That's great..... I have six of these in my battery bank:

Amazon.com: CHINS LiFePO4 Battery 12V 100AH Lithium Battery - Built-in 100A BMS with Low-Temp Protection, 2000~5000 Cycles, Perfect for Trolling Motors, Solar System, Marine, RV, Boat and Off-Grid etc. : Automotive

Buy CHINS LiFePO4 Battery 12V 100AH Lithium Battery - Built-in 100A BMS with Low-Temp Protection, 2000~5000 Cycles, Perfect for Trolling Motors, Solar System, Marine, RV, Boat and Off-Grid etc.: Batteries - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

 

LiFePO4 is not the same as Lithium-Ion, which is the type of battery in laptops, "power banks", and most power tools.
LiFePO4 doesn't catch fire even when mishandled, they're relatively safe.
Not to worry.

 

I have a Li ion string trimmer, and four Li ion chain saws. All made in China. I don't want the batteries in the house, yet here they are. I think the only alternative is store them in my workshop or a shed. I just checked, it's 104 degrees in the workshop. My hammers don't care about the temp, but I'm sure it would make the batteries unhappy.

 

I have same dilemma , a growing collection of li-Ion powered tools and a garage that is unbearably hot and attached to the house. I really cannot figure out a safe storage/charging method. For now the batteries are charged inside airconditioned house on tile floor, but the proximity to other flammable items is a problem. Maybe I can convert the fireplace to a charging area?

 

The house down the street caught on fire from a battery on a charger. The guy did model airplanes. So your tools and RC cars might burn you out.

They were out of the house for a year while it was fixed.

Think of all the batteries used now. It only takes one in the wrong place. I ran over a rechargable light in my yard with a mower and it burned with a plume of black smoke for 20 minutes.

 

I have a small wood burning stove out in the shed. I took the batteries out of the powered snow shovel and string trimmer and put them inside. If they go off, the stove will/should contain them. I don't have a solution for the e-bike battery yet. It's a 500 watt-hour one. I'll be searching for some kinds of steel box.

It appears that the batteries in the story went off while being charged.

 

I tried to return li ion battery in mail, post office refused it. Became an eBay complaint which I lost.

 

Post office will ship li ion batteries if in original packaging. But not in your own bubble wrapped non factory packaging.
I was surprised by poor resolution by ebay. Do not expect much from them.

 

Lithium ion battery's from China have a reputation for spontaneous combustion..

Ship Loaded With Thousands Of Cars Still Burning Days After Crew Abandons It At Sea

MSN

 

With any battery/charging system you are on your own. Maybe if in doubt, the more energy they can store, keep them outside your house if they have enough energy to burn it down.

Or give a small child a lighter and hope for the best.

 

Two months ago I went to a tree industry show and really spoke in detail about switching some of my smaller and topper industrial saws to potentially lithium ion battery powered. I spoke with several manufacturers that the weak link was not being able to recharge batteries effectively on trucks and they should have a 12 volt inverter system with a docking charging station that could be permanently attached into truck toolboxes so on jobsites batteries could be charged and stowed in a industrial manner. All manufacturers pushed it off to a third party truck builder for an inverter charging system. The last manufacturer pulled me aside and risk of fire was specifically the reason it’s not offered. This is a real risk. For all of us I currently have 12- 20 20 volt dewalt and 19.2 craftsman batteries in garage. And I’ve gotten too comfortable with them maybee I should look into storing them in an outbuilding and in a safer way. Lagnar this is a Good topic to think about.

 

There are 8-12, 4-5ah makita 18v batteries in my truck at any given time.. Never had a problem even in summer, never heard of one catching fire.

 

Put them in a wooden box or plastic tub outside or in a small garden/mower shed.

 

There are circumstances when li ion batteries catch fire. Well they don't actually catch fire, its thermal runaway, an exothermic reaction. When overcharged is one. When overheated, like in a shed in sun is another.

 

I used to subcontract heating and air for Servpro I'd say in 10 years of working with them 3 out of 10 fire jobs were from batteries or their chargers. I leave most every battery and it's charger in my shop away from my house.

 

This jogged my memory from 50? years ago.
Was a teen in HS,coming home after school,stopped at 7-11 for a soda or something.
Got back in the car,put the key in and turned it,BOOM!
Battery blew up,all I felt was a shockwave,,not sure if there was any flame,it happened that quick.
Wasn't hurt,just kinda in shock,what the heck happened?
Got out and looked with some other bystanders..corner of hood was lifted up a little,smoke and dust dispersing.
I wasn't,and still not,a gearhead,but the general consensus was overcharged,and buildup of hydrogen,spark ignited it when starter engaged.
Called a friend,payphones back then,he came with another battery..w put it in after wrestling with the hood to get it to release.Fired right up.
Got home,pounded the hood down,ran it for a while,seemed fine.
Being a dumb teen,a few days later all the acid started eating away the paint and metal,,gave it a great patina..didn't know/think about washing it off.

