Electrocute Auto Electrical Systems

[MWellborn]

I was interested in knowing how much electricity, volts, amps, current would be needed to disable the electrical system on all automobiles. So, what would it take to electrocute a car’s electrical system?
Thanks,
Michael

 

[IRstuff]

Unless you're planning on detonating a small nuclear device, give it up.

TTFN

 

[5P10]

I saw in tv once that the cops were experimenting on using high voltage (something like 10-15 kV) to disable cars during chase. Basically the idea is to fry all your fuses (and probably some ECUs as well) to make all electronics fail. Something that can be dangerous because power steering and some other safety features will be disabled as well.
The current must be significantly small, otherwise you will kill the driver as well.
Not something that I recommend anyone to do.

 

[IRstuff]

Considering that the fuses on any car range from 1A to 30A and up, it's hard to picture frying any of them from distance.

Even if you managed to shoot a Taser onto a car, the metal body and frame would simply short out the Taser.

TTFN

 

[Rocketir]

Most automobiles use 12V for everything. I would think that anything significantly over that (25v+) would cause most things to fail. Not sure about the coil itself thought. However for a newer car, it will not run without a functional computer.

Jasjit Khangura P.E.
Electric Distribution Engineer

 

[jbartos]

Suggestion: The car electrocution would vary from the car to car and depending on the car insulation to ground

 

[GusD]

Hi MWellborn

If the "nuclear device" don't work, try the "MOAB".that oughta do it.Kidding aside.
I think a source of HI-voltage from a taser or other, could kill ignition fairly easy.As for the Battery
itself,without direct physical contact with it,I can't see a way of snuffing it out.(my car does it quite regularly without much problem)
If you reverse charge your car battery,you will be walking or on to a recharge station.

You probably had something else in mind !


GusD

 

[GusD]

Hi MWellborn

If the "nuclear device" don't work, try the "MOAB".that oughta do it.Kidding aside.
I think a source of HI-voltage from a taser or other, could kill ignition fairly easy.As for the Batteryitself,without direct physical contact with it,I can't see a way of snuffing it out.(my car does it quite regularly without much problem)
If you reverse charge your car battery,you will be walking or on to a recharge station.

You probably had something else in mind !


GusD

 

[IRstuff]

lol...

A Taser puts out a maximum of 1.7 Joules, which works out to about 140 microamps of current at 50kV for 0.25 seconds. It takes tens of amps to crank a car engine. A Taser will barely tickle and you still have to get both ends on the Taser onto something useful.

oh, btw..A more useful thing might a portable lightning generator. A few million amps are probably more in line with what you're talking about,but it'll be tricky to control.

TTFN