Don t be Shocked Be Informed

Transcription

1 Dn t be Shcked Be Infrmed Basics f Hybrid Safety fr the Service Technician Secnd in a 3-part Series by Peter Zaidel As a vehicle service technician, yu are undubtedly prfessinally excited abut hybrid vehicles, which represent new engineering innvatins that will be interesting t service. With hybrid vehicles expected t increase t 11% f all new car sales in the U.S. by 2012, hybrid vehicle training will be an increasing part f yur prfessinal educatin. Yu are prbably aware f the new dangers that hybrid vehicles can bring t the service technician. The high-vltage battery respnsible fr the utstanding mileage f the vehicles packs enugh juice t kill, quickly. The electrlyte in the high-vltage battery will disslve human tissue. Frtunately, manufacturers designed hybrid vehicles nt nly with an eye n fuel efficiency and verall attractiveness t the buyer, but als with strng cnsideratin fr the safety f service technicians and emergency respnders. In Japan, where many f the first hybrid cars were develped, the gvernment required that hybrid vehicles be designed s that use f the Jaws f Life n a crashed and mangled vehicle culd nt penetrate the high-vltage circuit. Likewise, in the U.S., hybrid vehicles must cmply with strict DOT standards t be allwed n the rad. Eight Basics f Hybrid Safety Vehicle manufacturers and third-party training centers have develped extensive prgrams fr service technicians. Many technicians have nt yet been trained, hwever, because hybrid vehicles are still rare at yur place f wrk. Here s a list f sme f the basics that every service technician shuld knw: 1. Identifying a vehicle as a hybrid 2. Is the vehicle really turned ff? 3. Prtecting yurself frm high vltage 4. Prtecting yurself frm crrsive liquids 5. Dispsing f high-vltage batteries 6. Twing and in-shp vehicle mvement 7. In case f fire 8. Getting trained 1

2 1. Identifying a vehicle as a hybrid If it s a Prius, it s a hybrid they are simple t identify. But what if the vehicle is a Lexus 400, r a Hnda Civic, a Frd Escape, a Nissan Altima, a Saturn VUE, a GMC Sierra, r a Ddge Durang? Of the mre than 25 hybrid vehicles sld in the U.S. tday, ver 20 have bth hybrid and gasline-nly ptins with the same external appearance. Yur persnal safety depends n being aware f all hybrids in the service area, even if yu are nt persnally wrking n them. Almst all hybrids share these cmmn identifiers: Hybrid badging n the bdy f the vehicle, typically including the rear right sectin and under-hd identifiers including the extra mtr, the inverter, and additinal hybrid badges READY indicatr inside the vehicle, in the ignitin area Orange high-vltage pwer cables 2. Is the vehicle really turned ff? This may be the single mst imprtant safety factr fr service technicians wrking in a shp where there are hybrid vehicles, because the hybrid system is silent when running n battery. Hybrid systems can autmatically turn themselves ff and n, switching between the highvltage battery and the gasline engine, s it is easy fr the technician t be unpleasantly surprised that a vehicle thught t be ff is in fact n. Many hybrids have keyless ignitin, with n/ff sensitivity up t 20 feet away frm the vehicle. As a service technician, fr yur wn safety, yu need t bserve the fllwing service prtcls: Whether yu service hybrid vehicles r nt, be aware that a silent hybrid is nt necessarily pwered ff until it is verified that the vehicle is pwered dwn. Keep vehicle keys a safe distance frm the hybrid (mre than 20 feet). Always check the vehicle dashbard hybrid indicatr t ensure the vehicle is truly ff befre yu begin any kind f wrk n the vehicle. D nt leave the key in the n psitin with the vehicle ff fr an extended perid f time. This will cause the auxiliary 12 vlt battery t rapidly discharge. Shutting the vehicle ff will accmplish the fllwing safety bjectives: Shuts dwn the hybrid system Islates the high vltage current Stps (lw-vltage) pwer t the SRS electric cntrl unit (ECU) Shuts dwn the internal cmbustin engine and fuel pump 3. Prtecting yurself frm high vltage 2