 

I wonder how many of these were insurance fraud. Not saying it doesn't happen, just that people take advantage of things happening.

 

I don't worry about LFP batteries.

The smaller power packs that have been recalled (and the batteries still used in every laptop) use the older tech since it has higher energy density than LFP.

And by paying extra you can get large LFP batteries not just with a BMS but also with built-in heaters so they can be used in the cold.

 

Obviously, there are "LiFePO4" batteries in name only - just relabeled Lithium-Ions, perhaps recycled. Hey, think where they are all manufactured and you can figure out why this happens.
And, way too many people try to charge batteries with the wrong kind of charger.

While LiFePO4 boasts superior thermal stability compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries, they’re not entirely immune to fiery surprises. Under extreme circumstances, even these sturdy powerhouses can succumb to the flames. Here’s what can spark the inferno:

Overcharging:

Pushing a LiFePO4 battery beyond its designated limit can generate excessive heat, potentially triggering thermal runaway and leading to fire.

Short-circuiting:

A direct connection between the positive and negative terminals can cause an uncontrolled release of energy, creating dangerous heat and fire hazards.

Physical Damage:

Punctures, crushing, or severe impacts can damage the internal structure of the battery, increasing the risk of internal short circuits and fires.

Extreme Temperatures:

While LiFePO4 batteries offer superior thermal tolerance, prolonged exposure to scorching heat or freezing temperatures can put stress on the system and raise the risk of fire.

They Won’t Burn When Exposed to Fire:

Even when engulfed in flames, a unique advantage sets LiFePO4 batteries apart from their brethren. They won’t actively contribute to the fire! Unlike some lithium-ion batteries that can explode or release toxic fumes when burning, LiFePO4 maintains its structural integrity. This remarkable characteristic makes them safer options for applications in sensitive environments like homes and hospitals.

Can LiFePO4 Batteries Catch Fire? Unveiling the Science Behind the Flame

Unraveling the fiery truth: Can LiFePO4 batteries ignite? Dive into their science, safety, and responsible usage for a brighter, safer future with cleaner energy.

batteryhacker.com

 

Sank a ship-car carrier-out in the Pacific last week🙄

 

Anker is a Chinese company but has a better reputation, if I needed a power bank they are the one I would look to first.

 

The CPSC recently issued a recall on 1.158 million Anker power banks.

More than One Million Anker Power Banks Recalled Due to Fire and Burn Hazards; Manufactured by Anker Innovations

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled power banks and contact Anker Innovations for instructions on receiving a free replacement power bank. Visit https://www.anker.com/product-recalls to register for the recall. To receive a replacement, consumers will be required to submit a...

www.cpsc.gov

 

I watched a YouTube video from China with a man bringing his e-bike battery up to his apartment to charge. Surveillance cams inside the elevator showed the battery going off. Surveillance cameras outside the elevator showed the doors opening on his floor and people that were waiting to get on panicking at the inferno that met them. The man that was trapped in the elevator won’t be coming down for breakfast.

 

Like any powerful thing, your lithium-based batteries work best in a controlled environment. You also need to be aware of the source of the batteries (or cells) in the device you're using. A powerbank at "a very good price" from AliExpress or Banggood (online 21st century Sears equivalent, but with a LOT of cheap electronics) is questionable unless it's a brand you know AND you're certain it's not a fake (lots of that out there).

However, even the big names don't always get it right. A few years ago, there were a number of videos of new Sony laptops catching on fire while sitting on a desk. That problem was traced to the lithium-polymer batteries Sony used to power that laptop. The Anker powerbank currently being recalled might be lithium-polymer powered for the size and weight advantages it offers - but that does come with some other problems.

Be aware that there are multiple versions of "lithium" batteries. The most common ones are the base lithium-ion (some laptop batteries and the cells that make up the battery packs in the Tesla EV and many other EVs and some of the better powerbanks) and lithium-polymer. The lithium-polymer are the most power per ounce (gram) or cubic inch (cubic cm) so you'll find them in places where weight and size are critical: cell phones, tablets, most small drones). The safest options appear to be the lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) or LFP (lithium ferrophosphate) battery and the lithium-titanium-oxide (LTO) battery. Both are larger than the base lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries but the chemical makeup of LiFePO4 and LTO isn't as quite violently reactive as the other two. Not they they can't have a problem, just that they are less likely to.

