Just Like the Death Star

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When a car is flood-damaged, all you have to worry about is a ruined car. And maybe being sold a ruined one that you don’t realize has been ruined until after you bought the thing and discover the moldy carpets, the rust under the dash and the endless electrical problems caused by water getting into the wiring.

When a device is flood-damaged, there’s more to worry about – such as a spontaneous fire triggered by water contacting the materials within the battery.

This can – and does – happen for basically the same reason that Luke was able to destroy the Death Star in the original Star Wars movie. Luke knew if he managed to send a missile down a ventilation duct that led to the Death Star’s core, he could blow it up. A device – the proper name for these battery powered things that look like cars, sort of – also has a vent. And that is how the water can get in when the vehicle ends up in water that’s high enough to reach that vent.

Then it’s Oscar Meyer Weiner (or S’mores) time.

But maybe not immediately. It all depends on when the water get into contact with the battery pack’s insides. That may not happen at first.It might take a little time to work its way into the critical areas. But, regardless, water (especially salty/briny water) is extra-bad news for devices and those in the vicinity of one, if a fire suddenly erupts. In italics because that is exactly what can and does happen with device batteries. They just ignite – no need for a spark.

Such fires are hard to predict – or prevent because they literally just happen.

This is an important difference vis-a-vis vehicles with engines that are not devices, because with those, there must also be a spark in order for there to be fire. So, there must be two things – leaking fuel and a spark – present in order for there to be a fire. If one is missing, no fire. This is why a vehicle with an engine – and a gas tank full of fuel – will not erupt in flames unless there is a flame (spark) even if the fuel is spilled/leaking from a damaged gas tank. This is a huge safety advantage as well as a peace-of-mind advantage in that there is almost no chance a parked car will spontaneously catch fire – unless someone puts a rag in the gas tank filler neck and lights it on fire.

But parked devices can and have spontaneously combusted and this will become more common as more devices are in circulation and aging and exposed to water contamination.

There are some other water-related points worth mentioning vis-a-vis these battery powered devices that people such as Harris and Walz intend to push on us even harder than they have already been pushed on us by Biden and Harris (and before them, the toothsome Kenyan).

For one, water is terribly ineffective at putting out a device fire because it’s an accelerant; and even if you manage to put out the fire, the fire isn’t necessarily out because device fires can restart.

Without a spark.

The only effective way to deal with a device fire is to place the device in something large enough to contain the device – such as a shipping container or huge trash bin filled with sand and then let the fire go until there’s nothing left to burn.

These fumes, by the way, are very good for the environment.

For another, flood water and high voltage electricity are not boon companions. Images of flooded out “fast” chargers in North Carolina and other areas inundated by the recent hurricane are not like flooded out gas stations in that unless the gas station is literally under water, you can probably still get gas – and get away from the flood. But when floods – and the high winds that usually come along with them  – knock out the power, there is no power at “fast” chargers and it’s probably not a good idea to get close to anything emanating 400-plus volts that’s partially under water.

Besides which, if you decide to run the risk – and assuming there’s power – the water may rise high enough while you’re waiting to trigger an auto da fe. And – Catch 22 – if there’s  no power and your device is low on power then you’re not going to be able to use it to get away from the flood.

There is as yet no data regarding how many devices were totaled by the water – or have caught fire – in part because some of the flood-hit areas are still cut-off from the outside world.

But we know one thing: We’re all going to pay for it, in the form of higher car insurance premiums for everyone, to cover the cost of the losses incurred by the people who bought a device that adds greatly to the replacement costs paid out by the insurance mafia. And the mafia has the power to make everyone else pay those costs, since we’re not allowed to refuse the “offers” they make.

But at least we can still refuse to have a device parked in the driveway.

Let alone the garage.

. . .

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35 COMMENTS

  1. It never ceases to amaze me how dangerous products can be when they serve the agendas of the powers that be. If I made a product that caught fire and burned houses down because it was in a flood and no action was taken to prevent that possibility my engineering career would likely be over. But if the product serves one of the agendas, no problem, sh*t happens… This is basic FMEA stuff.

    Sure regular transmissions and differentials have vents but all that happens is the oil is contaminated. Change the oil soon enough and there will often be no significant damage. Let it sit for days or months and well still nothing happens but it probably will need replacement. That gets a passing grade. No safety risk, detectable, repairable. House burns down is a failing grade on the FMEA.

