How to Waterproof and Improve Reliability of Xebras
Last updated April 30, 2007
Copyright 2007. This document my not be reprinted, published, emailed or posted on the Internet
without the approval of ZAP.
Intended Readers
The purpose of this manual is to provide a qualified electric car mechanic or technician with the
information to correct the addressed service issues. Check with ZAP if you are unsure who to have do
the work. ZAP is not responsible for damage to your vehicle or personal injury for work done by nonqualified personnel.
This document describes procedures that help the Xebra vehicles withstand driving in wet conditions.
Note, the vehicle was never intended for off pavement use, in dusty, dirty or muddy environments or
driving through standing water. The modifications described in this document allow the vehicle to
operate on wet paved roads if the driver makes a reasonable effort to avoid standing water and puddles.
This document also includes many other tips and tricks. Note, some of the described wiring changes
only apply to early, electrically unmodified vehicles. The 72V ignition modification not only
implements the changes described in this document but many more. So only apply the modifications
that are appropriate to your vehicle..
Seal motor temperature sensor connector
Use silicone to seal the top of the connector here where the wires enter the connector to prevent water
from entering the pins in the connector.
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Seal DC/DC converter
Use high temperature RTV silicone gasket maker (available at any automotive store) to seal the edges
of the DC/DC converter here.
If the unit has already been operated in wet conditions, drill two 1/8” holes here.
A sealed DC/DC should look like this.
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Seal BC2-7215B (Chinese) Charger
Run a bead of silicone rubber along these edges on both ends of the charger.
To be on the safe side, seal the edge where the top plate slides into the side rail. Do both sides. Note,
the yellow Delta-Q charger does not require any sealing. But, do make sure the Delta-Q AC cord
connector is wrapped in waterproof electrical tape to keep the connection together and water out.
Silicon a plexiglass cover here. Make sure the LED lights are covered but visible.
If the unit has been driven in wet conditions, water may have entered through the above holes. You
may fix the water damage by removing the blue plastic molding from both sides, remove the screws
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shown below (both ends) and slide the top plate off.
On the back remove these screws also so you can slide the top off.
Now carefully remove the following IC chip from its socket and clean both the IC chip pins and socket
with rubbing alcohol and a toothbrush. Clean any other dirty or corroded spots on the PC board behind
the air vents where water could have entered.
After the board dries, re-insert the IC and test.
Verify that charger is working properly per the instructions in the “Xebra Electrical Troubleshooting
manual in section “Test Charger and Batteries”.
BC2-7215B Mounting bolts
The charger is bolted to an aluminum plate with 4mm X 12mm screws, lock washers and flat washers.
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These have been coming loose in the field and it is recommended that they be removed and re-inserted
with blue loctite thread adhesive.
Also, put tie wraps around the charger and the mounting plate here for additional security (SD and PK).
Add a second lock nut on these four bolts with rubber grommets (SD and the PK).
Alltrax Motor Controller Mount
Request an Alltrax L-bracket motor mount from Zap. Unbolt the motor controller, bolt the L-bracket in
its place and re-bolt the motor controller to the L-bracket such that the controller is now 90 degrees
from its original angle. Note, the bracket is not symmetrical, mount the controller on the side where the
holes are furthest from the bend. In the sedan mount bracket toward side of car and PK as follows.
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Make sure the following holes are sealed with silicone in your controller. Run a bead of silicon
between the arrows to prevent wires from coming off. Sealing between the wires and the case.
Relay Removal
In the sedan, remove these relays, they are unnecessary.
Glue Relay Seam
Some 12V coil relays come apart easily. To fix, use some thin CA model airplane glue (also called
super glue or crazy glue) to glue the plastic case seam together together. Note, the 72V coil relays do
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not have a seam and hence don't have the problem.
Put a jumper here.
For the PK the relays are here and jumper here. Additionally, you may remove and jumper here.
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Xebra Sedan Wire Wound Fuses
On the Sedan only, a strange wire wound fuse was used. There are four under the dash on the passenger
side and two in the rear For a total of three 20A, two 10A and one 5A. These need to be replaced with
ATO style fuses.
These need to be replaced with ATO style fuses. You may:
1. Request a sedan upgrade fuse set from ZAP.
2. Locate an ATO fuse block from an automotive or RV store and replace the fuse block and
fuses.
3. Build your own fuse set.
To build your own fuse set:
1. Remove all the wire from the wire wound fuses.
2. Pick up three bags of Quick Disconnects at Radio Shack part number 64-3046. You only need
the five larger ones from each bag. Cut off tab here.
3. Purchase your fuses.
4. Place a quick disconnect on each leg of your first fuse.
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5. Solder the quick disconnect to each leg as shown. Be careful that the solder does not wick into
the quick disconnect and solder the fuse.
6. You may want to use Clear Flux Solder (Radio Shack 64-018). It makes the operation so much
easier and it looks cleaner and assures a very good bond.
7. Repeat for all six fuses and insert into the proper locations.
Tie wrap headlight wire on PK
All white connectors that are exposed to wet conditions should be wrapped in waterproof electrical
tape. This includes all connectors for head lights, blinkers, brake lights, backup beeper, blower fan, etc.
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Motor Controller Wires
For better reliability, trim the rubber flush with the metal connector so the metal part of the connector is
flush with the white controller surface. Do this for all four wires. You may also want to squish the
connector slightly so it is tighter on the controller lug. Tie wrap here.
Also, run a bead of silicon across top of connectors between the top arrows. The contactor/motor
controller assembly also uses rubber grommets under these four mounting bolts. Use a second nut to
lock the first nut on these four bolts also.
Check Wiring for Rubber Grommets
Anywhere that wires go through a metal hole or can rub against a metal edge, you must make sure the
wire insulation is protected against cutting. A rubber grommet should always be used. A less
satisfactory way to protect wire is to wrap with many turns of rubber electrical tape.
1. The vehicle comes with many such grommets and they are split so that they can be opened to
slide the wires inside.
2. There have been a few vehicles where a fuse blew and after extensive troubleshooting a wire
short to a metal part was discovered. One such failure happened with wires going into the dash
meters.
3. The grommets are then held in place inside the metal hole or metal tabs that can be bent to hold
the grommet.
4. Make sure everywhere wires penetrate the vehicle body that there are grommets.
Seal Windows
To seal around your windows:
1. Use “3M super weather strip adhesive for gaskets” and put between any rubber seal and
fiberglass. This includes windshields, rear window and roll-up windows
2. Use RTV silicon between glass and rubber seal on the windshield and rear window.
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Motor Fan Running Backwards
It has been discovered that the motor cooling fan is running backwards. When it runs backwards very
little air is pushed into the motor although the flow does not reverse. The correct direction produces a
high volume of air flow.
To fix, reverse the green and black wires in the vehicle harness connector that connects to the motor
cooling fan connector. After completion the green wire should connect to the red wire and the two
black wires should connect together. Don't forget to wrap all exposed connectors in waterproof
electrical tape.
You can verify fan operation if you wish with the following procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Unscrew or unsnap the four conductor connector from the drive motor.
Jumper between pins 3 and 4 (both green wires).
Turn the key on one click and turn on the 12V cutoff switch on.
Now the fan should start running.
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