Why lithium-ion batteries fail — and the gadgets I rely on to protect myself

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• Lithium-ion batteries are now one of the leading causes of fires.
• Damaged, misused, and low-quality batteries are the most common culprits.
• Knowing what to do can make all the difference in a fire.

Today, we are rarely far from a device that contains a rechargeable battery. Phones, tablets, laptops, not to mention e-bikes and portable power stations, are everywhere. You have batteries in the car, wear on your finger devices, and sleep with the technology next to your bed.

Most of the time, batteries do what they’re supposed to do — and do it safely. That’s why they have become the most popular way to power our mobile devices.

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But the sheer volume of batteries in use, along with the proliferation of cheap, poor-quality devices, means lithium-ion battery fires are on the rise. This is especially so as natural temperatures rise in the summer.

How big is the problem?

It’s really bad.

Here in the UK, fire departments have to deal with one lithium-ion battery fire every five hours, totaling 1,760 fires by 2025 — a figure that has risen by 147% in the last three years, and is still rising. In the US, lithium-ion batteries have caused about 25,000 incidents of fire or overheating in the past five years, from domestic incidents to fires at waste processing plants and large lithium-ion battery energy storage facilities.

Fires are also becoming a problem on airplanes, with the FAA reporting about 2 lithium-ion battery fires a week.

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And this number does not include flight disruptions, such as when passengers place prohibited items, such as power banks, in checked baggage (all items with a rechargeable battery must be in carry-on baggage).

Where is the problem?

Anything with a lithium battery can be a problem, including power banks, laptops, smartphones, portable speakers, electric toothbrushes, toys, e-scooters, e-bikes, EVs, and vapes. If the device has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, there is a risk of thermal runaway.

But some devices are more dangerous than others.

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E-bikes and e-scooters are the leading cause of fires in cities like New York, where they caused hundreds of fires last year, some of which resulted in deaths. In the UK last year, e-bike fires accounted for almost a third of all lithium-ion battery fires; bikes with a rebuilt motor and power pack were more dangerous than factory bikes.

Vapes are also a big problem, so much so that they are on the radar of insurance companies and regulators.

How do lithium-ion batteries fail?

The problem is thermal runaway, where the battery heats up faster than it cools down. This process starts a chain reaction that causes more heat, leading to smoke, fire, or even explosion.

Thermal runaway can happen for several reasons:

• Physical damage to the battery, such as puncture or crushing
• Overcharging
• Short cycles
• Exposure to very high temperatures
• Manufacturing defects
• Use of incompatible or damaged chargers or cables

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The battery will sometimes let you know that things are going wrong:

• The battery or device is abnormally hot.
• There are signs of inflammation or rash.
• There is an acrid chemical or sometimes sweet smell coming from the device.
• You may hear wheezing, screeching, or popping sounds.
• You may see smoke or vapor.

Are my batteries at risk?

It is difficult to make a definite statement about each rechargeable battery. However, I’ve been around a lot of rechargeable batteries and seen them fail both by accident and on purpose (putting a nail or screwdriver through a lithium-ion battery will make the best battery go bad), so I have a good idea of ​​the dangers.

The biggest dangers come from the following batteries:

• Damaged batteries (for example, from phones, power banks, or discarded vapes).
• Batteries that have been pushed hard and overheated (like the batteries you find in e-bikes and e-scooters, or abused power banks).
• Batteries are left charged for a long time (things like vapes are left charged for hours).
• Low-quality batteries (you’ll find them everywhere, but cheap power banks, budget e-bikes/e-scooters, and vapes are the worst).

Now, take those batteries, and charge them or use them, and that’s where things can — and do — go wrong.

So, do everything you can to avoid buying cheap things, dropping things that contain batteries, letting battery-powered devices overheat, and don’t leave them charging unattended for hours. And if you see a problem, do something about it quickly.

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Low-risk batteries are discarded batteries, such as a phone that sat in a closet for a year or a power tool that sat in the shed all winter. While I wouldn’t recommend leaving battery-powered devices in a closet or buried in a shed somewhere, the risk is low.

What to do when things go wrong

Although prevention is better than cure, sometimes bad things cannot be avoided and need to be dealt with.

Here’s what to do if you find that the device is overheating.

• If you are on the plane, NOTIFY A SECTION MEMBER ASAP AND GET THEIR INSTRUCTIONS.
• If you are in a car, PASS AWAY ASAP IF IT IS SAFE TO DO SO.

With those two specific scenarios out of the way, here’s my game plan for when the battery goes bad at home or at work. What matters is the safety of people, not your device.

If it is safe to do so:

• Move the device to a non-combustible surface (such as a tray) and away from buildings, vehicles, dry vegetation, and other flammable materials.
• Call emergency services if there is a fire, heavy smoke, or any danger to people or property.

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If the device smokes or burns:

• Do not pick it up with your hands, and do not try to place it in an enclosed space, such as a pocket, bag, or shelf.
• Call the emergency services.
• If possible, use a suitable fire extinguisher to extinguish any flames and cool the battery.
• If you don’t have a fire extinguisher, you can use larger amounts to help extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire, UNTIL THE DEVICE IS CONNECTED TO AC POWER.

After the fire appears to be out:

• Don’t let your guard down. A lithium-ion battery can recharge minutes, hours, or even days later.
• Leave the battery in a safe place, away from people, pets, and flammable materials.
• Contact the device manufacturer or a local waste disposal service for advice.

Need a fire extinguisher? Here’s what you can buy

The best extinguisher for lithium-ion fires and general household incidents ABC firefighter. These devices are fire extinguishers designed to handle three general classes of fire:

• Class A: Combustible materials, such as wood, paper, cloth, cardboard, and many plastics
• Class B: Flammable liquids, such as gasoline, diesel, paint, solvents and oils
• Class C: Power electronics, cables, computers, and electronics

ABC extinguishers use a dry chemical powder (monoammonium phosphate and ammonium sulfate, diluted with nitrogen gas) that covers the fuel, blocks it with air, and cools it to stop the chemical action that keeps the fire going.

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ABC fire extinguishers come in all sizes: small, bigagain designed for cars, boats and kitchens. Familiarize yourself with the instructions before you use the fire extinguisher.

ABC fire extinguishers are surprisingly good, requiring a fair amount of cleanup after an incident.

Fire blankets and battery bags

There are a few other things I recommend you keep around the home to deal with any fires you may encounter:

As always, familiarize yourself with the instructions before you use them.

Bottom line

Although lithium-ion batteries are generally safe and fires are rare, it’s always good to know what can cause batteries to malfunction and what to do if you come across a leaking battery.