Identify High-Voltage Circuits of Electric or Hybrid Electric Vehicle and

Related Safety Precautions

Lesson Plan for
AUT 154-155 Maintenance and Light Repair Section C
Course HS Title:

Maintenance and Light Repair

Program:

KCTCS Courses included in HS Title: (Lesson is prepared for

course highlighted.)
KCTCS Course No.

KCTCS Course Title

Introduction/Contex This lesson will instruct students on how to properly identify high- voltage circuits
t
of electric or hybrid electric vehicles, and understand the related safety
precautions involved with the operation of the vehicle.
Prepared By

School

Grade Level

No. Students

Date:

No.IEP's:

Lesson
Length:

Task
Identify high voltage circuits of electric or hybrid electric vehicle and related safety precautions.

No.
1

Objective
Given the proper tools and instructions, students will be able to identify high-voltage circuits of
electric or hybrid electric vehicles and the related safety precautions involved, plus pass a written
exam on the task with 100% accuracy by the end of the course.

Connections:
Skills Standards:
OH 001
OH 002
OH 003
OD 002
OD 003
OD 005
New Common Core Standards:
RST 11-12 3
A-CED-4
N-Q.1
Common Core Technical Standards:
TD-OPS 2
TD-SYS 2 New Generation Science Standards:

HS-PS2-5.
HS-PS3-3.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS/TECHNOLOGY
Teacher Designed Materials and Other Handouts
Instructor may copy the content section of this Lesson Plan and distribute it to students as a reference
when dealing with Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Textbooks and Workbooks
Author

Title/ISBN No.

Edition Publisher

Jack Erjavec and Jeff Arias Hybrid, Electric and Fuel Cell Vehicles First

Pages

Thomson Delmar 239-246

Content/Presentation/Demonstration Outline
Instruct students that all hybrid vehicles have certain safety features that are designed to isolate the
high-voltage system in case of an accident or electrical fault. Students should be made aware of these
features, as they may cause the hybrid system to be inoperable. Inform students that some of these
safety features are unique to specific hybrid models, whereas others are universally applied.
IMPORTANT: Inform students that hybrid vehicles have high-voltage systems. Careless handling of
some components can lead to serious injury, including death. Always follow and adhere to the
precautions given by the manufacturer. These precautions are clearly labeled in their service manuals.
Instruct students that on all hybrids, the high-voltage cables and connectors are colored orange, and
warning labels are affixed to all high-voltage components. In addition, the battery packs are placed in
protective zones and are enclosed in containers. These containers are designed to withstand a degree of
impact and to contain any battery chemicals that may leak from the batteries. The cables are also routed
in "safe" areas and if they are not routed through the vehicle's frame, they are protected with extra metal.
IMPORTANT: Inform students to always wear safety gloves during the process of de-powering and
powering the system back up again. These gloves must be class "0" rubber insulating gloves rated at
1000 volts. These are commonly called "lineman's gloves". The condition of the gloves must be checked
before each use. Make sure there are no tears or signs of wear. Electrons are very small and can enter
through the smallest of holes in your gloves. Manufacturer's recommend disposing of the gloves after 6
months of use, regardless of condition. Instruct students that the procedure for properly de-powering and
isolating the high-voltage system from the rest of a hybrid vehicle is very important and not very difficult.
However, each manufacturer has its own procedure that must be followed in the order presented.
Fortunately, the various hybrid models offered by a particular manufacturer have much the same
procedure. This does not mean you should not look for the correct procedure for a specific model you are
working on. With the correct information and following the procedures, you may safely work on a hybrid
vehicle.
Here is a list of common sense items that students need to consider when working on a hybrid vehicle:
1. Before doing any service on a hybrid vehicle, refer to the service manual for that specific vehicle. All
hybrids have similar operation but have different systems and components; this is true for vehicles made
by the same manufacturer. 2. All high-voltage wires and harnesses are wrapped in orange-colored
insulation. Respect the color and stay away from it unless the system is de-powered. 3. Warning and/or
caution labels are attached to all high-voltage parts. Be careful not to touch these cables and parts
without the correct protective gear, such as safety gloves. 4. Make sure the high-voltage system is shut
down and isolated from the vehicle before working near or with any high-voltage component. 5. If the
vehicle needs to be towed into the shop for repairs, make sure it is not towed on its drive wheels. Doing
this will drive the generator(s) to work, which can overcharge the batteries and cause them to explode.
Inform students that these vehicles should always be towed with the drive wheels off the ground, or
towed on a flat bed. 6. When working on or near the high-voltage system, even when it is de-powered,

