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Posted: 2/2/2024 11:33:18 AM EDT
One of my friend’s neighbors had a lithium battery go boom a while back. Luckily they were at home, and threw the thing out of their front door (where it continued to burn/explode).
I have a couple big EGO batteries that would definitely burn my house down if one of them went critical. I was thinking of getting a 2 or 4 gallon fireproof cabinet to store them in, something like this https://eagle.justrite.com/2-gallon-fire-cabinet-1-shelf-1-door-manual-close-bench-top-yellow-1901x, and maybe storing some other highly flammable stuff with it (70% isopropyl alcohol, dry lube spray cans, etc). Or should I be storing those separately? Cost isn’t outrageous on these, and I can certainly buy one less glock or something this year for a little peace of mind. |
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Quoted: One of my friend’s neighbors had a lithium battery go boom a while back. View Quote Was it Li-ion or Li-Po? I thought Li-Po's were more volatile and required more care as to their storage. |
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One of my neighbors had a Lithium battery pack go to smoke while charging in an attached garage (when they weren't home). Nothing burned but the battery.
They lived in a hotel for the better part of a year while insurance gutted everything in the house. Sheet rock, cabinetry,personal belongings,fucking everything because of exposure to Hydrofluoric acid(which is incredibly nasty shit). I still charge phones in the house, but tools and battery packs go outside in a metal cabinet for charging. When I open the door I give a good visual check before touching anything as Hydrofluoric acid can be absorbed through the skin, then takes up residence in your bones/teeth slowly fucking killing you with no immediate indications you have contacted the shit. Deadly shit, kudos for being aware of the hazard and taking precautionary steps |
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Damn, this reminded me that this morning I plugged in two batteries that I just bought so they could charge and I forgot to remove them before I left for work.
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Just to be safe I keep lithium batteries in an ammo can with the lid cracked open. Might help some but might just delay the inevitable.
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Quoted: Just to be safe I keep lithium batteries in an ammo can with the lid cracked open. Might help some but might just delay the inevitable. View Quote Closing the lid might deprive a fire of the oxygen it needs to burn. OP, that's a good idea but I wouldn't add different but also flammable items to it. At this stage I've shifted to not charging things if I'm not at home and never charging things overnight. I've been shocked at how hot somethings have gotten while charging and know too many people who have had fires. |
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I don't leave anything on a charger. I disconnect or remove laptop batteries if they will be used mostly on AC power.
I have a bunch of power tool batteries which only get charged under supervision then moved to metal ammo cans for storage. A .30 cal can will hold 6 Worx lithium batteries perfectly. |
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Li-ion. The EGO batteries have a feature where they auto discharge down to 30% after 30 days of sitting idle. I read they give off some real nasty gas if they do burn.
Any issues with the linked type of fire cabinet? Any upgrades to consider? |
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Quoted: Closing the lid might deprive a fire of the oxygen it needs to burn. OP, that's a good idea but I wouldn't add different but also flammable items to it. At this stage I've shifted to not charging things if I'm not at home and never charging things overnight. I've been shocked at how hot somethings have gotten while charging and know too many people who have had fires. View Quote Batteries don't need air to burn. |
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Quoted: Closing the lid might deprive a fire of the oxygen it needs to burn. OP, that's a good idea but I wouldn't add different but also flammable items to it. At this stage I've shifted to not charging things if I'm not at home and never charging things overnight. I've been shocked at how hot somethings have gotten while charging and know too many people who have had fires. View Quote Doesn’t need oxygen, has its own oxidizer. |
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If I use lithium batteries for my smoke detectors is that a divide by zero moment?
