Should I unplug the Tesla

[Gadget-X]

Should I unplug the Tesla when a bad lightning storm is approaching? I did just in case. No mention in manual which seemed strange.

M

 

[Ostrichsak]

The short answer is it doesn't hurt to unplug it if you're home when it's happening but it shouldn't be necessary due to many factors. Avoid Supercharging though during a lightning storm.

 

[jerry33]

Even a whole house surge protector won't help if there is a nearby lightning strike. What I do is unplug only if the time between the flash and the thunder is less than eight seconds. Fortunately, most lightning is cloud to cloud rather than ground to cloud.

 

[Gadget-X]

Thanks for the replies. I could not find any info in manuals. Read a couple of surge horror stories, but it is the internet, so who knows. Was looking for an official Tesla take on the subject.

M

 

[jerry33]

Thanks for the reply. I could not find any info in manuals. Read a couple of surge horror stories, but it is the internet, so who knows. Was looking for an official Tesla take on the subject.

M

A real story, not involving Tesla: There was a lightning strike very near one of the data centres where I worked. It totaled the Liebert PDUs (These are big units, about the size of an S) and also some of the UPSes that were connected to them. Only a few computers were trashed (fortunately none of the ones I managed. Of course, they did lose power so there was a bunch of FSCKing to do.) There's no home system that will save you if this happens.

 

[cookie99]

The short answer is it doesn't hurt to unplug it if you're home when it's happening but it shouldn't be necessary due to many factors. Avoid Supercharging though during a lightning storm.

it might supercharge to full instantly if you do

 

[ucmndd]

Unplug it.

Anecdotal but related story, about 3 years ago we had a freak thunder storm come through overnight with crazy lightning, ended up striking very nearby and causing a big power surge.

Car was charging at the time - I got up to walk through the house and check things over. When I got close to the garage I could hear the fans from the car going 1000 miles an hour. Stopped charging from the app, charger handle was super hot. Fans stopped pretty quickly, never noticed any lasting effects, but was enough of a scare that I always unplug now if I’m nearby and able to.

 

[Electric700]

If you can unplug, it's probably safer to do so. And get a whole house surge protector anyway, which can help. Here are some (install at or near the top of your main panel or at the slots near where the supply wires enter the panel):

GE Whole Home Surge Protection Unit-Panel Mount-THQLSURGE - The Home Depot

Square D Homeline 22.5 kA 2-Pole SurgeBreaker Surge Protective Device-HOM2175SB - The Home Depot

 

[Duke-U]

I would unplug. The main cause of damage is induction if you’re not having a direct hit - in which case you’re grilled anyway. The car is a metal box and thus the internals are protected by the faraday cage. The cable however can act as an antenna for the induction wave, creating a stray flow of power where you don’t want it. This is how I approached it anyway.

 

[BigNick]

If lightning strikes during charging, your car might be relocated to 1885, you'll have a hell of a time getting it back to the future.