I have multiple battery powered tools: drills, saws, edger, string trimmer, rechargeable shaver, rechargeable toothbrush. Ever hear of either of the last two catching on fire? Didn't think so. The difference between them and the other tools is the amount of power being drawn from the batteries during use and the speed of recharging. It's OK if the toothbrush needs to recharge for the 6 hours you're asleep because you are not waiting for it to recharge. Most power tools now either have or have the option of "one hour" recharge. Some of the bigger drills may be drawing 30+ amps from the battery under heavy load - that's a lot of power in a small space and the batteries will heat up if used at that level for very long. The battery packs have temperature sensors attached to one of the cells in the battery to know how hot/cold the battery is and limit the charge or discharge as needed - but that doesn't prevent a not-quite-to-spec battery from continuing to overheat in a runaway process that starts a fire even when the battery is not in use.

Remember that the engineers don't get everything right in everything they design: a recent year of Ford's F150 pickups had engine fires while parked and after not having been driven for hours. Cause: bad design that had continuous power to a part in the braking system that could cause a fire under certain (fairly common) conditions. The people designing battery-powered <whatever> don't always get it right either. I've seen ads for MANY e-bikes with a heading of XXX Watts. That's good to know, but it's even better to know what the actual power needed to move that e-bike and a 170lb rider up a typical city "hill" at a known speed. I don't have the link at hand but there is a web page with a calculator for that. Sadly, most of the lower-priced e-bikes do NOT have enough power to take those typical "hills" at more than 10MPH - if that fast; not something the ads will tell you but it might be on page 397 of the 398 page User's Manual.

I built a solar-charged lighting system for the power equipment shed (mower, blower, generator, gasoline, diesel) out back (the shed is 8' x 16'). That system cost about $100 five years ago and other than replacing the AGM batteries (sealed lead-acid because they were available) it has worked just fine. AGM batteries have a limited life when exposed to the weather (typical lows in the 20's (F) and highs in the 90's (F) here, but lows occasionally drop below zero and highs can occasionally hit 100 (F). That's a difficult life for a lead-acid battery so no surprise that I got about 3 years life from each them. The replacement battery is in progress. It's a 12 volt 8AH LiFePO4 battery that I got used from batteryhookup.com for about $30. That's roughly 3 time the price of the cheapest AGM replacement battery but I won't be replacing it in 3 years - possibly not in 15 years. The battery was originally used to power a medical cart so you know it was top-of-the-line material. Batteries in that service get replaced on a regular basis (every x years or every y months) so this was removed from service because of age, not failure. I expect to get multiple years of use from the battery because, while it will be subjected to extremes of temperature it has a BMS (battery management system) that controls the charging and discharging based on temperature and the battery's charge and discharge limits so the battery is always protected from excessive charge or discharge. The limits enforced by the BMS are based on the intended use and the batteries lasting at least a full shift (8 hours) without being recharged so the original battery pack consisted of multiple batteries to provide the needed power for the specified time. Unlike most power tools, these batteries were on a wheeled cart so the weight and size were minor factors in the design ;-)

 

I had a shed that got much hotter than ambient temperature. I would consider a solar powered fan vent.

 

Renogy probably knows more about this than I do:

Battery Safety: Top 8 Reasons Why Lithium-Ion Batteries Catch Fire

Lithium-ion batteries are found in the devices we use everyday. Learn reasons why lithium-ion batteries catch fire to increase awareness about the fire dangers of lithium-ion and other types of batteries.

www.renogy.com

Lithium-ion batteries produce oxygen when burning. That ain't good.

Can LiFePO4 Batteries Catch Fire? Unveiling the Science Behind the Flame

Unraveling the fiery truth: Can LiFePO4 batteries ignite? Dive into their science, safety, and responsible usage for a brighter, safer future with cleaner energy.

batteryhacker.com

LiFePO4 batteries don't produce oxygen when burning.
They can still cause fires, just like a shorted lead-acid car battery can.
If you've ever dropped a wrench across a car battery terminals, you'll know what I mean.

A lead/acid car battery can sit out in the sun on a hot day and still be "safe". I wouldn't do that with any of the lithium-ion or LiFePO4 batteries, I think.

 

I just ordered a very cheap E bike off Amazon, can't wait for the bike to be here, scared to death of it's battery Think I'm going to keep and charge the battery in an old construction gang box that's out behind my shop. Working with Servpro I learned that the cheap hoverboards and toys with built in rechargeable batteries were good at burning peoples houses down Don't want mine to be on that list.

 

A couple days ago in China, over 100 E bikes burning at a housing complex

 

Yes, that was op.
It is concerning even reputable company is having issues.

 

Most newer phones are using the safer LifePo4 batteries.

Lithium phone batteries have also caused fires in vehicles.

I once saw a car burning in a grocery store parking lot.

Turns out the owner had left phone charging in the hot car, while shopping during the summer heat.

Best practice is to charge phone on a non-flamable surface, and do not leave it unattended.