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Quoted: Batteries don't need air to burn. View Quote Quoted: Doesn’t need oxygen, has its own oxidizer. View Quote I learned something new today. Seems like an important data point. Thanks guys. |
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Quoted: One of my friend’s neighbors had a lithium battery go boom a while back. Luckily they were at home, and threw the thing out of their front door (where it continued to burn/explode). I have a couple big EGO batteries that would definitely burn my house down if one of them went critical. I was thinking of getting a 2 or 4 gallon fireproof cabinet to store them in, something like this https://eagle.justrite.com/2-gallon-fire-cabinet-1-shelf-1-door-manual-close-bench-top-yellow-1901x, and maybe storing some other highly flammable stuff with it (70% isopropyl alcohol, dry lube spray cans, etc). Or should I be storing those separately? Cost isn’t outrageous on these, and I can certainly buy one less glock or something this year for a little peace of mind. View Quote There is no size limit to how small a lithium battery has to be in order to burn a house down. The one that did mine was the size of a candy bar. 1) only charge them under supervision 2) use a metal enclosure 3) Use only the correct charger 4) don’t “top them off” 5) if you suspect something is wrong, throw it away and get a new one 6) make sure you are properly insured and hire a public adjuster |
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The cabinet will not protect the battery from starting on fire, however if you put them inside a cabinet full of flammable liquids I can see your insurance agent having concerns over that strategy.
I would recommend keeping the sources of ignition outside the cabinet full of flammables. Like using two cabinets or just having a dedicated one for the batteries. |
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That cabinet is to keep sparks and flame away from flammable liquids.
Not going to stop a run away battery from burning your house down. |
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My guess is that with a large enough battery bank it will billow out enough toxic chemicals into your house you will wish it would have just burned it all down to the ground.
Also, I wonder what the insurance companies think of this, are they okay with customers that keep large lithium battery banks in their homes? Are they catching on and adding exclusion clauses hidden in policies now like they do for hurricanes, mold, war, etc? |
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I have the LiCellPro AH series fire extinguishers just in case and make sure you have a good alarm that detects smoke and heat. Other than that I wouldn’t think twice about the batteries, I keep mine in a flammables cabinet, not by design, but because it was nice and fit the space when I took it from a warehouse i sold
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Sounds like I need to build a shed (where they’ll regularly be exposed to temperatures >100F or <32F)
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Do pacemakers use LiPo batteries? If so some of you might burst into flames ar any second
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I wouldn't put them in a flammable cabinet. I'd build a non-flammable cabinet. Make sure the cabinet doesn't seal. I have been to the result of 2 fire caused by lithium tool batteries. One was in a partially closed tool chest in the flip down top area. Not sure how flames managed to roll out and burn, but it was in a new construction area and immediately adjacent a plywood skinned wall. I also have concerns. I try not to charge them unless I an working out by them, but you know that isn't always possible. I think I will build something as well.
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Quoted: Sounds like I need to build a shed (where they’ll regularly be exposed to temperatures >100F or <32F) View Quote Those temp swings aren’t good. Excessive heat will actually lead to early failure, and NEVER attempt to charge a LiIon battery of any kind at 32f. Allow it to warm up first, before attempting to charge it. They can be discharged at colder temps, but attempting to charge them when they’re really cold, will at the very least, significantly decrease their life, and at the worst, potentially lead to failures and possibly fires. |
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Quoted: At this stage I've shifted to not charging things if I'm not at home and never charging things overnight. I've been shocked at how hot somethings have gotten while charging and know too many people who have had fires. View Quote There is the key. I also charge my EGO battery on top of the washing machine or on concrete in the garage (away from other flammable stuff). |
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My key fob uses a CR 2025 lithium battery. I keep the fob in my left pocket and the battery in my right pocket. When I need to use the fob, I pop the battery in. I stop carrying my CCW in my front pocket because I was afraid it might scratch it with the fob/battery.
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Quoted: I wouldn't put them in a flammable cabinet. I'd build a non-flammable cabinet. Make sure the cabinet doesn't seal. I have been to the result of 2 fire caused by lithium tool batteries. One was in a partially closed tool chest in the flip down top area. Not sure how flames managed to roll out and burn, but it was in a new construction area and immediately adjacent a plywood skinned wall. I also have concerns. I try not to charge them unless I a working out by them, but you know that isn't always possible. I think I will build something as well. View Quote Lol. What’s even dumber, is that flammable and inflammable mean the same damned thing. How did that happen? Insane is an antonym for sane Indelible is an antonym for delible Inexpensive is an antonym for expensive Who came up with the bright idea of making inflammable a synonym for flammable? |
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This sounds like a bit too much of a headache to deal with considering there are lithium rechargeable batteries in pretty much every room of our home. Remotes, electronics, sitting in chargers waiting to be swapped into game controllers, flashlights, etc. as well as a huge pile of tool batteries in the garage with the ammo and gas cans.