    There’s a device called a check valve. That’s all the vent needs. Seal the pack use a check valve. If internal pressure gets too high the vent opens. If it’s flooded it won’t be driving or charging so no reason for the vent to open. If that’s not even good enough put in a water sensor below the vent. If it’s tripped the vent valve closes. Yes all this costs money. But it’s pennies compared to even just replacing the battery pack never mind the burnt car or house.

  2. The power is out — how will people charge their EVs? And EVs can’t get wet (because they are useless pussy poser mobiles). So GAS CARS WIN.

    And credit cards don’t work either, so the stores are only accepting cash and a few are accepting silver. All the people with gold can’t buy anything because it’s $2500 per 1-ounce coin. So CASH (and SMALL BILLS) WINS.

    The police & FEMA etc are blocking relief efforts. So LOCAL SECURITY (PRIVATE ‘POSSES’) and LOCALLY ORGANIZED RESCUE VOLUNTEERS WIN.

    (BTW I always read all the comments before posting one of my own. Everyone always has excellent comments. Some very funny ones too.)

  3. I’ve noticed something strange recently. That is, more and more people are acquiring Teslas and other EVs all of a sudden, including those God-awful Cyber-Fucks! Well, at least here in Doitey-Joizey, anyway. Why is that? Why is it that after so many years since modern EVs began production, that people are just now “embracing” them? Am I missing something here?

    • I’m seeing Teslas, particularly Model 3s and Model Ys, in my area regularly. I’m seeing the Cyber Truck too.

      I’ll say one thing about the Cyber Truck: at least you KNOW what it is! There’s no mistaking it for anything else on the road. Most cars and crossovers are so indistinct; until you see the manufacturer’s logo, you can’t tell what it is. Not so with the Cyber Truck…

  4. My son is an electrician who works on commercial builds. He says that due to the damage to electrical component makers from the hurricane, parts could be delayed for up to a year.

    How long will it take to fix all those flooded chargers?

  5. Wait until the insurance not only goes up on the devices, but the homes where a device is owned. On parking lots where devices are allowed to park. On the, on the, on the.

    I’ll just be over here popping popcorn.

  6. On the upside; burning EVs should help keep the libs warm. The rest of the people can use some gasoline to get the wet wood in the fire pit burning and also stay warm.

    Hopefully power is restored sooner than some estimates say but I suspect it will be a hard slog for peoples homes that have been destroyed and those who have not adequately prepared.

  7. From another blog…..

    Fire and Water?

    They Do Mix !! Get an EV ?!?

    Irony is flooding often leaves one with intact structure?
    Ah..nope..not with EV’s whereby water triggers EV fires from battery cells which have become compromised/ corrupted and engage in literally UNstoppable Thermal Runaway.

    Hurricane Helene Flooding: EV’s on Fire

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysn1zqrUX4Q

      • From the comments….

        Back in the early 1990’s some nutbar arsonist, was stealing vehicles and setting them on fire in apartment (open/unsecured)parking areas on the ground floor. They did this to numerous 3 – storey wood -framed apartments in town. Many tenants/owners had their homes destroyed.

        The Fire Chief then ordered ALL such parking areas’ ceilings in the City have ALL the (combustible) styrofoam insulation removed from the parking area ceilings. Major expense.

        EV’s will hopefully …sooner than later… NOT be allowed to park in dubious and potentially dangerous areas. Watch insurers react accordingly.

        Otherwise…It’s not IF …but WHEN re: next EV fire and HOW BAD.

        • A semi-truck carrying a battery energy storage system (BESS) flipped over on the Vincent Thomas Bridge in Los Angeles, triggering a catastrophic explosion.

          Almost 2500 miles away in Montreal a shipping container full of lithium-ion battery forces the evacuation of 100 homes.

          Learn how these incident caused major traffic disruptions and the dangers faced by fire crews when dealing with thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries.

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek_lwDz1_rE

          • Worldwide…EV’s are less then .1%?…. .01%?… of the vehicle fleet?

            Wait until there is nothing else to buy/drive…..

  8. ‘There is as yet no data regarding how many devices were totaled by the water’ — eric

    However, there IS a preliminary estimate that up to 360 electrical substations in North Carolina may need replacement.

