A Study on the Fire Risk of Black Box Wiring in Motor Vehicle

According to the National Fire Data System (NFDS), more than 5,000 vehicle fires have occurred every year for the last 10 years. Vehicle fires are primarily caused by mechanical (breaking system and engine), electrical (wiring and battery), and chemical (oil and fuel gas leakage) problems. The electrical factor has increased with the installation of driver convenience equipment. For example, today, the black box is widely used to provide video data recording of motor vehicle accidents. The black box consists of a front camera, rear camera, and wires. The black box wires are directly connected to the junction box or fuse box from the start battery that operates to provide normal on power supplying for engine stop. It is extremely dangerous when the wires short circuit due to insulation aging, mechanical and electrical stress, etc. In this study, the black box wiring fire risk have been analyzed and investigated when the steady state and abnormal operations, and under the following conditions: wiring arrangements with a high temperature condition, insulation aging, poor contact, and short circuits. The results showed that black box wiring short circuits had a higher fire risk than the other fire hazard elements. To prevent fire hazards caused by black box wiring, the black boxes must be installed by qualified service personnel. Do not modify the wiring, remove the fuse and secure the wiring using cable ties or insulation tape.

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