> Hi Mr.Hursch > As an assignment for my Engineering degree, I am writing a report on the > social effects of an engineering enterprise - the Electric Car. This will > cover both the positive, and negative aspects. While I have found any number > of sites offering the positive effects, I was unaware of any negative, until I > read the thread containing your post. ( > http://www.repp.org/discussion/ev/200207/msg01215.html ) > It would be greatly appreciated if you could suggest any more information > (covering the issues brought up in the thread in more detail) that may help. > Thanking you for your time, > Cara Fonseca
Hello Cara, While I have not seen the final report on the GEM fire, nor am I the most qualified to speak on this issue, I have garnered some common sense rules and experience during my years of working (as a hobby and user) with EVs. With any electrical device that draws a lot of current and/or is running for an extended period of time, it is very important to make sure that that device is in safe condition. At a previous job that I had working for a small software company, the COO would frequently come around and lay his hands on the computer equipment feeling for anything getting too warm, such as a harddrive starting to lose its bearings, a cord worn out, etc. The COO was exercising preventative maintenance. With my EV, I exercise this same approach: I will usually check the cordends and charger after the charging process has been going at least a few minutes, and things are up to the temperature that they will likely be for the rest of the run. Anything running hot? Did I get the plug straight and true into the outlet? Everything is checked out quickly and efficiently, and if anything is running a little too warm for my liking (it's typically a cordend if there is a problem), I make a mental note to deal with it soon. The only unexpected charging equipment failure I've had in eight+ years of charging EVs is a rectifier failure in one of the chargers, and nothing untoward happened except it just quit charging. Other than that little surprise, things have gotten so routine in charging my EV that I really don't worry about it anymore. I worried a lot more than I needed to, but for me, better safe than sorry. With gas cars, the "refueling" is quick and occurs right there in front of you, ie. it's attended. However, it's a refueling process that can have a lot go wrong. One little spark around the gasoline fumes, from whatever source, can cause an explosion, with the resultant consequences. It can and does happen. Anytime you are dealing with enough power and energy to move an automobile down the road, if something goes awry, there will likely be consequences. None of it is perfectly safe, whether it be a gas or diesel car, or an electric. It's just that electrics are currently under a very high-powered "microscope", so that if something does go wrong, it makes big news. My own feeling about the GEM fire is that one or two things occurred. The first is possibly that the user of the vehicle had a damaged charging cord or connector, ie. poor maintenance or defective part. The second thing is that with an electrical problem, my impression is that you get more of a smoky fire if you get a fire at all. Frequently, the problem part just melts or the resistance goes so high that the current stops. From what I read of the GEM fire, there were a lot of flames. This strikes me as more of a flammable fuel fire, such as gasoline. An EV does not carry gasoline or other flammable fuels. If something burns in an EV, it's not going to act like a gasoline fire. If the wall "outlet" got so hot that it started a wall fire, it's conceivable that the wall insulation or wall parts could have started to burn, but that again is probably a smoky fire, and not a flammable fuels fire. Most built-to-code housing has construction (such as insulation) that is supposed to retard burning (however, I'm certainly not an expert on the details). In a nutshell, the whole thing sounds like it was a case of poor maintenance or usage habits, a possibility of someone vandalising the scene with gasoline, and/or blown way out of proportion by the media. Chuck Hursch Larkspur, CA www.geocities.com/nbeaa
