Mulezen
Well-Known Member
![www.nytimes.com](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/06/20/nyregion/lithium-battery-fires-new-10/lithium-battery-fires-new-10-facebookJumbo.jpg)
How E-Bike Battery Fires Became a Deadly Crisis in New York City
City leaders are racing to regulate battery-powered mobility devices, which have been the source of over 100 fires so far this year.
Indeed. Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of different batteries all charging at once in a facility that wasn't built for it is just asking for a fire eventually.We charge on timers while awake also, but, this story likely had to do with charging a whole bunch of cheap, no name, questionable quality batteries at once. Just asking for disaster on that kind of situation...
Take a hard look at how few ebikes are UL certified sometime.People will always make mistakes, even thse with good intentions could leave it on a charge overnight.
The charger needs to be smart enough to stop charging when the pack is beyond a certain state of charge. Just like your laptop. If that's not the case with most charging equipment, then the law needs to require it. I would only buy UL listed equipment for my EV, same for my e-bike.
I did something similar. I got a truck bed tool box and mounted wheels to the bottom. It sits outside and is weather proof. I have a heavy duty power strip mounted inside with the cord going out through a grommeted hole in the back.I store & charge in ammo cans on a cart under a smoke detector using a timer and always supervised.
View attachment 156362
Should the smoke detector go off, I'm hoping I have enough time to push or pull the cart outside with a garden rake.
I use this mechanical DPDT twist timer
View attachment 156363
It's a double pole switch which disconnects AC from the charger as well as DC from the battery to avoid backward discharge. That way, the charger and battery are both isolated.
I don't trust electronic timers. I've had issues in the past with unexpected results caused by the frequent power outages, blips & surges we get here.
If you're somewhat handy. This is an easy build.Timers are a good idea however, pack voltage is still present at the charging port. Even though the voltage from the wall socket has been cut off, pack voltage is still present at the battery side of the charger. Im not sure if that is much of a concern though, since the amperage is lower.
I use these…
Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Q6QFV1M?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
With these, I can monitor the amps flowing from the wall socket to the charger. When the amperage starts to fall, I’ll either remove the charger or continue to monitor until amperage falls to zero, then disconnect.
You don’t need to be on the same WIFI to monitor, either. I can charge anywhere at my home and monitor away from my home. Though, I’m always home when charging. It’s just nice to have the option and constant visibility.
Also, plugging any old cheap Chinese charger into any old cheap Chinese battery (not all Chinese batteries are cheap) that will accept the connection...The big take-away….
“Reasons for the uptick of these fires are myriad. They include a lack of regulation and safety testing for individually owned devices, hazardous charging practices (like using mismatched equipment or overcharging) and a lack of secure charging areas in a population-dense city with numerous residential buildings, where most fires start.”
I charge indoors, but never unattended nor overnight. I unplug as soon as I see the green light. (The charger is a simple 2 amp charger with little info on the tiny display--but it came with the Ariel Rider C class, and there have been no problems so far).Also, plugging any old cheap Chinese charger into any old cheap Chinese battery (not all Chinese batteries are cheap) that will accept the connection...
People moan about regulation, but there's a reason lithium batteries in other devices and lithium batteries in cars (except for rare instances) don't catch fire. Also, there's a reason why bike battery fires rarely happen in Europe. That reason is effective, enforced, regulation.
I like the Ammo Box Idea and also the Mechanical Timer setup. Definitely something I will consider once I build my permanent setup.I store & charge in ammo cans on a cart under a smoke detector using a timer and always supervised.
View attachment 156362
Should the smoke detector go off, I'm hoping I have enough time to push or pull the cart outside with a garden rake.
I use this mechanical DPDT twist timer
View attachment 156363
It's a double pole switch which disconnects AC from the charger as well as DC from the battery to avoid backward discharge. That way, the charger and battery are both isolated.
I don't trust electronic timers. I've had issues in the past with unexpected results caused by the frequent power outages, blips & surges we get here.