Filed under: Motorsports, Green, Safety, Videos, BMW
VIDEO: Shocking! See F1 mechanic getting zapped by KERS system
Follow the jump to watch the video
Anybody who wants to know why Formula 1 teams are reconsidering using the Kinetic Energy Recovery System, or KERS need only watch the video embedded after the jump. So far, there have been two incidents of KERS failures, the first requiring the U.K. Red Bull team to make a call to the local Fire Department and the second, as seen in the video, sending a BMW mechanic to the ground. The KERS system recovers energy that would be lost to braking so that it can be reused on the next straightaway. We aren't in the business of finding enjoyment from the suffering of others, but since the mechanic was basically unharmed, let this be a reminder that high voltage hurts. Yowzah! Thanks for the tip, Lachlan!
[Source: YouTube]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Seoultrain 1:31PM (7/30/2008)
This whole idea is KERS'd.
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Giuseppe 1:38PM (7/30/2008)
Apparently the batteries only last one race. Excuse me but i thought mining, shipping and refining batteries is very bad for the environment?
Those batteries should at least last one season
HotRodzNKustoms 2:23PM (7/30/2008)
This whole Formula 1 Hybrid deal is such a joke. If they really want to be innovative they should use alternative fuels or solar power. Ok solar power is a joke but I just do not see the point in trying to make Formula 1 appear eco-friendly
Shipey 2:23PM (7/30/2008)
Batteries are no worse than tires, and they don't even make it a whole race!
Red 5:07PM (7/30/2008)
@ HotRodzNKustoms,
I beg to differ on solar power as it pertains to race cars. The technology is already here, but nobody's even bothering to think about it.
Seth 3:06PM (8/22/2008)
@HotRod... -- Are you sure about the wanting to be eco-friendly? I just assumed that it was to extend the time between refueling stops, since if just one driver can reduce those they'll have won the race.
Allan 1:34PM (7/30/2008)
Youtube link for those like me that can't see the video at work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzaQ-t1ojPU
I assume it's the same thing.
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xfired 1:39PM (7/30/2008)
Shocking footage!
Sorry, I couldn't resist.
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Jared 1:45PM (7/30/2008)
Don't taze me bro!
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Flea 1:50PM (7/30/2008)
wouldnt it be a lot safer and eco-friendly to store the kinetic energy in a flywheel, or fly-cylinder, mounting it with the axis perpendicular to the ground to avoid gyro torque? Just encase it in a carbon fiber and kevlar capsule so that in case of accident no piece of it goes bulleting out and it should be ok.
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rodan32 2:21PM (7/30/2008)
Probably a weight thing.
Shipey 2:27PM (7/30/2008)
They're already doing it.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/11/flybrid-f1-kine.html
tankd0g 2:56PM (7/30/2008)
Unless the flywheel is free to move on a gimbal, there's always going to be a direction the car needs to go that the flywheel won't let it. The easiest way to do a flywheel like that is electric. This whole idea however, died in the 80s. No need to resurrect it.
Biomech 1:50PM (7/30/2008)
Yikes that looks painful, glad he's ok.
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Linoth 2:18PM (7/30/2008)
Please don't mistake this for skepticism, but I'm still trying to figure out where the electrical shock came from. The nearest I can guess is his foot next to the wheel. Either that or the KERS system is horribly insulted and he got the shock through the body of the vehicle itself.
Regardless, they would be storing one hell of a charge in those batteries, and that does mandate some serious safety measures. Maybe they need to add some sort of intentional bleed system so that with the flip of a safety switch and press of a button, the driver can completely dump the current from the batteries.
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Shadyman 2:48PM (7/30/2008)
It looked to me like he got shocked when he put his hand on the steering wheel while touching the body.
This could be in combination with his feet touching the ground.
So he could have completed a circuit either by a) Bridging the body to the steering wheel, or b) bridging the steering wheel to ground.
Personally, B seems more likely, since it's not something that one would do very often, hence it's less likely that it would be detected.
Doug 3:03PM (7/30/2008)
I'm a bit confused about that myself? I'm quite sure the painted carbon body work is non conducting.
tankd0g 3:30PM (7/30/2008)
It was probably only a static charge so he wouldn't have to touch metal to get zapped, composite materials spinning at high rpm, they are going to have a hard time finding ways to dissipate the static electricity that generates.
WhyNotTheC63? 1:20AM (7/31/2008)
It's pretty simple if you are aware of the properties of CF. Do any of the AutoBlog scholars want to chime in and teach the crowd a thing or two? I don't care to. On that note, where the hell is LS2LS7?
Rocketboy 8:33AM (7/31/2008)
It really doesn't look like it's a direct fault of the KERS system, just a terrible implementation of one.