3 Yu may be cncerned that yu can be electrcuted by simply tuching the bdy f a hybrid vehicle because f the high-vltage circuitry inside. It is true that the amunt f vltage and amperage in these vehicles is enugh t be fatal if a technician cmes in cntact with the highvltage circuits. Hwever, the high vltage system n hybrid vehicles des nt grund t the bdy r the chassis. The highvltage system is islated frm the car bdy cmpletely. A technician wuld have t tuch ple-t-ple r becme part f the circuit fr an injury t ccur. As a highly visible safety warning fr drivers, technicians, and emergency respnders, all high vltage hybrid vehicle circuits are encased and heavily insulated and nrmally identified by the SAE standard clr-cding f bright range. The vehicle manufacturers maintenance bks repeatedly remind yu t never cut int, tuch, mangle, r therwise disturb the big Orange Cables that carry the high vltage frm the batteries (in the back) t the cntrller (in the frnt). Always wear class O heavy-duty glves (lineman s glves) rated t withstand 1,000 vlts when discnnecting high-vltage cmpnents, such as the battery. These glves shuld be maintained in excellent cnditin and checked prir t each use t ensure there are n leaks. Even a small pening can draw current that is seeking a grund. Always discnnect the high-vltage hybrid battery befre ding any majr repair wrk r electrical wrk. See the instructins in the manufacturer s manual. Mst manufacturers als recmmend waiting at least 10 minutes befre wrking n the vehicle after the battery has been islated r discnnected. The high-vltage capacitrs need time t discharge s there is n residual vltage t pse a shck hazard. 4. Prtect yurself frm crrsive liquids While mst service technicians, even if untrained in hybrids, are aware f the danger f high vltage, there is anther majr safety difference that yu need t be aware f. Lead acid batteries used in gasline-pwered vehicles are, as the name implies, acidic. With a ph arund 0 mst Service technicians have been trained in neutralizatin techniques. The high-vltage batteries f hybrids are cmpletely different. They cntain a crrsive electrlyte fluid that is a caustic alkaline (ph 13.5), s it s n the cmpletely ppsite side f the ph scale. The fluid is in a self-cntained enclsure, s the risk f accidental spillage is reduced. Hybrid battery electrlyte fluid can disslve human tissue. Neutralizatin techniques in case f a spill are cmpletely different frm thse f lead acid battery fluids, because the hybrid battery electrlyte is a caustic alkaline slutin. Learning the neutralizatin techniques is part f a hybrid training prgram. The high-vltage nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery pack is cnsidered a hazardus material, and emplyees shipping the battery pack must be DOT HazMat certified. T avid injury by cming in cntact with the electrlyte, wear prper persnal prtective equipment including Splash shield r safety gggles 3

4 Rubber, latex r Nitrile glves Aprn suitable fr alkaline Rubber bts 5. Dispsing f high-vltage batteries The high-vltage hybrid batteries are handled very differently than cnventinal batteries fr gasline-pwered vehicles. The high-vltage NiMH battery pack is cnsidered a hazardus material. Emplyees preparing the battery pack fr shipment must be DOT HazMat certified. Hybrid battery packs are returned t the manufacturer fr dispsal. Mst hybrid batteries have a cre charge as a way fr the manufacturer t ensure their return in rder t cllect the depsit. As hybrid batteries are nw designed t last fr the life f the vehicle, dispsal will be rare fr the next few years, until mre vehicles reach end-f-life. 6. Twing and in-shp mvement Regenerative brakes can generate electricity if the vehicle is mved with all fur wheels n the grund. D nt physically push hybrids arund the shp. Either drive them r push them arund n rllers. D nt tw hybrids with all fur wheels n the grund. When twing vehicle hybrid, pick up the frnt wheels r carry it n a flat bed. 7. In case f fire At last, smething simple abut the hybrid: Water is a suitable extinguishing agent fr hybrid fires. 8. Getting trained If yur service department is planning t have hybrids in the shp, all emplyees shuld have sme level f training, including il-change technicians and lt persnnel. All service department staff needs basic hybrid training, including hybrid identificatin. 4

5 Hybrid manufacturers are a necessary and excellent surce f training and dcumentatin fr service persnnel. Training fr technicians requires bth hands-n training frm the manufacturer and cmputer-based training. Many independent curses fr teaching technicians abut wrking n these vehicles can be fund with an Internet search fr hybrid vehicle training technicians. These are especially valuable fr bdy shps, standalne service shps, and dealerships that want t service hybrids that are nt in their franchise. Fr franchise dealerships, manufacturers generally require Master Technician certificatin and additinal training in rder t wrk n hybrid vehicles, including being current n OBD-II, scan tls, lab scpes, and electrical analysis. Special training is als required fr cllisin centers. Hybrid vehicles may seem similar t gasline-pwered engines, and indeed there is much in cmmn. But the differences are imprtant nes frm a safety perspective, bringing risks f injury and even death t the untrained r careless service technician. Sidebar Surces f hybrid vehicle training # # # 5 Prper training, adherence t yur department s service peratins prtcls, and cnstant vigilance arund these silent while n vehicles will ensure a safe envirnment. Hybrid Electric Vehicle Infrmatin Califrnia Cars Initiative EV Wrld (news) Electric Drive Transprtatin Assciatin Fuel Ecnmy Hw Stuff Wrks Hybrid Cars Hybrid Car Online Hybrid Vehicle Cnsrtium Hybrid Jungle

6 Natinal Renewable Energy Lab NE Vehicle Cnsrt. SAE (search: hybrid vehicles) SulTek SW Research Inst. U.S Dept. f Energy Unin f Cncerned Scientists -- Wikipedia Vehicle-Specific HEV Sites DaimlerChrysler Frd (click n: envirnmental vehicles) GM Hnda Nissan Slectria Tyta prius.tyta.cm/ Aftermarket training Autmtive Career Develpment Center Mid-Del Technlgy Center (click n hybrid technlgy ) i-car (fr bdy shps) (als required by Tyta bdy shps) SAE Hybrid Sympsium Natinal Alternative Fuels Training Cnsrtium Autmtive Technician Training Services -- This safety update is prvided by KPA, the natinwide leader in Envirnmental Safety and Cmpliance Prgrams fr vehicle and equipment dealers. Fr reprints f this article, questins abut this tpic r any envirnmental r safety matters, cntact the KPA Marketing Dept. at , r visit us nline at This article was written by Peter Zaidel, Prduct Manager with KPA, 6

7 based in Clrad. 7