Cannot allow my hobby to burn down my home

SpanishFlyer

New Member
Region
Europe
I could't sleep well thinking that I could be one of the unlucky e-bikers that burned their garage or even the whole house due to a faulty battery or a bad overcharge. I always charge during the day, but even then, there couldn't be much I could do if one of the batteries set on fire and exploded.
I have two batteries, the standard one that came with the bike and an added more powerful battery that I have it in a carrier bag on the rear rack. I have arranged it so I use one till it is almost empty and then via a three way switch I select the second one. I basically have doubled my distance I can ride in one go.
Anyway I set up to fabricate a safety container where I could charge either battery with a 50% chance of saving my home. The way these batteries burn/explode, is something no one would like to experiment in their garage, because the ammount of energy originated during such an event is quite impossible to control, let alone if you have no barrier between the battery and the surrounding elements.
For that reason and seeing how others tackle this problem I purchased all the necessary elements, being the container or box the most important barrier. It cannot be totally sealed because in case of fire and explosion, the case would also burst, allowing the internal fire to reach all the surrounding areas. I purchased a Bosch tool box, big enough to fit both my batteries if needed. Made 6 x 33mm dia. holes on the lid and then proceeded to use the mesh to avoid the ceramic matt to just blow through the holes. I used high temperature silicone based glue to old the ceramic matt in place and that was the worst part of the job, bacause the matt tends to peel into several layers. Finally I covered all sides (except for the lid with a thin coat of fibreglass and teflon, designed to use on to of grills and barbacoas,
If at some stage the whole thing catches fire, in the end there won't be much left to salvage, but cross my fingers in the hope that my garage and home are not badly affected.
I include images of all I used to make this little bunker.
Best regards,
Spanish Flyer

safety container 1.jpgsafety container 2.jpgsafety batt charging cabinet.JPGceramic fibre.JPGinternal coating.JPGheat resist silicone as glue.JPGextension cable.JPGsafety container 3.jpgconnector set for different batteries.JPGwire mesh reinforcement.JPGsafety container 4.jpg
 
We have these battery fire boxes at work. I've yet to see one catch on fire, or even explode, but I'm sure I will. But it will be in controlled conditions. A co-worker had the end of a RC car battery melt while out grocery shopping. Pretty spooky stuff! I might pick up one of these battery boxes as well since I store my STEPS battery in the laundry room.
 
My question is do these fires occur when using the stock battery&charger that comes with reputable EBikes used according to directions or with aftermarket batteries and chargers?
 
My question is do these fires occur when using the stock battery&charger that comes with reputable EBikes used according to directions or with aftermarket batteries and chargers?
Good question. There is a big range in the quality of batteries one can find for e-bikes. I'm also curious about the odds of a decent quality battery, being properly charged, catching fire or blowing up. You hear the horror stories, but no one posts to say their battery didn't explode last time they charged it. Do these incidents happen with one in a hundred batteries, a thousand, a million? I don't know but I'll bet your chance of having a battery burst into flames is less than one in a million. Of course there's nothing wrong with doing what it takes to make yourself comfortable with whatever the risk is, but I'm not convinced that in this case it worth a lot of effort for me.

TT
 
Been doin’ this ebike thing for a little over 9 years, with almost 40,000 miles (not km’s) of experience.
I always……..always …………buy from a highly respected brand (Yamaha, Riese&Muller, Haibike, Bulls, Specialized etc…) and with that you get batteries that are UL Certified among other safety related testing that I don’t remember currently.
I always follow manufacturer’s recommended charging, storing and handling procedures and have never had any issue at all. You can imagine how many battery charges I’ve done in my ebike history !
And if I want to be SUPER ANAL I’ll keep the batteries (as described above) in my kitchen oven with the door closed. I have not done that but……

My Riese&Muller Delite battery, scroll to see whole pic:

257EAD00-B497-4EA9-ADE5-EC8AE2BF7053.jpeg
 
Good question. There is a big range in the quality of batteries one can find for e-bikes. I'm also curious about the odds of a decent quality battery, being properly charged, catching fire or blowing up. You hear the horror stories, but no one posts to say their battery didn't explode last time they charged it. Do these incidents happen with one in a hundred batteries, a thousand, a million? I don't know but I'll bet your chance of having a battery burst into flames is less than one in a million. Of course there's nothing wrong with doing what it takes to make yourself comfortable with whatever the risk is, but I'm not convinced that in this case it worth a lot of effort for me.

