"Professor95"

wa8yxm wrote:

SO yes. some of them do catch fire.

I just don't know which ones

Chemistries other than Li-polymer are more prone to this.

From his narrative it looks like the cause of fire (same as in many other cases) was not heating when in use, but internal short.

Do LI batteries catch fire? Well first you need to understand that there are multiple types of LI technology, Some are safer than others and I'm not expert enough to say which is which..

2nd: Over the years I've owned many computers (laptops and desktops) one which I bought new as a very nice IBM Thinkpad before IBM sold the name to Leveno

IT was a "Cool New Laptop" only that specific model came with a Made in China LI battery (Most all LI batteries sold in the US are made in China, for very good reasons, only two countries have supplies of LIthium and the other one is unfriendly to the USA) and it turns out I got a free replacement battery because some folks who bought a Cool New Laptop. Found out they had a very HOT new laptop. So hot it was on fire.. Due to the battery.

SO yes. some of them do catch fire.

I just don't know which ones

Almot wrote:


I thought the longest running thread was on problems with certain popular Chinese generator, - forgot the name.

Correct! - although not necessarily "problems".

(Started by "Professor95") - Clicky.....

"3000W Chinese Gensets Info"

......which "evolved" into mainly Champion brand gens.

;)

Thanks, Don.
I like very much his "conjecture" about defect lurking within one of batteries - after wrecked car. All the Li-ion fires that I recall, were due to mechanical damage causing internal short.

But I wonder how could anyone be sure that a new battery purchased from retailer was not dropped or shaken before you got it. UPS drivers, - you know...

Thanx for that info,,I would never use battery from wrecked ev..
Wonder if some automatic fire extingisher using Halon would have stoped the fire?

Here is what he said on another forum.

" Detail? No - all I can provide is conjecture based on some knowledge I have and research.

My golf cart was powered by two 48 volt Li-Ion batteries bought on eBay. They were single units, not a full pack, from a wrecked 2013 Chevy Volt.

The golf cart was parked under the front pin box area to keep it free of the heavy wet dew we have been having.

The GC was not on a charger and the battery switch was turned off. I had charged it to 48.8 volts the previous day with a charger I had built that had both current and voltage limiting circuitry. It's peak DC output was 50 volts as controlled by an auto transformer, charging current was limited to 15 amps. There was also a timer that limited the charging time to a preset period. The temperature cut off circuit was built but not installed. I had previously charged the batteries many times and know the circuitry in the charger was rock solid and accurate. I also know my wiring was overkill and done to a level of perfection. I had driven the cart at about 6:30 pm and all seemed fine.

Yet, the cart caught fire around 3:30 a.m. Fire may not be the best word as it apparently exploded.

Knowing what and how everything was done and it was right I am inclined to believe there was a defect lurking within one of the batteries. They were from a wrecked car, meaning they were exposed to extreme shock. I just never stopped to think about that aspect. The problem is these batteries can overheat and catch fire or explode if there is an internal rupture between opposing polarity cells. The separation is paper thin. A small pinhole can go for months before a charging cycle, discharge or another shock causes a full rupture. If that happens everything goes boom.

Please keep in mind I do not know this to be factual - it is my conjecture as to how the battery or batteries overheated and exploded. There could have been other causes.

What is of the greatest significance to come out of this entire ordeal is how fast a fire can consume one of our fiver's. It is literally seconds, not minutes before all breathable oxygen is gone and the atmosphere is filled with toxic and extremely corrosive material from burning plastics. I now know a smoke alarm and fire extinguisher will be of little value unless you are awake and looking at the start of the fire. I repeat, due to the size of our trailers and the typical arrangement of a single escape window from the bedroom if the staircase and exit is blocked by fire requires a doable and practiced plan. A fire can start most anywhere from anything -from dryer lint, a faulty refrigerator, electrical appliances, propane stoves - you name it. If we are in bed asleep safe escape without injury may not be possible. It is enough to scare the bee-gees out of you! "

A good reminder that Li-ion battery is a fire hazard.

I thought the longest running thread was on problems with certain popular Chinese generator, - forgot the name.