Battery Replacement / Sheet 03
General information. The official place to check is Fire and Rescue NSW, or your own state’s fire service.
Sheet 03 · Cell C under loadLithium battery fire safety
Charge lithium-ion batteries on a hard surface, with a smoke or heat alarm nearby, while you are awake and at home, and with a charger that suits the battery. Fire and Rescue NSW calls them the fastest growing fire risk in the state, and the advice below is theirs.
Why they catch fire
Lithium-ion batteries hold a lot of energy for their size and contain highly flammable electrolytes. Fire and Rescue NSW lists the situations that can set one off:
- overcharging, or charging equipment that does not comply
- overheating, or heat and extreme temperatures
- physical abuse: dropping, crushing, piercing or vibration
- short circuits, cell malfunctions or system faults
- defects or contamination from manufacture.
When a battery fails it can go into thermal runaway: cells burst violently, hiss and release toxic, flammable and explosive gases, and the fire sustains itself and can be hard to put out.
There is currently no requirement or standard for labelling lithium-ion batteries, so they can be hard to spot. Most carry some printing such as “lithium ion”, “Li-ion”, “Li-po” or “lithium-polymer”. If a battery is rechargeable and says “Li” or “Lithium”, Fire and Rescue NSW says you can assume it is lithium-ion.
Single-use lithium batteries need care too: in a fire they can throw out molten metal and give off toxic gases.
Buying, charging, storing, letting go
Look for the approval mark
Buy batteries and chargers from reliable makers, check for the approval mark on the product, and make sure the charger suits the device. A charger should carry the Regulatory Compliance Mark, which shows it has met the relevant Australian Standards.
Awake, on a hard surface
Charge on concrete or tiles, never on a bed, sofa or carpet. Avoid charging while you sleep or are out, and unplug once it is full. Use the charger that came with it, or certified charging equipment that is compatible with the battery: a plug that fits is not proof that a charger suits.
Cool, dry, out of the sun
Keep batteries and devices away from heat and moisture, and do not leave phones or computers in direct sunlight or in a parked car, where they heat up quickly.
Taped, to a drop-off point
Never in the household rubbish or recycling. Tape over the terminals of small, undamaged batteries and take them to a battery drop-off point. Sheet 02 has the routes.
Where the charging happens
- Fit a working smoke alarm, or a heat alarm where a smoke alarm cannot go, wherever batteries are charged or stored.
- Charge large batteries, such as those for e-scooters and power tools, in a garage, shed or carport, away from living areas and exits.
- Do not charge or store anything near an exit or along the way out, where it could block your escape.
- Keep charging devices away from blankets, clothing and paper.
- Do not use a phone, tablet or vape while it charges in bed: it can overheat if you fall asleep.
When a battery is telling you something
Fire and Rescue NSW lists these as warning signs of a damaged or failing battery or device:
- a pungent smell
- a casing that is discoloured, blistered, bulging or swollen
- leaking electrolyte
- heat: extremely hot to the touch
- popping, hissing or crackling, smoke or fumes
- cracks, dents, punctures or crushing, or a battery that has been wet or near a fire.
Never use or charge a damaged battery. Never touch a swollen or ruptured battery with bare hands: the heat or the chemicals can cause severe burns.
Do not use or charge it, and do not put it in a bin or take it to a battery collection point. Keep it outside in a well-ventilated spot, at least 3 metres from any building or anything that burns. In NSW, a leaking or damaged battery that is not hot or giving off gas can go in a clear plastic bag or container to a Community Recycling Centre or a Household Chemical CleanOut event.
Overheating, or already on fire
Fire and Rescue NSW does not recommend handling anything that is on fire. The left column is only for when it is safe to act without hurting yourself or anyone else.
| Step | A small device is overheating | Smoke or flames |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | If it is on charge, unplug it. Do not breathe the smoke or fumes. | Leave the area, closing doors behind you if it is safe, and let no one go back inside. The gases and smoke are highly toxic and flammable. |
| 2 | If you can, move it outside, away from anything that burns and from windows and doors. A small device can be dropped into a bucket of clean water to cool. | Call Triple Zero (000) and wait somewhere safe for firefighters. |
| 3 | Call Triple Zero (000) even if the smoke and flames have gone: the battery may reignite if it has not cooled enough. | If anyone was exposed to electrolyte, debris, smoke or flames, get urgent medical help. Cool burns straight away under cool running water for 20 minutes. A burn larger than a 20-cent piece needs emergency care: call Triple Zero (000). |
For a small device that is overheating, and only if it is safe to do so: a fire blanket or a dry chemical powder or carbon dioxide extinguisher may stop a fire spreading, if you are trained to use one and can stay clear of the smoke, but is unlikely to put out a lithium-ion battery fire completely.
Do it yourself, or not
Fire and Rescue NSW says repairs, servicing and installation of e-bike batteries should be done by an experienced e-bike mechanic, and that cheap, unprotected and second-hand batteries in home-built projects have caused severe fires.