Author Topic: E-Bike Battery Explodes in Elevator (Read 1844 times)

MechAg94 · « **on:** July 28, 2024, 10:47:23 PM »

E-Bike Battery Explodes in Elevator & Cooks a Man
Salty Cracker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo7RaoyDiq8

I don't think I want to see video of the aftermath. Looks pretty awful. Happened in China. All I can say is don't go cheap on powerful batteries.
This reminds me of the e-cigarette vaporizers exploding in people's pockets. Most I saw were chalked up to cheap batteries/vaporizers bought on ebay. I haven't seen much on those in a few years.

News link.
Horror moment battery blows up in man's face in lift leaving his body charred
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/horror-moment-battery-blows-up-33328678

These links popped up in a search about a previous elevator event. The video of that one looks pretty bad also.
Video shows electric bike exploding in crowded elevator, burning people inside
https://www.newsweek.com/electric-bike-explodes-crowded-elevator-burning-everyone-inside-1590371
https://www.dailydot.com/irl/electric-bike-explodes-in-china/

dogmush · « **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2024, 07:57:04 AM »

Yep. High energy density batteries with high discharge rates are not something to cheap out on.

I've run across this in my hobbies with weapons mounted lights. The current generation of portable suns mounted on your rifle require batteries that provide like 6VDC at 8.5A or so. That level of draw will absolutely cause cheap Amazon batteries to ignite in short order. Not TOO big a deal on the end of a rifle (except it totals your $500 flashlight) but if it happens in the handheld version it can be exciting.

tokugawa · « **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2024, 01:32:35 PM »

The problem is there is no way to evaluate risk prior to combustion.

Buying a "reputable brand" is just luck- what are the physical observable factors in determining the battery is OK?

It is pretty easy to put the gas can on the ground before filling, clip the static line to the aircraft before refueling, not keep the gas can in a sealed shed ,not smoke around the fueling operation etc etc-

dogmush · « **Reply #3 on:** July 29, 2024, 01:50:38 PM »

IME, Again limited to high current 18650s and some drone batteries, what the "reputable brand" and added expense gets you is post manufacture QC and maybe testing.

Like most other things from China when you go cheap the first thing you lose is QC. The design is OK, but was it made to the design specs? Cheap wrenches are not the right size and round off bolts, cheap screwdrivers are not properly hardened and break, cheap lithium batteries are not properly cell balanced and heat sinked and explode.

In that paradigm you can effectively evaluate risk based on brand name and (to a lesser extent) cost. The better batteries are built with care and tested to ensure they meet specs, and can be trusted to perform correctly.

This is not necessarily gospel, just what I have seen in my hobbies.

RocketMan · « **Reply #4 on:** July 29, 2024, 02:20:29 PM »

The event occurred 10/8/21, but the video is just now surfacing in social media. The poor guy died 28 days after the event. Heck of a reminder for some of the dangers of lithium-based batteries.

WLJ · « **Reply #5 on:** July 29, 2024, 02:50:37 PM »

Neighbor just got his kid an electric bike. Uses lead-acid batteries.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #6 on:** July 29, 2024, 02:57:14 PM »

Quote from: dogmush on July 29, 2024, 01:50:38 PM

IME, Again limited to high current 18650s and some drone batteries, what the "reputable brand" and added expense gets you is post manufacture QC and maybe testing.

Like most other things from China when you go cheap the first thing you lose is QC. The design is OK, but was it made to the design specs? Cheap wrenches are not the right size and round off bolts, cheap screwdrivers are not properly hardened and break, cheap lithium batteries are not properly cell balanced and heat sinked and explode.

In that paradigm you can effectively evaluate risk based on brand name and (to a lesser extent) cost. The better batteries are built with care and tested to ensure they meet specs, and can be trusted to perform correctly.

This is not necessarily gospel, just what I have seen in my hobbies.

Where I deal with modern batteries is in power tools.

For the major brands you can buy knockoff batteries for a fraction of the price of new. Like dogmush said, the big difference comes in QC and protection. The knockoffs have neither.

Houses and vehicles have burned down because of these knockoffs. I make sure to charge my tool batteries, which include my big 40V outdoor power equipment batteries, only when I am home and I don’t charge them in a closed toolbox hutch either.

lee n. field · « **Reply #7 on:** July 29, 2024, 05:37:44 PM »

Quote from: WLJ on July 29, 2024, 02:50:37 PM

Neighbor just got his kid an electric bike. Uses lead-acid batteries.

