How borrowing a charger could cause a lithium-ion battery fire

In Grand Traverse County, Michigan, the Traverse City Fire Department is taking a proactive approach to Fire Prevention Month by educating students about the dangers associated with lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from phones and tablets to e-bikes and hoverboards. Risk of a lithium-ion battery fire can be easily reduced with proper charging habits.

Fire Inspector Jacob Steichen is visiting classrooms across the region to teach how small mistakes in charging or maintenance can lead to serious fires. According to Steichen, “Over time or misuse of these battery-powered devices create an increased vulnerability for thermal runaway in part or all of the battery itself.”

Thermal runaway, he explains, is “the battery’s inability to cool itself down… once it hits that thermal runaway, it actually creates a little explosion and the entire battery itself, and the device will eventually erupt into flames.”

To reduce the risk, Steichen urges users to always use the original or compatible listed charger, avoid swapping cables between devices of different sizes, and charge electronics on hard, nonflammable surfaces with at least three feet of clearance. Improper charging and aging batteries are both risk factors, as “the charging time increases, the battery capacity decreases” over time—an early warning sign that something may be wrong.

Students have been highly receptive to the lessons, and Steichen hopes they’ll take the message home: “We can prevent these fires if we just are a little bit more mindful on how we’re charging them and how we go about our business while using them.”

The department also reminds residents to properly dispose of old lithium-ion batteries through approved local programs. Read the full article here.