always use insulated tools. 7. Never leave tools or loose parts under the hood or close to the battery
pack. These can easily cause a short. 8. Never wear anything metallic, such as rings, necklaces,
watches, and earrings, when working on a hybrid vehicle. 9. In the case of a fire, use a Class ABC
powder-type extinguisher or very large quantities of water.
Inform students that the damage that results from a collision can result in damage to the high-voltage
cables and/or components, which could result in high-voltage shorts. These could be disastrous, for the
vehicle, the passengers inside, and emergency responders (ambulance, fire department, police). To
immediately isolate or shut down the high-voltage system, hybrids are fitted with many sensors. These
sensors respond to impact or the activation of the airbags. In most accidents, the high-voltage system is
automatically and immediately disabled.
Instruct students that every hybrid is designed to open the circuit from and to the battery pack
whenever the airbag(s) is/are deployed. In many models, high-voltage is shut down before the airbags
are deployed. Impact sensors are placed strategically in the areas where the high-voltage system is
located.
On GM hybrid pickups, the battery pack is located on the passenger side. A side impact sensor will
trigger the battery cut-off switch to isolate the 42-volt battery pack and the auxiliary power outlet circuit if
an impact to the passenger door is detected.
Ford hybrids have impact switches at the front and rear of the passenger side of the vehicle. If a force
or jolt causes either of these switches to open, the high-voltage system and the circuit to the fuel pump
are disconnected. On Toyota hybrids, the impact sensor is located inside the inverter. Again, when an
impact is detected, the high-voltage system is shut down.
Inform students that other sensors are also used to prevent high voltage from leaking into the
passenger compartment. These sensors monitor the condition of the high-voltage wiring and cables. If
there is any evidence of a short or high current through the circuit, the high-voltage system is
immediately shut down. The high-voltage system will also be shut down if the circuit opens, which can be
caused by such things as a broken wire or disconnected connector. Also, the system will shut down if
battery temperatures rise beyond a specified temperature (normally 140F).
On GM pickups with the auxiliary power outlets, the same techniques are used to protect the
passengers from faults within that system. The APO circuit is fitted with a ground fault detection circuit.
This is similar to those found in the kitchens and bathrooms of most houses. These circuits monitor the
current flow through the wires of the circuit. If there is more than a few milliamps difference between the
two wires (neutral and hot), the APO circuit will be shut down. The system will also shut down if there is
an opening in the circuit.

Applications/Practice
Since Hybrid vehicles are very seldom available, students will have to rely on information gathered
1 from periodicals, computer software programs that contain information about Hybrid Vehicles, and
training manuals that cover this subject.

Evaluation and feedback Prior to Testing or Lab Work

Instructor can use training information and the content of this Lesson Plan to have a informative
question and answer session regarding the safety features of Hybrid Engines. The question and
1 answer session should demonstrate to the instructor that the students understand the importance of
safety when working on Hybrids, and the systems that are available to protect passengers and
emergency responders in case of an accident. Instructor should document the session.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT: (Assess student progress with performance criteria.)

Multiple choice test questions dealing with the identification of high voltage circuits on electric or hybrid
electric vehicles and the related safety precautions, to help demonstrate student knowledge of the
task. SAMPLE QUESTION: Technician A says that every hybrid is designed to open the circuit from
and to the battery pack whenever the airbag(s) are deployed. Technician B says if there is any
evidence of a short or high current through the circuit, the high-voltage system is immediately slow
down. Who is correct? A. Tech A. B. Tech B. C. Both A and B. D. Neither A nor B. Correct answer: A

IMPACT--Reflection/Analysis of Teaching and Learning: (How did students progress in relation to the
state objectives? Was the instruction successful? Analyze samples of student work particularly that which
is unsatisfactory, for the purpose of planning further instruction.)

REFINEMENT--Lesson Extension and Follow-up: (To be filled in as the lesson is modified during initial
planning and/or during the teaching learning process.)