I'm not stacking kindling on top of these things, but I just don't see a practical way to isolate every battery in the house. Currently building a shed for the gas cans and propane at least, but still there's gonna be tool batteries and cars and ammo in the garage like a few million other households. That said, I should probably figure out what type of fire extinguishers to have on hand for these types of fires, and whether there are fire detectors that are appropriate for use in the garage (not sure if Nest protects are suitable for that). |
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I use an old fireproof file cabinet I got at a garage sale to keep stuff like that in.
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Quoted: My key fob uses a CR 2025 lithium battery. I keep the fob in my left pocket and the battery in my right pocket. When I need to use the fob, I pop the battery in. I stop carrying my CCW in my front pocket because I was afraid it might scratch it with the fob/battery. View Quote Again; Lithium primary (non-rechargeable) batteries have a different chemistry than LiIon and LiPo rechargeables. There have been NO reports of spontaneous fires from Lithium primaries UNLESS they were shorted out by something external completing the circuit (keys, coins, wires, whatever). I get it, this is obviously sarcasm, as no one could possibly be dumb enough to keep taking the coin cell out of their fob, but apparently it bears repeating as people seem to go ,”It says LITHIUM!!!” |
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Quoted: Again; Lithium primary (non-rechargeable) batteries have a different chemistry than LiIon and LiPo rechargeables. There have been NO reports of spontaneous fires from Lithium primaries UNLESS they were shorted out by something external completing the circuit (keys, coins, wires, whatever). I get it, this is obviously sarcasm, as no one could possibly be dumb enough to keep taking the coin cell out of their fob, but apparently it bears repeating as people seem to go ,"It says LITHIUM!!!" View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: My key fob uses a CR 2025 lithium battery. I keep the fob in my left pocket and the battery in my right pocket. When I need to use the fob, I pop the battery in. I stop carrying my CCW in my front pocket because I was afraid it might scratch it with the fob/battery. Again; Lithium primary (non-rechargeable) batteries have a different chemistry than LiIon and LiPo rechargeables. There have been NO reports of spontaneous fires from Lithium primaries UNLESS they were shorted out by something external completing the circuit (keys, coins, wires, whatever). I get it, this is obviously sarcasm, as no one could possibly be dumb enough to keep taking the coin cell out of their fob, but apparently it bears repeating as people seem to go ,"It says LITHIUM!!!" What about a laptop or tablet which is constantly connected to power. |
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Hmmm.... I have an old cell phone battery that is bulged, I going to get rid of it.,
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I have heard of using cinder blocks for this, but will lithium batteries really explode just sitting there (not being charged or used)
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Get a Flam locker. Put a fire ball on the top shelf. Live worry free.
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I think Lithium battery paranoia is a real thing.
If you are beating on some Li-Po batteries and abusing them (like over/undercharging them, crashing them, etc.), I'd say it makes sense to take some precautions. If you take care of other Lithium based batteries then the risks go WAY down. It's just not feasible to completely eliminate the risk of a fire and even a tiny one can burn a house down, not to mention smoke damage. That being said, if possible I'd keep them in a concrete room on wire shelving and minimize contact with other combustibles. Protect the ceiling above it if flammable. If I had a battery go boom in my unfinished basement area, it would cause a lot of smoke and damage things immediately in it's vicinity, but I highly doubt it would burn the house down. |
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Quoted: Just to be safe I keep lithium batteries in an ammo can with the lid cracked open. Might help some but might just delay the inevitable. View Quote I bought a standard and not expensive steel tool box. It will vent better and contain a runaway. I put some non-flammable foam plank in there to create separate cells to keep them apart. I keep all the high energy tool batteries there. I charge them in a corner of the kitchen while I cook so I am in the room while they charge. I then put them back in the steel tool chest. It is also really quick to load your batteries to a project. |
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Quoted: Lol. What’s even dumber, is that flammable and inflammable mean the same damned thing. How did that happen? Insane is an antonym for sane Indelible is an antonym for delible Inexpensive is an antonym for expensive Who came up with the bright idea of making inflammable a synonym for flammable? View Quote @Extorris. What a country! |
