BBC and battery regulation

[WheezyRider]

The Beeb are at it again:

E-bike battery fires prompt call for better regulation

A charity says batteries for e-bikes should require third-party approval before being sold in the UK.

www.bbc.com

Of particular concern to us:

Introducing a standard for so-called conversion kits - which can be used to turn regular bikes into e-bikes

 

[guerney]

One step closer to pedelecs becoming Can bused to hell, more costly and irrepairable...

 

[Az.]

• Plug the cable into a main socket rather than an extension lead

I always use an extension lead...

I wish we had a single case of battery fire properly analyzed

 

[StuartsProjects]

I wish we had a single case of battery fire properly analyzed

+1

Absolutly.

 

[FastFreddy2]

From the limited information published so far, it would seem "imported" chargers used on equipment that is left unattended. Lithium batteries can be fairly dangerous given they are energy storage mediums, like petrol and other hydrocarbons. Almost certainly, poorly (electrically) regulated charging systems may cause overheating, which probably causes short-circuiting and a fire ensues.

I'm pretty sure most of these battery fires as reported so far involve e-scooters, not bicycle batteries. As both industries grow, the chances of these incidents increasing is very likely, just as a statistic of the volume of people using them.

 

[matthewslack]

• Plug the cable into a main socket rather than an extension lead

I always use an extension lead...

I wish we had a single case of battery fire properly analyzed

There is not usually enough left to analyse!

So the most likely causes need to be identified and protected against all the way from design and manufacture of the cells, through construction of the pack and design/build of BMS and charger, mounting of battery on bike and so on.

Fire during charging is overwhelmingly likely to be one cell group being overcharged, which points at BMS and charger.

Fire in other circumstances is overwhelmingly likely to be short circuit, pointing to poor mechanical design or inadequate packaging or mounting or impact during accident.

It only takes one cell to initiate a block of flats burning down.

Standards and adequate quality control can address all of this, and is already in place for larger manufacturers and reputable kit suppliers.

Building your own one off battery for your own use is a different kettle of fish to selling poorly made crap as a business, and in other walks of life has generally been excluded from overly onerous regulation. Think being able to build your own vehicle and the Single Vehicle Approval process. Nowhere near manufacturer's type approval process.

 

[Az.]

There is not usually enough left to analyse!

On this short video we see oversized most likely illegal motor. Good point to start with. Then any purchase history? Was owner questioned about bike, battery, charger? Was there anything left? Cables? Controller? It is easy to put a finger of blame on battery while I am under impression it is owner who is a potential weakest link here

 

[Nealh]

CANbus and regulation won't stop fires , just look at the e-cars that go up in flames.
They are highly regulated.

 

[Az.]

On mountain bike there is a huge bag in frame triangle - DIY battery? Fire started on another bike which is behind fridge, but many uncomfortable questions can be asked here.

I would also like to know where those bikes and batteries were purchased.

 

[snafu]

I wonder if at least a proportion of these might be caused by owners using 48v chargers on 36v systems (Or 54v on 48v etc). Many appear to be kits and parts possibly bought from many different sources.

TTFN
John.

 

[guerney]

CANbus and regulation won't stop fires , just look at the e-cars that go up in flames.
They are highly regulated.

I agree, but that won't stop them eventually assigning some regulatory body to certify based on assessing kit conversion systems as a whole, and attempting to make systems tamper-proof using locked proprietary comms, in the hope that safe limits of kit subsystems set by manufacturers cannot be exceeded.

 

[soundwave]

Introducing default 20mph speed limits | GOV.WALES

We introduced a default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads across Wales in September 2023.

www.gov.wales

 

[flecc]

Introducing default 20mph speed limits | GOV.WALES

We introduced a default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads across Wales in September 2023.

www.gov.wales

Don't know why they think it's new idea.

My London Borough of Croydon (larger than most of the places they are bringing it in) introduced a borough wide 20 limit eight years ago. Only some of the major through routes are exempted.

They'll hit the same problems we've had with enforcing it though. Firstly the Met Police announced at the outset that they would not be enforcing it due to the impossibility of that.

Second that almost everyone, including police drivers regard the limit as being about 29 mph. Still that's an improvement, the old 30 limit was regarded as being anything up to 40mph.
.

 

[Craiggor 2]

Last weekend’s British WRX round at Lydden Hill was cancelled when the whole of the Lancia garage was taken out when one of their electric cars caught fire while it was charging.

 

[flecc]

Last weekend’s British WRX round at Lydden Hill was cancelled when the whole of the Lancia garage was taken out when one of their electric cars caught fire while it was charging.

Apparently it was a special, based on a Lancia Delta but as an electric drive prototype rallye car design. There's a few firms now doing electric conversions of i.c. cars, often based on Tesla motors.
.

 

[guerney]

Apparently it was a special, based on a Lancia Delta but as an electric drive prototype rallye car design. There's a few firms now doing electric conversions of i.c. cars, often based on Tesla motors.
.

A rally mechanic I spoke to told me "If it doesn't explode, you're doing it wrong!"