    But not enough transformers are available, because treason monkey Ambassador Bridget Brink gave them away to the frickin’ Ukies.

    https://x.com/dandcaldwell/status/1841068249716322744/photo/1

    Currently I’m developing an aftermarket kit to convert any Tesla into a mobile electric chair.

    Step right up, Miz Gidget … errr, Bridget. Imo clamp these big cables to your cankles, if you’ll just stop your damned screeching and squirming.

  9. I had to replace my 2003 Subaru Outback and 2003 VW Beetle recently due to frame rust.

    While that situation does indeed suck, neither of those cars posed a fire or explosion hazard, not to mention an inhalation hazard, when that happened.

    EVs are not the wise choice in coastal areas or the “snow belts” of the Northeast, Midwest, or Rockies. Not only because cold temperatures sap the batteries in some places, but also because salt water can cause batteries to explode, and driving up and down hilly and mountainous terrain also saps the batteries.

    They may make sense in places like San Diego, which are flat and temperate, but not so much elsewhere.

    But I don’t get why there isn’t even discussion on these critical shortcomings of EVs.

  10. Water is not the only problem with EV’s and lithium batteries, if an individual cell gets crushed or otherwise damaged, an immense amount of heat is generated due to the cell being “shorted”.
    Open up a EV battery and you will find thousands of little cells, not unlike the cells in a flashlight…
    It only takes one or more shorted cells to cause a real problem.

  11. Even with a major storm event you eventually can find gas or diesel. Not so with the EVs –you are stuck. Unlike EV batteries, gas and diesel aren’t hypergolic when contacted with water.

    Was the picture of the submerged tesla charging stations taken somewhere Helene hit?

    • You could easily find gas and diesel after a storm 20 years ago in Florida, but it is tougher now with the state’s insane anti-gouging laws.

  12. 40 years ago there was a comedy called Risky Business. You might recall that the end of act II was punctuated with a Porsche 911 ending up in Lake Michigan. The next scene was the car up on the lift at the dealer with the fantastic line delivered by the mechanic: “Who’s the U-Boat commander?”

    Even though it was Hollywood we had no problem believing that the dealer could get the car cleaned up well enough to drive again. Because most competent mechanics and cleaners could, at least for a short time. Now imagine the remake, with Joel dropping dad’s Model S into the drink. Sorry, but there’s no draining the water and mopping up the mess. He better hope that his friends have a lot more savings bonds… and that Lana’s friends have a lot more energy…

    The other thing is, many power companies will shut down lines before a hurricane or big weather event to prevent problems like mass electrocution when the flood comes. That’s just prudent operating policy. If there’s going to be a lot of downed power lines you don’t want them energized. So you could be in an area that’s not flooded or damaged at all but the power is out because it feeds areas that are flooded or damaged. And those major substations where 400 V service drops are available are prime locations to disconnect distribution lines. And many generating stations will go offline as well, not only in anticipation of damage, but also because demand will drop as the affected areas are abandoned. Electrical power grids are fantastic engineering, but they’re not as robust as we like to believe they are.

  13. This isn’t exclusive to the EV batteries – but lithium ion batteries of all varieties.
    Most people pay no mind to the proliferation of devices around their homes.
    Look at all the videos of cheap Chinese E scooters that spontaneously combust.
    A lot of people now have outdoor and work tools with these Li batteries with chargers they leave plugged in – with the batteries always in the cradle.
    Thats bad enough but what happens to all these small devices that have been salt watered?
    Now those things are even more at risk.

    And then we will soon see what happens with all the EVs that have been exposed to road salt/brine in the NE/Great Lakes in the near future.

    I’d be buying stock in the fire department if I could.

  14. BTW, note that the golf cart did *not* catch fire. It might even be salvageable.

    A golf cart community in Pinellas County … just like the one the last Tampa Chief of Police lived in which was located at least *an hour* from the TPD HQ, more in traffic.

  15. Channel 10 in Tampa is Tenga (think USA Today) and very left wing.

    If the video made air, it is a sign that the gloves are off with Musk, regardless of the device agenda.

    All “land” south of Gainesville on the Florida peninsula is swampland, and the air has a lot of water vapor most of the time unless a very strong cold front rolls as far south as Miami. Even if the vehicles don’t catch fire, a large proportion of premature battery failure horror stories originate in Florida.

    Ford has (or had) a test facility in Fort Myers going back to the days when Henry would party in the swamp with Edison and Firestone. They know what will happen with the EV F150 and Mustang abomination.

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