Lithium batteries -- SAFE?

Officials generic use of Li-ion battery for when they mean a battery of a scooter or bike isn't helping the fear. Taking NYC's mayor comment literally means leaving your phone and tablet outside.

A battery for a mobility device like a scooter can hold a lot more energy than the battery in a phone. Both could catch fire, but the scooter fire is going to escalate faster. So more care should be taken with it, just like you take more care with a jug of gasoline vs a bottle of nail polish remover.

Something to also consider with these fires in a city is the presence of rental scooters. Those things get abused. Then it is a gig worker that collects them up and chargers them,. Usually in their apartment. Some of these battery fires were cases of multiple scooters being charged off a power strip. They may not have been the true ignition source.

There were potential electrical fire sources in the home before Li-ion powered phones came along. Cars were also quite able to ignite before EVs. Take care, but this isn't something to lose sleep over.

 

The only situation I'd be on the lookout for is if an accident were to occur where the tool battery were hit particularly hard, fell very far, or were crushed somehow.

When that happens, you want that battery to sleep outside, usually on a bit of concrete... just in case. The fires can start hours after the actual injury.

Well I suppose there's also the case of counterfeits and off-brand replacements. They are sometimes extra-sensitive or just easier to damage.

 

Here is an osha paper discussing their safety.

Preventing Fire and/or Explosion Injury from Small and Wearable Lithium Better Powered Devices (osha.gov)

There are medical implanted devices that have lithium batteries and are a god send to the people who have them - Pacemakers immediately come to mind and of course these are implanted in the upper torso of the individual.

Pacemaker Battery - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

Circul8 Pro (pmpmed.com)

 

they are safe, just not 100%. like anything else in life there's a small risk you have to be willing to take, and as mentioned above, treat them sensibly

 

Got curious. An article of the recent fire mentions that there were 400 battery fires in the city over the past four years. Another article states there have been 30 so far this year.

In 2019 there were 8,231 fires in the Bronx, and 40,783 fires citywide.

The OSHA document mentions charging below 0C causes damage that can lead to failure. Is this failure one that can result in a fire? I don't recall that being brought up with other sources of below freezing charging.

Looks like implanted devices don't use the same lithium chemistry as typical Li-ion. Pacemakers use lithium-iodide, and solid state is now being used in such devices.

Note: getting a posting error so removed all hyper links

 

In General......they are.
Energy is energy.


Lithium batteries -- SAFE?
220v outlets -- SAFE?
Gallon of gas -- SAFE?
Propane tank -- SAFE?

 

Lithium batteries are not safe, and there is also a possibility of explosion, but the probability is not so high. It can be said that all batteries are unsafe and there are risks. According to the data, although the probability of explosion of lithium batteries is very small, the risk of spontaneous combustion of lithium batteries is relatively high. However, lithium batteries purchased from famous products generally have no problems and have quality assurance

 

Yep, I have two shelves in my garage with numerous chargers for my power equipment and lights. (All use lithiums) I no longer leave batteries plugged in but take them out as soon as the light indicates they are recharged.
Too many pictures of burned garages/homes from lithiums exploding while sitting in chargers....pretty alarming!

 

Lithium batteries are safe enough provided: (1) at least one terminal is covered with any form of insulation, and (2) keep them from getting very hot or freezing code. Heat causes the contents to expand and stress the cells as the chemicals seek to escape. Freezing cold can reduce their chemical activity. Just keep at least one of the terminal ends covered by tape or insulating cover, even plastic held with a rubber band or string, and they'll be safe.

Bob Wilson

 

Just don't go to bed wearing them.

Don't know if there are foot versions, but I got my brother some reusable chemical hand warmers that recharge in a microwave.

 

It was an overly cautious warning, cause on the off chance something goes wrong, best not to be asleep for it. The vent tube to the HHR's battery, in the back like a Prius, was always broken, and never died from hydrogen sulfide poisoning. The Li-ion risk is approaching that rarity to me.

I also though a heating pad, or small electric blanket would be better for sleeping.

And don't you have dogs? Several of the little breeds came to exist to simply warm beds.

 

The risk varies enormously among the different rechargeable lithium-ion chemistries. A proper discussion requires review of the particular chemistries under consideration. Cobalt is associated with the highest risks, iron-phosphate among the lowest.

Today's lithium batteries shouldn't be putting out any meaningful amount of hydrogen sulfide, as sulfur is not one of their active ingredients.

Lead-acid batteries do use sulfur, and certain failure modes can put out hydrogen sulfide, hence the vent tubes on the 12V batteries.

Lithium-sulfur batteries do exist in the lab, and have been put to some very specialized uses. But the last I heard, they are not (yet) commercially available.

 

If the socks are AA or AAA battery powered, no problem. Charging the batteries has the higher risk. Discharge, especially moderate current won't be a problem.

As an experiment wear the socks with battery and rubber band an unconnected on the socks. If after an hour or so both the in-use and taped batteries feel (or measure) the same temperature ... forget about ... you are perfectly safe.

For absolute peace of mind, get NiMH batteries in the size the socks need. You will have to recharge more frequently, ~2x, compared to AA or AAA batteries, but there is very little risk unless the are shorted out with jumper. Even then, they will get pretty warm and then cool down when the charge is gone.

We didn't really discuss recharging but there is a whole other thread we dive into that deep pool.

Bob Wilson

 

i've had a pair of zippo lithium hand warmers for a few years that are wonderful.

also a chinese iphone battery case that has performed flawlessly

 

Am seeing slippers and bed booties on Amazon that are just heated up in the microwave.

I was thinking of thermal runaway next to the skin.