Battery Fires

Az.

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 27, 2022
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Plymouth
If the shed isn't steel... would flammable lithium fire fumes igniting as jets of extremely hot flame... as seen in a Youtube video near you, set fires to other things, burning down the shed?
Quite likely, but who cares? I need a bigger shed anyway ;)

IMO when storing battery in the shed it is more important to protect battery from moisture than shed from fire.
 

Nealh

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Aug 7, 2014
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I wonder how many of these fires are down to sub standard replacement parts or the I’ll informed using higher capacity chargers to get a speedier charge time and cooking the battery in the process.
i always remove the battery to charge it in the garden in a vented steel box lined with 6mm superlux so if a fire starts it doesn’t burn my shed down.
One would say most are down to inappropriate/poor charging practices , using an incorrect charger voltage and also charge current to high and fast. Some batteries may almost immediately short and go hot others some time later when high current draw is used .
 

Az.

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Apr 27, 2022
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lenny

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May 3, 2023
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The hidden explosives in all our tech – especially ‘green’ e-bikes

“The first thing that’s emitted is like a high pressure steam,” explains Ellis. “It looks like steam but is actually a highly toxic, flammable, explosive gas cloud.”

The seemingly innocuous nature of the malfunction often prompts people to move closer,” says Ellis – which can be a deadly mistake.

“Because it looks like steam, people think ‘Oh, what’s that?’ and go over to investigate,” says Ellis. “And then before you know it, you’ve got that chemical reaction, the thermal runaway, the explosion.”

“Going from maybe noticing a slight hissing sound, or noticing white vapour, to having your whole front room compromised can be as little as 15 seconds,” says Ellis."


https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/music/the-hidden-explosives-in-all-our-tech-%E2%80%93-especially-green-e-bikes/ar-AA1eEa1j
 
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Ray Winder

Pedelecer
Apr 13, 2017
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North Yorks
Saw the news this morning a house destroyed in Doncaster due to e bike battery charging.
I'm very sorry for the people who's lives are destroyed in this way, but the news item came across as all batteries are bombs and we will all be killed.
Just need a slow news period when Olympics are done, and Andrew has a night in and we could get the full media feeding frenzy demanding e bikes are banned from all buildings and roads.
 

Ghost1951

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Jun 2, 2024
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It's very annoying. This may be unjust and unfair, but I tend to think many of these fires are the result of very unsound bikes or unsound behaviour. I tend to think the people who have these very bad results are the kind I snapped on Friday on my dashcam. He was riding at speed along a pedestrian/cycle path shown below. Maybe I am being unfair..

Someone I know saw these two earlier weaving in and out of traffic like maniacs in another part of the city.1722246554707.png
 
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Ray Winder

Pedelecer
Apr 13, 2017
102
28
71
North Yorks
It's very annoying. This may be unjust and unfair, but I tend to think many of these fires are the result of very unsound bikes or unsound behaviour. I tend to think the people who have these very bad results are the kind I snapped on Friday on my dashcam. He was riding at speed along a pedestrian/cycle path shown below. Maybe I am being unfair..

Someone I know saw these two earlier weaving in and out of traffic like maniacs in another part of the city.View attachment 59060
It is very annoying but I think the media have to shoulder the majority of the blame, we can't be sure what the real problem was could be a badly made battery or charger, may be a reputable make which has developed a fault and we need to be vigilant, or could be a battery being charged with the wrong charger.
We are not given a clue, but how long before insurance companies stop paying out on fire damage if you own an ebike?
 

Nealh

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So many possibilities for battery issues I think stem from the user .

Fast charging beyond the BMS and cell type specs.
Reverse charging , seems at time to becoming a trend on here . Simply bad advice followed .
Over current draw useage of batteries not suitable for some power diy builds.
Wrongful charger usage.
Attempting to charge damaged batteries or ones with issues.

One can go on and on.
 

Nealh

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Aug 7, 2014
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Worst thing is that there were so many fires and not even a single case was properly analyzed and data published to learn from.
Yes media etc ,etc jump on the band wagon blaming batteries as unsafe , but we never know the cause of such instances.
The unknown is always the procedure /practice leading up to and includung charging.
I suspect as in my #71 that for the diy fires , one of the causes is one that is listed may be a combo of more then one.
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
20,382
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Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
The causes of the fires are usually not the batteries but arson (especially when it's a stolen car), faulty components other than the battery, chargers. When it's an ebike, illegal conversions. Just count those with a triangle battery in the frame and a DD motor.
 

Nealh

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When it's an ebike, illegal conversions. Just count those with a triangle battery in the frame and a DD motor.
Yes it is a factor.
And most likely dodgy practices.
Too high current draw for cheap celled batteries on full throttle .

See too many of them around here now, not an ounce of human power input.
 
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Nealh

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I can't believe how dense the guy is, no it's not on fire just overheated.
What the hell does he think when it's billowing a cloud bank from the battery. Fire will happen once it gets to an unacceptable temperature.

Looks like current draw was too high for the battery to over heat.
 

saneagle

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Oct 10, 2010
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I can't believe how dense the guy is, no it's not on fire just overheated.
What the hell does he think when it's billowing a cloud bank from the battery. Fire will happen once it gets to an unacceptable temperature.

Looks like current draw was too high for the battery to over heat.
Whatever it was, it shows the importance of having temperature sensors in the battery to shut it down if it gets too warm. I guess that'll be part of the new standard for batteries, along with voltage specific connectors and fuses on the charge input.
 

Ghost1951

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Jun 2, 2024
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That video is plainly anti Chinese government propaganda. The motivations of the presenter are suspect. It is certainly not broadcast from China.

I carry no torch for the CCP at all, but this is not unbiased information or news.