ok, need some feedback on this one. i was talking with another installer today and he was telling me that he recently talked to a mechanic friend of ours and they were talking about the new hybrid vehicles. the mechanic said that they had to go to some kind of training on how to work on these vehicles because 3 or 4 other mechanics had been killed while working on these vehicles. it has to do with the 400 amp outputs of the batteries for the electric portion of these cars. the mechanic claimed that proper way to work on these vehicles is to disconnect the battery by having someone unplugging it while another person is ready to pull the first guy away from the vehicle with a fiberglass rod of some sort, in case the guy gets electricuted. anyone else heard of this? normally i wouldn't believe this but the other installer is the guy i worked with (and my mentor) for 10 years and he knows his stuff. please post any reliable URL's about this topic if you know of one. thanks.
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"I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think."
-Socrates-
This is some information that I found but is biased towards certain vehicles:
Disabling the High-Voltage System You or a certified technician should disable the high-voltage system by disconnecting the negative terminal of the battery prior to performing repairs on the body. Disconnecting the auxiliary battery shuts down the high-voltage circuit to ensure your safety. For additional protection, the service plug can be removed.
- The technician must wear insulated rubber gloves (lineman's gloves) when removing the service plug.
- After removing the service plug, you must wait at least 5 minutes to allow the full discharge of the high-voltage condensers inside the inverter.
If you or a certified technician cannot remove the service plug due to damage to the rear portion of the vehicle, remove the hybrid vehicle (HV) fuse or the ignition control (IGCT) relay instead.
Here's a good article for you to read about safety of the new hybrids: https://autos.msn.com/advice/CRArt.aspx?contentid=4023717
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Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA
Stay away from the wiring wrapped in orange. 400V+
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Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.
I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.
That would explain that tingly feeling I got when I bit into that orange wire :) Seriously though as long as you pay attention to the wiring around you, you'll be fine. I've worked on a few dozen different hybrids, and I'm still alive.
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Cause I'm So white and nerdy...
First Class Certi-fried installer
From my training on hybrid cars:
1: Remove the key and put it in your tool box.
2: Disconnect the negative side of the Aux. battery.
3: Pull the service plug (using high voltage gloves) and put it in your pocket. Wait 5 to 10 minutes and your all set.
(You still need to be aware. My gloves are rated to 1000 volts, and I'm not gonna test that.)
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itmdtr