{How to} Safe storage of Li-Ion Batteries?

[cave dave]

A question about Li-Ions from AW: In which aspect of security do they differ from cheap chinese cells? They are mechanically protected against exploding or catching fire too?

The short answer is quality components and a manufacture who actually gives a damn. See my sigline also.

Also search threads by member "newbie"

 

[CandleFranky]

It's not about the "China". Let's not make this a China thread, there are plenty of those. You can get any quality you are willing to pay for from China. However many companies don't want to pay for quality, China is more than willing to fulfill this need.

Yes, AW comes from China too (and Dereelight, Fenix, ...) and the qualtity seems to be excellent. Are they mechanically protected against exploding or catching fire too?

 

[cave dave]

Are they mechanically protected against exploding or catching fire too?

Well yes and no. You got it right in your first post. All LiIons are potentially dangerous. Quality manufacturing and components make a safer battery. Like quality brake pads make your car safer.

90% of your questions can be answered by reading this site
http://batteryuniversity.com/index.htm

One of the many gems from batteryuniversity:

..If, however, a defect is inherent to the electrochemical cell, such as in contamination caused by microscopic metal particles, this anomaly will go undetected. Nor can the safety circuit stop the disintegration once the cell is in thermal runaway mode. Nothing can stop it once triggered...

 

[Jay T]

AW seems Chinese made too. :thinking:

I don't see why this would be so confusing. In China there are fully modern battery factories that use modern up to date quality control equipment. Also in China there are also some very backward factories using old equipment held together with duct tape that have no idea what quality control is, and of course there is also everything in between.

When one buys the cheapest cells available from some ebay seller where do you think they were sourced from? You might get lucky or you might not.

AW cells are recommended here because he has put some effort in weeding out the lower quality cells. He cherry picks the manufacture for his cells.

 

[CandleFranky]

AW cells are recommended here because he has put some effort in weeding out the lower quality cells. He cherry picks the manufacture for his cells.

It seems that AW has a very good reputation and I have not found any cases of exploding AW batteries, although they are used heavily by powerusers in this forum. :thumbsup:
While Batterystation and others seems to be real dynamite.

 

[KeyGrip]

Battery Station has changed manufacturers and are now selling cells labeled "Made in the USA" Time will tell if this move leads to an increase in quality and reliability.

 

[CandleFranky]

Battery Station has changed manufacturers and are now selling cells labeled "Made in the USA" Time will tell if this move leads to an increase in quality and reliability.

I've thought they have only changed the color. But it seems the price has doubled, which might be a sign for better quality.

 

[DM51]

This thread is going off topic.

The topic is the safe storage of Li-Ion batteries, not their brands or the countries in which they are manufactured.

 

[CandleFranky]

This thread is going off topic.

Thank you for your advice. Perhaps you can answer a topic-related question: What about having a flashlight with a Li-Ion cell in the car - in summer, where it sometimes gets VERY hot. Are there some real world experiences in this forum?

 

[Mr Happy]

Thank you for your advice. Perhaps you can answer a topic-related question: What about having a flashlight with a Li-Ion cell in the car - in summer, where it sometimes gets VERY hot. Are there some real world experiences in this forum?

Not of that specific example. However, laptop battery packs mostly contain lithium ion cells like the 18650 and there are millions of laptops out there going through all sorts of abuse every day (stored in hot car trunks, placed on constant charge, stored for months with no power, and so on). Yet the only problems reported with them seem to involve faulty manufacture of the packs. So I would say that Li-ion cells are fairly stable and if stored sensibly are unlikely to be any more unstable than other kinds of battery.

With newer cells that have increasing energy density and decreasing internal resistance, the biggest danger is to short them out. Just be very careful not to do that.

 

[CandleFranky]

Not of that specific example. However, laptop battery packs mostly contain lithium ion cells like the 18650 and there are millions of laptops out there going through all sorts of abuse every day (stored in hot car trunks, placed on constant charge, stored for months with no power, and so on).

That is right, from now on, I will try to think positive.
But think about lots of exploding mobile phones ...

With newer cells that have increasing energy density and decreasing internal resistance, the biggest danger is to short them out. Just be very careful not to do that.

How should anyone short-circuit a battery. Perhaps storing in a metal container?

 

[Mr Happy]

But think about lots of exploding mobile phones ...

Have there been any? I haven't heard of that.

How should anyone short-circuit a battery. Perhaps storing in a metal container?

With laptop battery packs it was loose metal parts inside that moved around and made a short. With metal flashlights, maybe something similar could happen?

 

[CandleFranky]

Have there been any? I haven't heard of that.

Read this, for example.

 

[Mr Happy]

Read this, for example.

OK, thanks, that was new information to me.

I picked out the following quotes from one article:

"But now the Belgian consumer watchdog Test-Aankoop claims that some Nokia batteries (in particular the Nokia BML-3, BMC-3 and BLC-2) are also unprotected against short-circuiting.

But Nokia says these claims are "false". All Nokia batteries are designed and manufactured adhering to stringent safety and quality measures, including short circuit protection, Nokia said in a statement notably short of detail."

There we are, short circuiting again. Safe application of Li-ion cells always involves over current and short circuit protection. A bare Li-ion cell without such protection (or with inadequate protection) should be considered potentially dangerous.

 

[cave dave]

I wouldn't recommend LiIon for car storage unless you use the light a lot. I can't comment on the danger. But the extreme temperatures will most certainly lower the lifespan of your batteries. I store an AA headlamp and a single cell primary CR123 light in my car. One battery in the light. The light is locked out and 2 extra cells in a plastic orange matchbox. It would be safer not to store the battery in the light, but I don't want to fumble with loading a battery in an emergancy.

Single cell CR123 lights are safer.

 

[Mr Happy]

I wouldn't recommend LiIon for car storage unless you use the light a lot.

That's true. I think primary batteries are the better choice for emergency lights that are rarely used and have to be relied upon when they are. Rechargeable batteries of all kinds are best kept for regularly used lights that are often checked.

 

[ltiu]

I keep L91 and CR123A lithium primary in my lights in storage.

I keep spares (in their original packaging) in an Army Surplus Ammo Can.