Behold! I tell you of a mystery…

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Technical Discussion' started by WilDavis, Oct 11, 2017.

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  1. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

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    …not quite on the biblical scale normally associated with that introduction, but still mighty strange to me. This afternoon I decided to experiment with my SKS fobs to see how effective their operating range is, and one of the experiments was to place the fob in a static-bag, and check to see if the car and fob could see each other (well, according to what I've read here-abouts the fob should be screened, right?) WRONG!!! I tried putting the fob in one, then two, then three anti-static bags (see picture), and the communication wasn't compromised in the slightest! :eek: o_O :confused::confused::confused:
    What gives? Anyone understand why I'm confuserated, and prepared to help out this ignoramus? Thanks in advance!!! :)

    Sod it! The stoopid system won't let me upload a file! @Danny, what the hell is going on????
     
    #1 WilDavis, Oct 11, 2017
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    maybe the system is in an anti static bag.:p
     
    #2 bisco, Oct 11, 2017
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  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Maybe the answer will have something to do with anti-static bags being made slightly conductive (enough to drain off large static charges that could zap electronics that you store inside them), but not really conductive enough to qualify as Faraday cages. You might repeat the experiment with your fob wrapped in aluminium foil, or in a metal cookie tin with a tight-fitting cover, and report if those results are different.

    -Chap
     
    #3 ChapmanF, Oct 11, 2017
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  4. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

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    Ah, you mean just like the foil I wrap my hat in? …good idea! o_O:eek::rolleyes:
     
    #4 WilDavis, Oct 11, 2017
  5. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

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    Thanks, Chap! Nice one! I dug out an old baccy tin, and just tried it, and it worked like a charm!

    (…still can't upload files though! :confused::confused:o_O)
    (…tries again!)

    Fob2.jpg

    Hallelujah! It works! :D
     
    #5 WilDavis, Oct 11, 2017
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  6. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Solved in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye ....
     
    #6 ChapmanF, Oct 11, 2017
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  7. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

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    …well, I think I must have been changed! (…well, there's a lot of it about, y'know! ;) )
     
    #7 WilDavis, Oct 11, 2017
  8. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I think you're putting me on.
     
    #8 ChapmanF, Oct 11, 2017
  9. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

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    #9 WilDavis, Oct 11, 2017
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Static bags just protect against static, don't shield radio transmissions? I do know carefully wrapping my fob in a double layer of aluminum foil did the trick.

    (@Danny no longer auto-completes as you type it, btw. Which I think equals Danny has left the building?)
     
    #10 Mendel Leisk, Oct 12, 2017
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  11. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

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    …carefully wrapped in aluminium foil, no doubt! :cautious:o_O:rolleyes:;)
     
    #11 WilDavis, Oct 12, 2017
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  12. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    Tin foil or an EZ-Pass RF shielded bag will work.

    Somewhat off topic - I like the feature (on both my 2017 Prius and 2016 RAV4 (non-hybrid)) where you can conserve your fob battery by turning off the transmitter. Hold down the Lock button and press the Unlock button twice on the fob - the LED flashes twice, then twice again. If you try to open the car door now it won't work. A nice feature.
    Oh - how to turn the transmitter back on? Just one press on the fob's Lock or Unlock button does it.
     
    #12 RRxing, Oct 13, 2017
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  13. 05PreeUs

    05PreeUs Senior Member

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    That would be really handy as mine sits in the drawer 350 days of the year.
     
    #13 05PreeUs, Oct 14, 2017
  14. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    That's what I do with my spare...
     
    #14 RRxing, Oct 14, 2017
  15. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

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    …well, just for shyts n' grins I tried it using the EZ-Pass RF shielded baggy which my replacement transponder arrived in, but unfortunately it had no discernible effect.

    Here's how I tested it:
    1) I left the unshielded FOB inside the car (on the driver's seat) and tried to lock the door (using the button on the driver's arm rest). The locks would operate, but when I closed the door, the doors would unlock)

    2) I tried (1) but with the FOB inside the EZ-Pass RF shielded baggy - The locks would operate, but when I closed the door, the doors would unlock!

    3) I tried (1) but with the FOB inside the baccy-tin (see threads passim^^^^^^^^) - The locks would operate and stay locked when I closed the door.
    [​IMG]

    Hooray for Balkan Sobranie! :)
     
    #15 WilDavis, Oct 9, 2019
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  16. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    It was recently revealed to me that my understanding of the communication between the Fob and the vehicle was fundamentally flawed.
    So I hesitate to comment. But really fear of being wrong, has never stopped me before.....

    All I can say, is years ago I experimented with the foil wrapped fob and the fob in a metal Altoids tin, and I could never get it to NOT communicate.
    It always seemed to work.
    Just for kicks, I keep my back-up fob wrapped in aluminum foil and stored in an altoids tin, but last time I experimented with it? It didn't really help.
     
    #16 The Electric Me, Oct 9, 2019
  17. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    I was planning on testing it some day :rolleyes:, but now that I can just turn the transponder off (see #12)...

    Thanks for putting another urban legend to bed...
     
    #17 RRxing, Oct 9, 2019
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