An outdoor power supply is a multifunctional portable energy storage power supply with a built-in lithium-ion battery, which can store electrical energy and has AC output1. It can provide reliable power support for outdoor camping, self-driving tours, field operations and other scenarios, and can also be used as a backup power supply for home and car2. So, will the outdoor power supply be damaged by lightning strikes during thunderstorms?

The impact of thunder on outdoor power supplies

Thunder is a natural phenomenon. It is caused by the accumulation of electric charges in dark clouds and the discharge of electric charges with objects on the ground. When thunder strikes, we often see flashing lightning and hear deafening thunder. Lightning has extremely strong destructive power. The high voltage and high current it generates may be transmitted to our homes or cars through power transmission lines or air, causing damage to plugged-in devices.

For outdoor power supplies, there are two main ways that they may be struck by lightning:

Direct strike: If the outdoor power supply is exposed in an open area without any shelter, it may be directly struck by lightning, which will cause the components inside the power supply to burn or explode.

Indirect strike: If the outdoor power supply is connected to other devices, such as solar panels, car refrigerators, projectors, etc., it is possible that it will sense lightning waves through the lines of these devices and introduce them into the room or car. This will cause the power output port or input port to be damaged or short-circuited.

How to protect the outdoor power supply during thunderstorms

In order to avoid outdoor power supply being damaged by thunderstorms, we can take the following measures:

Try not to use outdoor power supply during thunderstorms, especially not in open places, such as grasslands, deserts, mountain tops, etc.

If you must use outdoor power supply, try to choose places with lightning rods or other lightning protection facilities, such as buildings, woods, caves, etc.

If you use outdoor power supply in places without lightning protection facilities, try to reduce the number and length of other devices connected to avoid introducing too many induced lightning waves.

If you find lightning around, turn off the outdoor power supply immediately, unplug all connected devices and lines, and put it in a relatively safe place.

If you find that the outdoor power supply has been damaged by lightning strikes, stay away from it and contact after-sales service personnel in time.

In short, there are certain risks in using outdoor power supply during thunderstorms. We should try to avoid this situation or take some protective measures to reduce losses. Of course, if we choose outdoor power supply with reliable quality and high safety performance, they will also have certain lightning protection and surge protection functions, and can resist lightning shock to a certain extent1. Therefore, when we buy outdoor power supply, we should also pay attention to choosing professional and effective brands and products. For example: TSK.