# fires in submerged EVs.



## GerhardRP (Nov 17, 2009)

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/mystery-at-port-newark-why-did-17-plug-in-cars-burn/


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## Ziggythewiz (May 16, 2010)

So...don't park your car underwater. Got it.


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## PhantomPholly (Aug 20, 2008)

lol - good safety tip, Egorn - don't cross the streams...


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## njloof (Nov 21, 2011)

... Or the battery terminals.

“We can’t be certain exactly what happened at the port,” Russell Datz, a Fisker spokesman, said in a telephone interview. “But we think being submerged in 13 feet of saltwater had something to do with it.”


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## JRP3 (Mar 7, 2008)

A bunch of LEAF's went under during the Tsunami in Japan but did not catch fire. This looks like more design problems for Fisker.


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## onegreenev (May 18, 2012)




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## onegreenev (May 18, 2012)

And NO photos? Mmmmmmmmm. Fishy. Good way to get out from under a flawed vehicle that costs way too much. 16 Fisker Karma's Really! In one spot? Sounds fishy to me.


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## Ziggythewiz (May 16, 2010)

Really? Ever seen autos at port? You can have 16,000 tightly packed together on the coast, just waiting to catch a wave.


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## onegreenev (May 18, 2012)

Ooooooo. Nice. No I have never seen autos at the port ready for delivery all packed in like sardines. 

Thanks for the photos. I am pretty skeptic on these things. Could have been a set fire but I do hope not. Never liked arson.


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## Ziggythewiz (May 16, 2010)

It's pretty amazing to see from the air. Especially back east where it apparently takes them months to do anything with the things.

At first you're just looking at the funny looking fields, then you get closer and see they're cars...hundreds of thousands of cars, like sand on the beach. How can we need so many?

These pics are far more spread out than the ones I've seen in person. They usually paint and detail them after shipping so it doesn't matter if you cram em in elbow to elbow.


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## JRP3 (Mar 7, 2008)

onegreenev said:


> I am pretty skeptic on these things.


Yes, you have a history of jumping to conclusions about conspiracies 
Sometimes you just have to stop and use some logic, what's the point of torching a bunch of cars that just went through a flood, they are already ruined. Ever hear the saying "When you hear hoof beats look for horses, not zebras"?


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## Caps18 (Jun 8, 2008)

My battery pack will be water proof and float with the case I have. I have to wonder about the battery testing and design if it can catch fire. I have seen the short circuit videos and can understand how that much current can melt through just about anything though. And if there is anything flammable nearby it will spread.


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## dladd (Jun 1, 2011)

njloof said:


> “We can’t be certain exactly what happened at the port,” Russell Datz, a Fisker spokesman, said in a telephone interview. “But we think being submerged in 13 feet of saltwater had something to do with it.”


love that quote.


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## onegreenev (May 18, 2012)

JRP3 said:


> Yes, you have a history of jumping to conclusions about conspiracies
> Sometimes you just have to stop and use some logic, what's the point of torching a bunch of cars that just went through a flood, they are already ruined. Ever hear the saying "When you hear hoof beats look for horses, not zebras"?


That I do. But then again there are sometimes Zebras where you think horses should be. The car does have a negative history already and the quality of the A123 packs are not so sturdy. I can see where a flood of salt water could do some damage and even short out. Could. Whats the reason for the fire? Well to be sure it is a claim. I will not continue on that because of the others in the photo that did not burn. 

This time, yes, a horse.


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## ricklearned (Mar 3, 2012)

The thing nobody has mentioned is that nasty thinks happen with batteries and salt water. Electricity separates the NaCl into Clorine gas and Sodium. I remember reading about submarines that flooded and the Clorine gas is often what killed the occupants. I guess out in the open it isn't as big an issue.


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## onegreenev (May 18, 2012)

That assumes that it was the Lead Acid batteries that burned. If that were the case then I'd suspect many more vehicles burned. Had to be because of leakage into a poorly designed system if in fact water was the problem. Seems obvious but many times the obvious is not the case at all. Only time and investigation will reveal the truth of the matter.


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## aeroscott (Jan 5, 2008)

onegreenev said:


> Ooooooo. Nice. No I have never seen autos at the port ready for delivery all packed in like sardines.
> 
> Thanks for the photos. I am pretty skeptic on these things. Could have been a set fire but I do hope not. Never liked arson.


 I remember the impact of that first time . wow sets you back.


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## Ziggythewiz (May 16, 2010)

onegreenev said:


> That assumes that it was the Lead Acid batteries that burned.


He means the seawater, not the lead acid. If you dump salt water on high voltage terminals you get large amounts of poisonous and explosive gasses.

The Karma already had issues with both burning for the fun of it and leaking batteries. They probably addressed stuff leaking onto the batteries internally with the first recall, but didn't put any thought into them being flooded externally. Having a tank of gasoline nearby doesn't help matters.

Not that it matters much, as the cars were destroyed anyway. These just have a built-in salvaged car fraud protection mechanism.


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