E-bikes are real popular around here, probably with (just guessing, eyballing the demographic) the "DUI bike" set. Just wonder where random welfare sumdood gets the money for a Radpower Cargo Bike. That ain't your Walmart e-bike.

tokugawa · « **Reply #8 on:** July 30, 2024, 01:43:39 AM »

Guy over on a machinist forum I visit lost his whole brand new shop and contents due to fire. Cause was a lap top computer battery.

HeroHog · « **Reply #9 on:** July 31, 2024, 02:18:11 AM »

My old laptop/notebook was getting flakey so I wrangled a used replacement from a friend. When I cracked it open to salvage the RAM and SSD, THIS is what I found.

lee n. field · « **Reply #10 on:** July 31, 2024, 08:32:15 AM »

Quote from: HeroHog on July 31, 2024, 02:18:11 AM

My old laptop/notebook was getting flakey so I wrangled a used replacement from a friend. When I cracked it open to salvage the RAM and SSD, THIS is what I found.

Not uncommon, at all.

WLJ · « **Reply #11 on:** July 31, 2024, 08:39:01 AM »

Had to replace the battery in my S9 for swelling so much it cracked the sealed case open and just got rid of the battery in my laptop for doing that.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 31, 2024, 09:04:24 AM »

I had to replace the battery on my current work laptop for that reason.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #13 on:** July 31, 2024, 10:43:47 AM »

Most of our work laptops end up with battery swelling and the users just keep using them in that state.

dogmush · « **Reply #14 on:** July 31, 2024, 01:41:24 PM »

Quote from: Boomhauer on July 31, 2024, 10:43:47 AM

Most of our work laptops end up with battery swelling and the users just keep using them in that state.

My work laptop currently has a swollen battery and puts out crazy heat, and I'm typing this on it right now. I haven't gotten to the top of the lifecycle replacement list yet.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 31, 2024, 01:43:31 PM »

Quote from: dogmush on July 31, 2024, 01:41:24 PM

My work laptop currently has a swollen battery and puts out crazy heat, and I'm typing this on it right now. I haven't gotten to the top of the lifecycle replacement list yet.

My Dell laptop is a few years old, but you can replace the battery. Have to pull 8 screws or so off the bottom to open it, but the batter comes right out.

dogmush · « **Reply #16 on:** July 31, 2024, 02:52:13 PM »

Quote from: MechAg94 on July 31, 2024, 01:43:31 PM

My Dell laptop is a few years old, but you can replace the battery. Have to pull 8 screws or so off the bottom to open it, but the batter comes right out.

There is zero chance of me spending my money on the fed.gov's laptop. This whole shop can burn to the ground before that happens. We are prohibited from purchasing computer parts of any kind locally with out Government Purchase Card. It HAS to go through our IT (too many folks plugging sketchy Chinese electronics into the network). DOD IT won't buy new batteries for laptops because they feel like if the battery has gone, and it's out of warranty, it should be replaced.

So yeah, we just keep sticks and marshmallows handy for the inevitable.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #17 on:** July 31, 2024, 09:27:41 PM »

Makes sense. Our IT would say the same about replacing mine, but no one in my company is going to blink an eye at a few computer accessories.

lee n. field · « **Reply #18 on:** July 31, 2024, 09:55:23 PM »

Quote from: dogmush on July 31, 2024, 02:52:13 PM

There is zero chance of me spending my money on the fed.gov's laptop. This whole shop can burn to the ground before that happens. We are prohibited from purchasing computer parts of any kind locally with out Government Purchase Card. It HAS to go through our IT (too many folks plugging sketchy Chinese electronics into the network). DOD IT won't buy new batteries for laptops because they feel like if the battery has gone, and it's out of warranty, it should be replaced.

So yeah, we just keep sticks and marshmallows handy for the inevitable.

<shrug>. Just know where the fire extinguisher is, and the door to outside.

230RN · « **Reply #19 on:** August 01, 2024, 07:28:55 PM »

I'm amazed at the energy density of modern batteries. I had to replace our huge 1.5 Volt screw terminal carbon-zinc cells for our door bell in mid-to-late forties. My mother, from whom I inherited my paranoia, was fearful that I would electrocute myself. Pop told her that was impossible and sent me into the front lines of the basement to make the battery changes. Hand-wringing on her part until I returned from the mission unharmed and the doorbell worked again.

The diameter of those things was about 2-12 to 3 inches if memory serves. The carbon anode was about 3/4" in diameter. The biggest danger was dropping one on my little fragile tiny toesies.

My sons, who are both drone flyers, say a lot of folks keep their drone batteries in ammo boxes.

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Author Topic: E-Bike Battery Explodes in Elevator (Read 1844 times)