Skateboards, cell phones, computers and more – what signs can herald a serious battery failure

The fire in Recoleta, in which Three boys, a teenager and a woman diedwas caused by the malfunction of the lithium battery of a electric skateboard.

The prosecutor Sebastiano FedulloHead of the investigation, said Friday that “there may be several causes” that explain the reaction of the batteries, but explained that “there was no explosion” and pointed out that “sometimes an effect is generated as if it were a Bengalwhich produces a flame that then spreads “.

When asked about the possible reasons for the episode, the prosecutor said it is related to sudden exothermic reaction of lithium batteriesbelonging to an electric “skateboard scooter”.

The hypotheses are various.: overload or excessive discharges, shocks on the cells or exposure to heat sources, the thermal potential of which is transmitted to the elements suitable for combustion.

What are lithium batteries

to exist different types of lithium batteries. The most common are non-rechargeable ones, such as those we can use for remote control batteries or those in the shape of coins (CR2032for example) and rechargeablelike the ones we can have on our mobile.

The latter, known as lithium ion batteries, are devices with different energy cells that store electrical energy. And this type of battery is what caused the Recoleta fire.

What signs can anticipate the failure of a lithium battery

First of all, you need to understand it these failures are rare. “Batteries generally give signals. Unless it comes out of a factory fault or takes a hit, it is very difficult for it to explode out of nowhere “explained the electronic engineer Michele Aguirrein dialogue with the radio Urban game.

“One indication is that it overheats, which is noticeable to the touch. It is important that it does not get too hot. If it swells, it also means it needs a change. And another tip is that take longer to load or run out of battery after a short period of use the device. The manuals say its use should be stopped and changed when these symptoms appear, “she added.

On the other hand, the expert clarified that “the batteries used for electric traction “ require additional care than smaller devices, because “it moves a motorcycle, bicycle or skateboard for two or three hours in a city it takes a lot more energy“.

And he closed: “You have to check that they do not heat up during charging, that they do not swell and be careful if they do not last long. And always use chargers of the corresponding brand. If in doubt, consult a technical service “.

What devices use lithium batteries

Among the most common devices that use these batteries are, first of all, the mobile phone. The world learned of the potential problems with these batteries in 2016, when Samsung had to recall 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 phones, at the time top of the range, after the units had a tendency to suddenly explode and catch fire. They have become banned on commercial flights.

But phones aren’t the only electronics that use lithium batteries. Today we are surrounded after all, of this chemical component.

notebooks

Laptops are the second most commonly exposed device, due to the amount of use they undergo. usually give and for its portability.

smartwatch

Smartwatches are also powered by lithium batteries. Because of the position they are in, that is Doll, they can be a problem that poses a health risk.

video game controls

The “joysticks”, as they say in the jargon, of video games, be they Xbox, Nintendo or Playstation, use lithium or alkaline batteries.

The Xbox ones, for example, use common batteries, so it’s less common for them to be exposed to these accidents. But those of Playstation and Nintendo Switch have rechargeable batteries.

ereader

The electronic readers They also use this technology. With much longer lifetimes than other devices, they use lithium to function properly.

tablets

Like cell phones, tablets use lithium batteries. For this reason, attention must be paid to its size (which does not swell), since the temperature tends to increase with useEspecially if you play video games.

Bluetooth headphones

Many brands of bluetooth earphones and headphones They use lithium-ion batteries.

computer peripherals

Headsets, microphones, mice and keyboards are now often connected wirelessly. This means they have to use lithium batteries in order to function.

Skateboards and electric bicycles

This was the case that triggered the situation in Recoleta.

Therefore, all these devices are exposed, to a greater or lesser extent, to the danger of exploding. It happens that combustible components, separated by extremely thin walls, increases your chances of overheating and this can lead to an accident.

The safety of the device depends on the quality of construction of these walls: if they do not work well they can generate chemical reactions that generate a fire.

For all of these reasons, while it may happen as seen this week, it is an atypical event.

SL