-sensitive. I was part of a
special-effect demo involving zapping a car directly with the discharge.
We used a late-model Toyota, multiple strikes to it didn't faze it one
bit, then also with the client's new car model - again, repeated strikes
and it started right up without a problem. (Twice - once for rehersal,
then the actual show.)

- b



> I was running my large maggie in my workshop a few years ago at a very
> reduced power. It was outputting about a 5-6' long corona. My 2001 Ford
> pickup was parked about 10 feet away (also inside the workshop). As the
> tuning progressed, I didn't notice how near to the truck the sparks were
> getting. Then I saw a very thin spark touch the drivers mirror (as you
> know,
> there are turn signal lamps in the mirrors). This carried the high voltage
> into the trucks circuitry. I knew this was a "bad thing". This one spark
> completely killed my truck. It blew the keyless entry module, dash (part
> of
> anti-theft) and the ECM. I have all the necessary diagnostic equipment and
> I
> troubleshot all of the bad parts. The repair parts (from a junkyard) not
> the
> stealership, cost more than $1500. My truck also has a killer stereo in
> it,
> thankfully it wasn't fried. Now, I always move all vehicles back to a safe
> distance. In Bert's case, it's better to be lucky than good. James
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
> Of Bert Pool
> Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2010 5:46 PM
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
> Subject: [TCML] Frying cars with Tesla coils
>
> At one of my Teslathons 4 or 5 years back, Aaron Koscho and Justin Hays
> pulled their van up into the driveway where we had a large magnifier
> running.  Sparks were about 10 footers, or thereabouts.  Not only was
> the van repeatedly struck, many of the power arcs were directly to the
> radio antenna!  I was expecting them to have to push the truck 400 feet
> or so to the road after they killed all the electronics.  But not only
> did the truck's computer survive, *all* the vehicle's electronics came
> through with no problems, including the radio!  I'm talking about sparks
> that were hitting the truck and antenna and were arcing around the
> rubber tires to the concrete!  I don't remember if the truck was a Ford,
> but whatever it was, it sure was one tough truck!
>
> Bert Pool
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------
>
>> From: "Steve Ward" <steve.ward@xxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2010 11:13 PM
>> To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> Subject: Re: [TCML] Fried It !
>>
>> .....On the 1996 ford taurus, something in the computer
>>
>>> failed making the car un-usable, this coincided with me running the
>>> tesla
>>> coil in the garage.  That is, after running the coil near the car, the
>>> computer was trashed (first and last time i would ever do that).  No,
>>> it
>>> never arced to the car, and i'd estimate the car was maybe 8-10 feet
>>> away
>>> from the coil itself.  The computer had to be replaced, i dont recall
>>> the
>>> cost but it wasn't as cheap.
>>
>
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>

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