Though there are tons of topics about safety in a crash, safety for first responders, fuses, etc... there are actually strangely few threads about safety while building an EV.
So what things does one need to do (or not do) in order to not to kill themselves?
I was reminded of the power hidden in our batteries when my bus bar turned 90 degrees while tightening a bold and a shower of sparks and molten copper shot everywhere. I went back to my standard "cover everythign with electical tape" idea after that... I'd clearly become way too comfortable.
Things like:
Can you touch a positive as long as you are also not touching another battery terminal? Do I ever need to worry about touching ONE point in the high voltage loop? What can and can't you touch if you'd like to stay alive? Are the positive and negative terminals just as 'deadly' when it comes to human touch? Etc///
Most 'centralized' BMS wires, as far as I can tell, carry pack voltage -- how do you keep the dozens of wires that all need to be on terminals 2mm from each other from touching? If they did, what's the real risk?
We shoudl 'wrap' our wrenches and tools in electical tape -- but does that really stop 160V+ or is it just for our own 'feel good'? Is standard "automotive" wire acceptable for low amperage, pack-voltage connections?
Etc etc etc...
It just seems this 'basic' safety info is sparse on this forum... might be nice to toss it all in one place.
So what things does one need to do (or not do) in order to not to kill themselves?
I was reminded of the power hidden in our batteries when my bus bar turned 90 degrees while tightening a bold and a shower of sparks and molten copper shot everywhere. I went back to my standard "cover everythign with electical tape" idea after that... I'd clearly become way too comfortable.
Things like:
Can you touch a positive as long as you are also not touching another battery terminal? Do I ever need to worry about touching ONE point in the high voltage loop? What can and can't you touch if you'd like to stay alive? Are the positive and negative terminals just as 'deadly' when it comes to human touch? Etc///
Most 'centralized' BMS wires, as far as I can tell, carry pack voltage -- how do you keep the dozens of wires that all need to be on terminals 2mm from each other from touching? If they did, what's the real risk?
We shoudl 'wrap' our wrenches and tools in electical tape -- but does that really stop 160V+ or is it just for our own 'feel good'? Is standard "automotive" wire acceptable for low amperage, pack-voltage connections?
Etc etc etc...
It just seems this 'basic' safety info is sparse on this forum... might be nice to toss it all in one place.