TT
I charge my battery on the kitchen counter and only when I'm home. Whenever I go to the kitchen I put my hand on both. The battery always feels cold and the charger feels warm but not hot. I always fully charge and when the light turns green both the battery and charger both feel cold. Once a year in the spring (I usually stop riding in late Nov. until early spring) I go through 3 charges for 12 hours each after 3 rides to balance the battery.
 
My question is do these fires occur when using the stock battery&charger that comes with reputable EBikes used according to directions or with aftermarket batteries and chargers?
A fire can happen with ANY lion battery, remember the Tesla fires? Those are top of the line batteries.
The problem is, the electrolyte is extremely flammable! This brings up a major benefit of solid state lions, the electrolyte is solid and much less, or not flammable at all.
 
I could't sleep well thinking that I could be one of the unlucky e-bikers that burned their garage or even the whole house due to a faulty battery or a bad overcharge. I always charge during the day, but even then, there couldn't be much I could do if one of the batteries set on fire and exploded.
I have two batteries, the standard one that came with the bike and an added more powerful battery that I have it in a carrier bag on the rear rack. I have arranged it so I use one till it is almost empty and then via a three way switch I select the second one. I basically have doubled my distance I can ride in one go.
Anyway I set up to fabricate a safety container where I could charge either battery with a 50% chance of saving my home. The way these batteries burn/explode, is something no one would like to experiment in their garage, because the ammount of energy originated during such an event is quite impossible to control, let alone if you have no barrier between the battery and the surrounding elements.
For that reason and seeing how others tackle this problem I purchased all the necessary elements, being the container or box the most important barrier. It cannot be totally sealed because in case of fire and explosion, the case would also burst, allowing the internal fire to reach all the surrounding areas. I purchased a Bosch tool box, big enough to fit both my batteries if needed. Made 6 x 33mm dia. holes on the lid and then proceeded to use the mesh to avoid the ceramic matt to just blow through the holes. I used high temperature silicone based glue to old the ceramic matt in place and that was the worst part of the job, bacause the matt tends to peel into several layers. Finally I covered all sides (except for the lid with a thin coat of fibreglass and teflon, designed to use on to of grills and barbacoas,
If at some stage the whole thing catches fire, in the end there won't be much left to salvage, but cross my fingers in the hope that my garage and home are not badly affected.
I include images of all I used to make this little bunker.
Best regards,
Spanish Flyer

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To help me sleep at night , ( batteries can burn even when not charging), I put a smoke detector right over the bike ,( most fires happen gradually with smoke preceeding the fire).
Then I have a extinguisher right next to the bike and finally I have a large 90% wool blanket to throw over the bike to keep the fire contained, ( wool doesn't burn).
Recently I added a battery powered, voice connected, 3 smoke detectors ( when one detects smoke, it alarms the other two as well and indicates where the fire/ smoke is).
 
I've been riding eBikes for over 6 years now. I always charge to 100% and am on all my original packs, 2 of them made in 2015. I never leave the house nor charge while I sleep. The only time I be concerned is if I have a wreck or somehow damage a pack. Do you keep your laptop, tablet, phone, and smart watch in a case when you bring them home?
 
I don’t worry about my batteries a lot, as I trust that Specialized uses quality sources. But, I do use a plug-in timer that I found on Amazon to reduce risk…just in case.
 
