How to extinguish a Li-ion battery fire

[tarponchik]

Lithium ion batteries do not contain any lithium metal, only non-rechargeable lithium batteries do. I've read that some LIB contain lithium as perchlorate (LiClO4), not as LiPF6 or LiBF4. These will burn like fireworks.

I'd say, if you use water to quench LIB fire, better use a lot of it. Throwing it overboard, as suggested above, is a good idea, but do not grab it with your bare hands.

 

[Marie13]

What about our homes? Kind of makes you think. I wonder if there are any stats on home fires caused by these batteries?

Weren’t there some fires a few years back from some sort of rechargeable scooter thing catching fire when charging?

 

[broncobowsher]

What about our homes? Kind of makes you think. I wonder if there are any stats on home fires caused by these batteries?

15 years ago a friend's brother torched his kitchen with one of the first Lithium battery fires I ever heard of. That was also the first electric RC plane I ever knew of.

The Hoverboards burned down a LOT of houses.

I've heard of a few drones starting brush fires.

Richard Hammond crashed the electric supercar and it burned for 4 days.

 

[Marie13]

Bingo! Hover boards.

 

[Jay]

I was also thinking when we fly ... there's probably a lot of batteries in those overhead lockers, some a capacity of up to 160Wh.

 

[rjack321]

Weren’t there some fires a few years back from some sort of rechargeable scooter thing catching fire when charging?

A dive scooter burned out a room in high springs about 8 or 9 years ago. Scooters have even bigger batteries than lights or cameras

 

[Must_dash]

I was also thinking when we fly ... there's probably a lot of batteries in those overhead lockers, some a capacity of up to 160Wh.

I fly an Airbus 320. 190 passengers and crew, probably 3-4 batteries per person in cameras, phones, tablets etc. Close on 750 batteries. We are also getting 321s with 235 seats, so closer to 950 batteries onboard on a vacation destination flight. Now ramp that up to a A380...... Scarey stuff as you can't open the window and chuck it out, but it may burn it's own hole straight through the plane...

One of the problems is that a burning lithium battery generates it's own oxygen, so drowning it in water doesn't extinguish the fire but hopefully stops the heat from damaging other things.

Have a stroll round youtube one night on Lithium battery fires.







Also selling a Ratio dive computer Look and message if interested, worldwide shipping

 

[Firebar]

At uni I did a project on electric motorbikes and we were required to have a sandbox (literally) to keep them in during experiments and to cover them in the event of a fire.

 

[broncobowsher]

I fly an Airbus 320. 190 passengers and crew, probably 3-4 batteries per person in cameras, phones, tablets etc. Close on 750 batteries. We are also getting 321s with 235 seats, so closer to 950 batteries onboard on a vacation destination flight. Now ramp that up to a A380...... Scarey stuff as you can't open the window and chuck it out, but it may burn it's own hole straight through the plane...

One of the problems is that a burning lithium battery generates it's own oxygen, so drowning it in water doesn't extinguish the fire but hopefully stops the heat from damaging other things.

Have a stroll round youtube one night on Lithium battery fires.







Also selling a Ratio dive computer Look and message if interested, worldwide shipping

Most are lit off during charging. The VAP pens are short circuit heating elements (overload). Normal use isn't much of an issue.

 

[HKGuns]

How to extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire
Let’s cut right to the chase. Despite their name, lithium-ion batteries used in consumer products do not contain any actual lithium metal. Therefore, a Class D fire extinguisher is not to be used to fight a lithium-ion battery fire. Class D fire extinguishers, which contain dry powder, are intended for combustible metal fires only. Since lithium-ion batteries aren’t made with metallic lithium, a Class D dry powder extinguisher would not be effective.

So, what kind of fire extinguisher should you use in this scenario? Lithium-ion batteries are considered a Class B fire, so a standard ABC or BC dry chemical fire extinguisher should be used. Class B is the classification given to flammable liquids. Lithium-ion batteries contain liquid electrolytes that provide a conductive pathway, so the batteries receive a B fire classification.