battery fire Australia

dathi

https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/lg-battery-recall-after-house-destroyed-and-13-properties-damaged-switch-off-immediately-053335640.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvLnVrLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJUqD7Dn8y8vpcWX1B2kQYu-WmBXboI4HatIrYGdT12f1-guhqZLDbU0MqyRXWIQwyg6cpuAwdhp7ElU3Ypql9UrL_in5zuL_dYGA-lfr6UdJCilVRan0u4NB4s5XWHvrTI7xFckDW7bKKeQYdSfD5Gk9QFEhS1jihmHA54aHmNG&guccounter=2

came across this story on different forum

ColemanY2K

It doesn't say what the fault is but thought this statement was intriguing....

Acting on a recommendation from the ACCC, Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones issued a proposed recall notice today that outlined the "catastrophic" risk to residents inside impacted houses, their neighbours and the community in the case of a bushfire.

given the lesser risk of bushfire in Ireland would these batteries pose the same level of risk?

SD_DRACULA

Well even lifepo4s can catch fire so ideally they will never be inside the house: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/last-fire.25937/

Sligobuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121739432#Comment_121739432

There is a lesson in there if you read the thread.

Most probable cause = the LFP battery terminal ignited combustible material used on the terminals (GREASE with a flash point of 221C), not recommended on any installation!

All it takes is one loose connection.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121740315#Comment_121740315

It was 22 pages so I didn't, but the original poster did come across as a slap-dash merchant alright. A nest of wires isn't ever a good approach, especially when the internal resistances are so low.

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121739432#Comment_121739432

Have a look at the solar installations photo thread. Attics full of them.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121740367#Comment_121740367

Where's that - can't find it on that forum?

Sligobuck

Before all the FUD starts I have almost 70 kWh of LFP batteries in my attic and i sleep well 😴

As long as you have only LFP chemistry batteries up there you should be fine.

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121740440#Comment_121740440

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058257528/renewable-energy-photo-thread

I wouldn't be happy sleeping under those.

dathi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121738236#Comment_121738236

Australians put there batteries outside hence the bushfire risk we put them in attics out of site out of mind if you follow the link in the original post the reason given was over heating and combustion of batteries

https://www.productsafety.gov.au/recalls/lg-energy-solution-australia-pty-ltd-formerly-lg-chem-australia-pty-ltd-%E2%80%94-ess-home-energy-storage-system-batteries

ColemanY2K

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121743957#Comment_121743957

erra if a bushfire reaches a wooden house as many australian homes are built out of i don't it would matter if the battery is outside or in the attic.

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121744074#Comment_121744074

Termites, colloquially 'white ants', are a bit of a problem and most Australian homes are consequentially built of brick. Timber houses seem near universal in the US.

the_amazing_raisin

I can't help but roll my eyes at the bushfire warning when many houses in rural Australia will have a generator outside plus a tank of flammable liquid or explosive gas beside it

Introducing a dose of reality to the conversation, the affected batteries are part of a voluntary recall from LG and several other manufacturers for a fire risk from overheating

The main issue the ACCC seems to have is the low uptake of the recall to date given the potential risk

The majority of Solar batteries are LFP which don't combust by themselves but given you've a piece of electrical equipment there's always an inherent fire risk. There is probably an increased risk given a battery contains it's own energy course unlike most appliances

This being the case, appropriate fire safety regulations should minimise the risk to an acceptable level

I believe current regs state that batteries and inverters must be installed on fire resistant materials.

I don't think there's any requirements for smoke detectors or a remote battery shut off currently. These probably are gaps that are worth addressing (mental note, put smoke alarm in attic) but otherwise I don't think anyone should be losing any sleep over it

Statistically you've a far greater chance of dying in a fire because of a dodgy phone charger on your nightstand than batteries in your attic

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121746026#Comment_121746026

"many houses in rural Australia will have a generator outside plus a tank of flammable liquid or explosive gas beside it"

I'm an Australian. Even in rural locations that isn't very common.

It's about as on par with reality as if I were to have a laugh back in Australia about the many Irish houses with thatched roofs and the fire danger they represented.

I did once stay on a sheep station in WA that had it's own generator because the property was the size of an Irish county and was so far from anywhere else we crossed onto the property, doing about 80 kph, and it took an hour to reach the homestead which was near the centre of the property.

But aside from that, it just isn't a norm except in very isolated rural locations, as it's just too expensive.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121746278#Comment_121746278

Okay I'll admit I was wrong there, I was under the impression many houses had backup power in case of a grid failure due to storms or wildfires

I still think my point around fire safety is valid. It isn't so much that batteries can catch fire, it's that with the proper safeguards in place they shouldn't and won't cause loss of life if they do

As I said, I think the current regs aren't quite there yet, but I also don't think there's reason for immediate panic

dathi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121744074#Comment_121744074

fire regulations are to prevent the spread of fire from the property to the surrounding land not the other way round

dathi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121746531#Comment_121746531

Reasons the product is recalled

ESS Batteries may overheat and catch on fire.

thats is taken from the second link that i posted which is from the Australian competition and consumer commission which issued the recall

dathi

"I believe current regs state that batteries and inverters must be installed on fire resistant materials."

yes and if you go onto any of the threads here you will see photos of installations in attics where the invertor and batteries are in attics on a piece of fire resistant board but directly above the installation are the rafters and roof felt / membrane which are flammable and not protected

Sligobuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121749219#Comment_121749219

Lets stop with all the FUD here and the likelyhood of causing distress to the many people who have attic installed batteries.

First off the Opening Post is about a recall on batteries which if you go through the list are all Lithium Ion chemistry, these have a known risk of fire when not managed properly. They should always be placed outside.

The batteries you are seeing in attics are Lithium Iron Phosphate chemistry which are proven in testing by Fire Authoritys and Test Labs to be safe for indoor use.

As noted earlier Lithium Ion batteries which are used in many mobile devices and as backup in many appliances pose the biggest risk of fire to home owners.

If anyone is considering or recommended to install batteries in their attic then just make sure they are Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) (LiFePO4) batteries.