Health and Safety - Battery Banks - Lithium et al

[Robint]

Hope I am posting in the right place
Just heads up here on something I found which left me truly humbleIts a vid from a conference paper by an eminent Fire Protection specialist who studied Lithium cells etc for +20 years. I thoug I was paranoid about a generally casual attitude people seem to have about using Lithium cells but watch this and be so advised.

Prof. PAUL CHRISTENSEN Electric Vehicle Battery Fires SUBSCRIBE NOW - YouTube

It left me reviewing my systems - remember shipmates that once a lithium cell goes nuclear, there is no extinguisher system available to help, you can only run away immediately - and that the Fire Officer advice or you will be overcome by a mass of toxic fumes whether it catches fire or not.


The Prof's closing words were "spread the word - educate people"

[HeinSdL]

Here we go again right? The video is about lithium ion batteries vs lifepo4 usually used as 'our' house batteries.

[Robint]

Yes I should have added that this refers to Lithium Ion batteries, but note that Lifepo batteries are only recently available to DIY. Lion batteries are in common use. How many floaters allow Escooters aboard? Lion 12V auto style Lion batteries are an attractive replacement for Labs. Lifeopo packs are 50% more plus the BMS equipment is not so well established. For example I am trying to get a definitive answer to what happens if Lifepos are overcharged? - no armchair speculations pls.

[HeinSdL]

There are quite a few discussions on this topic already elsewhere on the forum. I recall seeing links (so perhaps armchair speculation) to a variety of tests-to-destruction, eg ridiculously high charge and discharge voltages/currents, and I don't recall seeing any runaway issues with lifepo4. This underpinned my recent decision to switch. Hope my boat doesn't explode, would be a pity.

But I do have cordless appliances. And those I am thinking about a bit in terms of safety.