The ocean can’t put a battery fire out

[Mach1E]

My brother just sent me this link- Tesla accidentally went into the ocean at a boat ramp. Totally under water…….
Still on fire 10 minutes later.

Salt water and BEVs don’t mix well.

Sponsored

 

[dtbaker61]

I am very curious ...
is this video for real?
what is actually on fire?

If it is the Tesla battery pack, then how the fire would start..... seems like a short on main pack would just blow a fuse rather than get the pack hot enough to hit a temp where it generates it's own oxygen.

Is the Tesla battery tray & HVBJB not sealed against water ?
would sea water be conductive across HV terminals enough to short without blowing a fuse?
Is there not a main fusable connection that would blow before things got hot enough to start a fire????

 

[L4z3rUsLOng]

FEMA has a page dedicated to this phenomenon: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/blog/ig-102022.html

 

[AKgrampy]

I am very curious ...
is this video for real?
what is actually on fire?

If it is the Tesla battery pack, then how the fire would start..... seems like a short on main pack would just blow a fuse rather than get the pack hot enough to hit a temp where it generates it's own oxygen.

Is the Tesla battery tray & HVBJB not sealed against water ?
would sea water be conductive across HV terminals enough to short without blowing a fuse?
Is there not a main fusable connection that would blow before things got hot enough to start a fire????

Not sure this is real either underwater; however, there was a warning in Florida after the last hurricane due to surge flooding some EV's and causing at least one fire. Saltwater is very corrosive.

 

[MellowJohnny]

Salt water absolutely has the ability to cause a LiOn battery to short out and combust. In fact, a friend of mine burned his house down after getting his BEV lawnmower wet with water from his saltwater pool. He put it back in the garage to dry and it caught fire and destroyed the house.

Water won't extinguish a LiOn battery fire in a thermal runaway scenario as the battery at that point is generating it's own O2, at least that's how I understand it. Fire departments use water more in an attempt to cool the battery, rather than an attempt to extinguish the fire.

All of that to say...I suppose this is possible. Salt water = short circuit leads to fire & subsequent thermal runaway = water won't help.

 

[Jimrpa]

I thought Elon made the claim that Tesla cars were “waterproof”?

 

[DevSecOps]

I thought Elon made the claim that Tesla cars were “waterproof”?

Waterproof, not salt-waterproof.

Supposedly, a Tesla can drive completely under (fresh) water for a limited amount of time.

 

[Jimrpa]

Waterproof, not salt-waterproof.

Supposedly, a Tesla can drive completely under (fresh) water for a limited amount of time.

Well, given that the world is more ocean than freshwater, I’m not sure that’s really good.

 

[DevSecOps]

Well, given that the world is more ocean than freshwater, I’m not sure that’s really good.

I have a feeling the original purpose of that was to prove that EVs can be in water. We've even seen on this forum where new owners ask if they can drive their MME in the rain. I think Tesla used a completely submersed test to prove to people that you could drive your car in the rain and through puddles.

 

[Jimrpa]

I have a feeling the original purpose of that was to prove that EVs can be in water. We've even seen on this forum where new owners ask if they can drive their MME in the rain. I think Tesla used a completely submersed test to prove to people that you could drive your car in the rain and through puddles.

I know. I’m actually making a bit of a subtle joke. Elon bought the lotus Elise that was used as a “submarine” in a James Bond movie and has occasionally claimed his vehicles were sealed against silly hazards (I think their climate control system is supposed to have an NBC mode or something).

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

I know. I’m actually making a bit of a subtle joke. Elon bought the lotus Elise that was used as a “submarine” in a James Bond movie and has occasionally claimed his vehicles were sealed against silly hazards (I think their climate control system is supposed to have an NBC mode or something).

What an NBC mode? Can you watch SNL on the climate control system?

 

[Mach1E]

I am very curious ...
is this video for real?
what is actually on fire?

If it is the Tesla battery pack, then how the fire would start..... seems like a short on main pack would just blow a fuse rather than get the pack hot enough to hit a temp where it generates it's own oxygen.

Is the Tesla battery tray & HVBJB not sealed against water ?
would sea water be conductive across HV terminals enough to short without blowing a fuse?
Is there not a main fusable connection that would blow before things got hot enough to start a fire????

Yup it’s real.

These things happen all the time at boat ramps. Mostly people not setting the parking brake or just simply backing too far down the ramp.

This time it was a Tesla. And yeah…… saltwater is super bad for batteries. Like was mentioned after we get hurricane flooding……..Teslas spontaneously combust.

To be fair, I doubt a Mach E would fair much better in the ocean.

 

[SWO]

I thought Elon made the claim that Tesla cars were “waterproof”?

Rich Rebuilds on youtube bought a flood damaged Model S. The motor casings were all completely full of water.

 

[DevSecOps]

What an NBC mode

Nuclear, Biological, Chemical hazard protection system aka in Tesla terms; Bioweapon defense mode.

So instead of watching SNL, it could protect you from SNL because it likely falls in one of those categories.

 

[veronicablack]

Fun fact: bottle rockets will also continue to burn and launch underwater.

Sponsored