BMW F1 mechanic gets a big shock from KERS
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Next year Formula 1 will see the introduction of KERS -- the Kinetic Energy Recovery System. The system stores the energy from braking and makes it available to the driver in an on-demand burst. Due to the magnificent braking forces in braking an F1 car, the system must be called on to store a sizable amount of electricity.
Red Bull got things buzzing last week when an eruption of smoke and fumes lead to a call to the fire department. Today, BMW test driver Christian Klien did three laps in a car equipped with an early edition of KERS, and came back to the pits. When a mechanic touched the car, he got a shock strong enough to throw him to the ground. The mechanic suffered slight injuries to a hand and a grazed arm, but was otherwise unhurt. BMW halted all testing while it looks into the issue, which could simply be a matter of improper grounding. Or, it could be time to suit pit crews up in rubber gear...
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Originally Posted by pinguhk' post='630451' date='Jul 22 2008, 10:28 PM
Attachment 55259
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/22/f1-mech...hock-from-kers/
Next year Formula 1 will see the introduction of KERS -- the Kinetic Energy Recovery System. The system stores the energy from braking and makes it available to the driver in an on-demand burst. Due to the magnificent braking forces in braking an F1 car, the system must be called on to store a sizable amount of electricity.
Red Bull got things buzzing last week when an eruption of smoke and fumes lead to a call to the fire department. Today, BMW test driver Christian Klien did three laps in a car equipped with an early edition of KERS, and came back to the pits. When a mechanic touched the car, he got a shock strong enough to throw him to the ground. The mechanic suffered slight injuries to a hand and a grazed arm, but was otherwise unhurt. BMW halted all testing while it looks into the issue, which could simply be a matter of improper grounding. Or, it could be time to suit pit crews up in rubber gear...
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/22/f1-mech...hock-from-kers/
Next year Formula 1 will see the introduction of KERS -- the Kinetic Energy Recovery System. The system stores the energy from braking and makes it available to the driver in an on-demand burst. Due to the magnificent braking forces in braking an F1 car, the system must be called on to store a sizable amount of electricity.
Red Bull got things buzzing last week when an eruption of smoke and fumes lead to a call to the fire department. Today, BMW test driver Christian Klien did three laps in a car equipped with an early edition of KERS, and came back to the pits. When a mechanic touched the car, he got a shock strong enough to throw him to the ground. The mechanic suffered slight injuries to a hand and a grazed arm, but was otherwise unhurt. BMW halted all testing while it looks into the issue, which could simply be a matter of improper grounding. Or, it could be time to suit pit crews up in rubber gear...
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Originally Posted by BetterMakeWay' post='632434' date='Jul 25 2008, 07:59 AM
INSANE !!! 
BMW halted all testing while it looks into the issue, which could simply be a matter of improper grounding. Or, it could be time to suit pit crews up in rubber gear...
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Originally Posted by MiamiPhill' post='632457' date='Jul 25 2008, 06:17 PM
New F1 pit attire Attachment 55417
Attachment 55417
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Originally Posted by MiamiPhill' post='632457' date='Jul 25 2008, 11:17 PM
New F1 pit attire Attachment 55417
Attachment 55417
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LOL at Mosley, the idiot won a suit against the tabloid that broke the story..but I digress.
Having worked on Hybrid Vehicles before, this shouldn't come as a big surprise. Generally you do have to wear rubber gloves when working on one of these (there's also a disconnect switch that you dont get 300V going through you), but before a dealer/technician returns the vehicle to the customer, they need to do an isolation test on the vehicle (this ensures that high voltage battery is totally isolated from the vehicle chassis once the disconnect is reconnected). This ensures that what happened to the mechanic doesn't happen to you when you go to open your car door to get in! I think wearing rubber gloves is a good idea, but imagine if any fuel leaked at the same time??
Having worked on Hybrid Vehicles before, this shouldn't come as a big surprise. Generally you do have to wear rubber gloves when working on one of these (there's also a disconnect switch that you dont get 300V going through you), but before a dealer/technician returns the vehicle to the customer, they need to do an isolation test on the vehicle (this ensures that high voltage battery is totally isolated from the vehicle chassis once the disconnect is reconnected). This ensures that what happened to the mechanic doesn't happen to you when you go to open your car door to get in! I think wearing rubber gloves is a good idea, but imagine if any fuel leaked at the same time??
