48 volt car elect not going to happen

On Sun, 03 Feb 2008 01:25:36 -0600, with neither quill nor qualm, Don Foreman quickly quoth:

In many instances, contact with 240v will give you a quicker jolt so you're more likely to jump away from contact with it. I know the difference in feel and have worked with live circuits more often than not. Nitrile gloves are good insulators, so pokes through them by the wire ends let you know it's still hot.

Yeah, arcing is bad news for switches. What's the voltage level at which capacitors start helping with that, I wonder? I know they're much more active on AC circuits.

But with the trend toward all LED lighting, what's the worry? Very few bulbs remain, such as headlamps, and those could be regulated or transformed down to 12v pretty cheaply.

-- I think this is the crux of the global warming media hype (not some of the science). Gobal warming research and it's ugly step-sister, the media, are a business. They will only feed frenzy that adds to their business. Hence, the lack of talk about your cold and snowy western weather, lack of hurricanes in '06, etc. The only things that will be brought up are those that will "help" their cause and industry. Do something for something we KNOW about, like the kid down the street that needs a home, etc. Don't try to help for something that we are trying (ridiculously) to predict will be a problem

100-200years from now!! Thanks,

A Liberal, Environmentally Friendly, Global Warming, Anti-Hype Lad James, 11Jan07 on Weather Channel's "One Degree" hype site

On Sun, 03 Feb 2008 13:32:48 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, "Carl Byrns" quickly quoth:

As are welding rods, and anyone above a halfwit wears gloves when welding. Well, 'cept those in 3rd world countries using live 240v

3-phase xfmrs without goggles, long-sleeved pants, gloves, shoes, or shirt. Remember that picture a few months ago?

-- I think this is the crux of the global warming media hype (not some of the science). Gobal warming research and it's ugly step-sister, the media, are a business. They will only feed frenzy that adds to their business. Hence, the lack of talk about your cold and snowy western weather, lack of hurricanes in '06, etc. The only things that will be brought up are those that will "help" their cause and industry. Do something for something we KNOW about, like the kid down the street that needs a home, etc. Don't try to help for something that we are trying (ridiculously) to predict will be a problem

100-200years from now!! Thanks,

A Liberal, Environmentally Friendly, Global Warming, Anti-Hype Lad James, 11Jan07 on Weather Channel's "One Degree" hype site

We have a Honda Civic Hybrid and, best I can tell, the starter IS 12 volts, and is operated from the 12v battery. The kicker is that engine always starts with the assist motor, which operates off the 156v battery. The engine starts silently, I've never heard the starter operate. I believe that the starter is for emergency use, that is, when the assist system is not working.

Note that this system is quite a bit different from the Prelude.

...SNIP...

Shucks, I'm sure going to miss that promised steering-wheel heater in my next SUV.

The NEC does not cover automotive vehicles other than recreational vehicles. If it did, everything under the hood and associated with the fuel system would have to be wired using Class I, Div. 1 or 2 compliant hardware. Which wouldn't fit too well with the current trend towards lightweight vehicles. (chuckle).

Randal

Or, if the electrode you touch happens to have a sharp point or edge.

Apparently none of those people work at GM (the focus of the article). GM backed off of 48 volts because of the reasons listed in the article, one of which was shock hazard.

-Carl

I worked for the local cable company for over 18 years.... and at that time, the plant was powered with 60Volt AC. We did all the splicing, coring of the cable, etc., while AC was on and occasionally would get a bite. Worst was while it was raining and everything was wet.... however, I understand the entire system is now powered with 90 Volt AC. We never died..... Ken.

Or when you can't afford replacing drive batteries late in vehicles life cycle? At least they were thinking.

Wes

The worst burn I ever got was from a Honeywell Strobonar battery pack for a flash unit. A huge 9.6 volts iirc. Unfortuantly, I had traces of photodeveloping chemicals on my hands and the salts made my palm, in contact with the power contacts very conductive. Instant steam burn. OUCH!

Wes

24v bites too. I used to be a Phantom Phixer. F4-J / F4-S

Wes

As an electrician, I have been zapped by 120 VAC and even 220 VAC more times than I would like to admit. Fortunately, I am still alive. Unfortunately, that does nothing to prove that shocks from 120 VAC and 220 VAC are not sometimes lethal.

Vaughn

On Sun, 03 Feb 2008 14:53:56 -0500, with neither quill nor qualm, Wes quickly quoth:

So do fans and fan belts (and lathes, mills, saws, & grinders), but you're careful when working around them, right?

"WTF is the difference?" he queried, innocently.

-- I think this is the crux of the global warming media hype (not some of the science). Gobal warming research and it's ugly step-sister, the media, are a business. They will only feed frenzy that adds to their business. Hence, the lack of talk about your cold and snowy western weather, lack of hurricanes in '06, etc. The only things that will be brought up are those that will "help" their cause and industry. Do something for something we KNOW about, like the kid down the street that needs a home, etc. Don't try to help for something that we are trying (ridiculously) to predict will be a problem

100-200years from now!! Thanks,

A Liberal, Environmentally Friendly, Global Warming, Anti-Hype Lad James, 11Jan07 on Weather Channel's "One Degree" hype site

So sorry you are so far behind the times. The Prius has had a

300 V DC supply for about 9 (?) years, now. There are several us-label cars with 42 V systems for their start/stop engines.

Cars with 12 V systems DEFINITELY have a history of electrical fires, although they are fairly rare. I've seen one, but it had a bunch of ham gear in it, so it was likely modifications not the stock hardware that caused it.

I think a number of these systems have a small auxilliary battery for the 12 V systems, so that that supply remains available after a failure or accident trips the intertial cutoff switch.

Jon

The Prius starts with the same motors as the traction system, so it is 300 V. They have a really UNIQUE system with two motors running on VFDs, connected by planetary gears with the engine. So, they run power from one motor to the other through the VFDs to perform the task of a transmission. The air conditioning compressor is run by a smaller motor and VFD.

Jon

Unless your hands are wet, or maybe your skin is pierced by a few frayed strands of the wires. That really lowers your resistance.

Jon

Actually either arm to the opposite leg is supposed to be the worst. I've gotten some shocks that get into the letal level, but it just happened to hit my muscles in the way that threw me off the circuit instead of the opposite. The worst is the condition of being "tetanized" where your muscles lock you on the circuit, and it can actually be very hard for insulated persons to knok you free with a hot stick or similar tool. One guy at work was using a bad hot stick, and got tetanized while flipping a 4160 V switch and his safety watcher had to beat the CRAP out of him to break the connection.

(I don't work on this high tension stuff, but electronics, but I am aware of the hazards.)

Jon

I've been zapped with 250,000 volts and lived (low current ;)

Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/

I don't minimize the issues. I merely think that if existing solutions don't suffice, better solutions will be found if/when motivation is sufficient to develop them.