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Quoted: Closing the lid might deprive a fire of the oxygen it needs to burn. OP, that's a good idea but I wouldn't add different but also flammable items to it. At this stage I've shifted to not charging things if I'm not at home and never charging things overnight. I've been shocked at how hot somethings have gotten while charging and know too many people who have had fires. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Just to be safe I keep lithium batteries in an ammo can with the lid cracked open. Might help some but might just delay the inevitable. Closing the lid might deprive a fire of the oxygen it needs to burn. OP, that's a good idea but I wouldn't add different but also flammable items to it. At this stage I've shifted to not charging things if I'm not at home and never charging things overnight. I've been shocked at how hot somethings have gotten while charging and know too many people who have had fires. Lithium battery fires produce their own O2. That is why they are so dangerous in the hold of an aircraft. The Haylon suppression system and lack of O2 doesn't touch them if they runaway. Submersion in water is the best way. |
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Quoted: Lithium battery fires produce their own O2. That is why they are so dangerous in the hold of an aircraft. The Haylon suppression system and lack of O2 doesn't touch them if they runaway. Submersion in water is the best way. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Just to be safe I keep lithium batteries in an ammo can with the lid cracked open. Might help some but might just delay the inevitable. Closing the lid might deprive a fire of the oxygen it needs to burn. OP, that's a good idea but I wouldn't add different but also flammable items to it. At this stage I've shifted to not charging things if I'm not at home and never charging things overnight. I've been shocked at how hot somethings have gotten while charging and know too many people who have had fires. Lithium battery fires produce their own O2. That is why they are so dangerous in the hold of an aircraft. The Haylon suppression system and lack of O2 doesn't touch them if they runaway. Submersion in water is the best way. Maybe only if you have a lot of water and the battery is small. Otherwise be very careful with adding water to a lithium fire. |
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Even the small fire rated cabinets are expensive.
JustRite has a small cabinet. But I use their small flammable material trash cans for most things. Flammable Cabinet I have this one. |
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I was mostly kidding about the shed.
There’s gotta be a decent way to store these things indoors with a little added safety, right? |
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Quoted: What about a laptop or tablet which is constantly connected to power. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: My key fob uses a CR 2025 lithium battery. I keep the fob in my left pocket and the battery in my right pocket. When I need to use the fob, I pop the battery in. I stop carrying my CCW in my front pocket because I was afraid it might scratch it with the fob/battery. Again; Lithium primary (non-rechargeable) batteries have a different chemistry than LiIon and LiPo rechargeables. There have been NO reports of spontaneous fires from Lithium primaries UNLESS they were shorted out by something external completing the circuit (keys, coins, wires, whatever). I get it, this is obviously sarcasm, as no one could possibly be dumb enough to keep taking the coin cell out of their fob, but apparently it bears repeating as people seem to go ,"It says LITHIUM!!!" What about a laptop or tablet which is constantly connected to power. Those use rechargeables. Yeah, if it’s constantly connected to power, it’s dependent on the device’s charging circuitry. Some are a lot better than others about maintaining/maximizing battery life. I’ve had laptops where the original battery lasted 5+ years, being regularly connected to power at the house, and being used on battery power when brought along. I’ve also had laptops where I needed a new battery every 18 months with the same usage patterns (within that timeframe, battery life went from lasting a couple hours with my usage, to not lasting more than ~15 minutes before the low battery warning). |
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Some quad pilots I know started charging in a small structure they made with concrete blocks. Batteries go in the side but there is a plastic membrane over the charging area filled with sand. The idea is if there is a fire, plastic melts, and the sand falls down to help quench it.
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Quoted: One of my friend’s neighbors had a lithium battery go boom a while back. Luckily they were at home, and threw the thing out of their front door (where it continued to burn/explode). I have a couple big EGO batteries that would definitely burn my house down if one of them went critical. I was thinking of getting a 2 or 4 gallon fireproof cabinet to store them in, something like this https://eagle.justrite.com/2-gallon-fire-cabinet-1-shelf-1-door-manual-close-bench-top-yellow-1901x, and maybe storing some other highly flammable stuff with it (70% isopropyl alcohol, dry lube spray cans, etc). Or should I be storing those separately? Cost isn’t outrageous on these, and I can certainly buy one less glock or something this year for a little peace of mind. View Quote Ammo can Tmmv |
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Big bucket of sand and a fire blanket.
I worked with mobile device batteries all day, five days a week for years and only had a couple incidents when we were utterly abusing them. The aforementioned items handled it. |
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