To address safety concerns, car companies have developed certain indicators that can help workers identify the vehicles: Color-coded high voltage cables in hybrid and electric vehicles warn of their potential danger. Usually these are orange but some models have blue cables instead.

These include:

• the presence of high voltage components and cabling capable of delivering a fatal electric shock.
• the storage of electrical energy with the potential to cause explosion or fire.
• components that may retain a dangerous voltage even when a vehicle is switched off.

Maintain a “safety zone” around their work, including using yellow caution tape and “DO NOT TOUCH “HIGH-VOLTAGE” signs when high-voltage system repairs are to be left unattended. 1. Do NOT touch ANY high-voltage wiring, connectors, or parts, such as the inverter or the hybrid battery assembly.

5 Things to Know Before Going Hybrid or Electric

• The price of gas. With gas prices low, there’s less demand for alternative fuel cars.
• Your mileage math. If you drive enough, the fuel savings of a hybrid may cover the extra cost of the car.
• The cost of batteries. The main culprit behind EV’s high price tag is the battery.
• Federal and state incentives.
• The environment.

Note: For safety and ease of identification, electrical cables that carry the 144-volt current are colored orange. Orange-colored cables should be avoided until the high-voltage electrical system has been disabled.

Hybrids have a potential hidden danger for passengers and first responders during a crash. “Most of the amperage in the hybrids can be upwards of 100 amps or greater, so the potential to kill you is right there.”

When welding on a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) or pure-electric vehicle (EV), follow the same precautions with the 12-volt system as when welding on a conventional vehicle. As a best practice, disconnect both the 12-volt battery and the high-voltage battery service disconnect.

Hybrid vehicles combine electric car technology with that of traditional cars. A hybrid vehicle utilizes a 12-volt lead-acid battery and gasoline like a traditional vehicle while also pulling energy from an electric battery.

Signs of hybrid battery failure

1. A decrease in fuel economy. If you’re not getting the gas mileage you should, it likely indicates that the battery is dying.
2. Fluctuations in the state of charge.
3. The battery’s not holding a charge.
4. The internal combustion system runs more than it should.
5. Strange engine noises.

A compact trickle charger can be installed in the window corner of a hybrid vehicle, keeping the vehicle’s battery from draining completely. Pictured is a 12V, 1.8W charger.

Most modern cars with a fairly healthy battery should last at least 2 weeks, without needing to be started up to re-charge the battery. If there’s any doubt about the condition of the battery, start it once a week just to be safe.