I don’t worry about my batteries a lot, as I trust that Specialized uses quality sources. But, I do use a plug-in timer that I found on Amazon to reduce risk…just in case.
Again, remember the Tesla fires?
Getting your s*it burnt down is one thing, getting burned to death is quite another !
 
To help me sleep at night , ( batteries can burn even when not charging), I put a smoke detector right over the bike ,( most fires happen gradually with smoke preceeding the fire).
Then I have a extinguisher right next to the bike and finally I have a large 90% wool blanket to throw over the bike to keep the fire contained, ( wool doesn't burn).
Well, wool does burn. Not easily, but It does ignite at about 1000° F. Lithium batteries burn at about 3600° F.

TT
 
Well, wool does burn. Not easily, but It does ignite at about 1000° F. Lithium batteries burn at about 3600° F.

TT
1112 f. The completely missed point is, it suppresses fire giving time to act. Batteries don't instantly burn at 3k, again it takes time , but hey you do you ! Good luck !

"A large amount of oxygen is needed for wool to burn thanks to its high nitrogen and water content. Even if it is ignited from a powerful heat source it is unlikely to support a flame for long, perhaps only smoldering for a short time before it self-extinguishes."
 
So what are the odds of a Li Ion fire anyway? Like just about anything you find on the internet, take this with a grain of salt, but one source I found indicated they are something like 10 million to one. Not quite as bad as a Pick 6 lottery, but not really a whole lot better.

You're 20 times more likely to be struck by lighting.

TT
 
So what are the odds of a Li Ion fire anyway? Like just about anything you find on the internet, take this with a grain of salt, but one source I found indicated they are something like 10 million to one. Not quite as bad as a Pick 6 lottery, but not really a whole lot better.

You're 20 times more likely to be struck by lighting.

TT
With one major difference...you can't stop lighting from striking. Other than staying under a lighting rod of sorts.
Of course if you live with a defeatist attitude, then life's a bitch than you die !
Myself, I avoid as much death inflicting situations I am'm capable of. Some think nothing of playing on the freeway.
Like I said, you do you.
 
There is a reason UL certification exists. You use a laptop right? If that battery is not UL certified, even that can catch fire. So whenever you buy an ebike, make sure your battery is UL certified
 
Been around these batteries so long I'm pretty comfortable working with them as well. Best idea I've seen so far is where somebody (forget who it was) suggested charging inside an old barbecue that's been repurposed for that purpose. That should work pretty good?
 
There is a reason UL certification exists. You use a laptop right? If that battery is not UL certified, even that can catch fire. So whenever you buy an ebike, make sure your battery is UL certified

If that battery is not UL certified, even that can catch fire.
Even IF the battery IS UL certified, it can certainly catch fire ! TESLA FIRES.
 
New York City has had 70 ebike fires in the first five months of 2020 compared to 18 in the same period in 2021. That's a city of 8.4M people. If there were 100K ebikes in NYC, the chances are 7 out of 10000, close enough to 1 out of 1000 to worry me
,
Yes, NYC has a different demographic. A lot more low income owners. They're not burning up the expensive makes. These guys ride low end bikes which isn't the issue.
It's the shrink wrapped batteries they must be using as spares. One hard knock and they can short circuit.





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I will delete this post soon because it's bragging and these have limited availability and not featured on eBikes costing $,$$$.¢¢. But
Feast your eyes on 'my' Wolf pack, rare, safe and beautiful.
Your battery pack:
U Keep thinking about, planning for, babysitting, locking up, fire fighting equipment readied, obsessing (777's backside), worrying or?
Not because I can see this.
Fully epoxy potted ( like mil spec aircraft components )
Cells individually 'safety short fused'
Wireless ( circuit boards )
56 ( LG for me ) Cells bonded by Tesla's wire bonding process
{ Panasonic in photo}
View attachment 125379
No doubt they are well made...but I wouldn't trust it after it was impacted. Electricity and flammable electrolyte = fire.
 
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