LiPo Fire Prevention Invention

[Boyntonstu]

[youtube]d3rmz8V_SKA[/youtube]

This stuff works great,

It inspired this concept for charging and storing your LiPo's on or off your bike.

Fabricate a pouch to surround the batteries using a fire blanket good enough to contain a LiPo fire for about 5 seconds.

Use draw strings to form a pouch and capture the fire extinguisher nozzle entering the chamber.

A much smaller cylinder than in the video seems feasible.

Devise a temperature controlled valve that will open should the internal pouch temperature exceed 100*C.

When the valve opens, the pouch will be flooded with the agent and the fire should be extinguished within a few seconds.

See how well it works in an open area and imagine how well it would work inside a pouch.

It may even prevent a fire.

Consider it a LiPo sprinkler system. It could save your house.

Possible?

 

[Hillhater]

What is the extinguisher material ?....some liquid ?

 

[liveforphysics]

That's kinda a sham test. A box of weak 18650s may go out on its own without continuing to propagate.

 

[Ykick]

Seriously, and lets not forget the definition of can cells? There's a steel can around them.

 

[Drunkskunk]

that's just one type of lipo fire; Thermal run away. After they disconnected the ignition source, they didn't have any more fire. However, In a fire where you continued to have an ignition source, all that white smoke you see would continue to burn. Have some sparking wires, and you would continue to have flame.

That was one cell. the text in the video says it took 2 liters to put it out. For CO2, that's about 1.5kg (3.3lbs) of retardant per cell. Or 120 liters (32 gallons), 60KG (132lbs) of retardant for a 40 cell pack. That doesn't include the weight of the high pressure tank to carry it in.

Sure, your idea might function. I don't think it would be worth the trouble.

 

[dogman dan]

My plan is a flat blade shovel, and the door is right next to the fireplace. Flip that thing out the door. It's already inside an ammo can, but with the top open. The can just to contain the fire up, so I can shovel it without a 10' handle shovel. Up is towards the fireplace flue, but I still want it out the door asap.

Once that shit is outside, I have fire extinguishers to deal with the rest of the fire. No way I charge anything and leave the house, or sleep.

From what I see, your stuff is zip tied to the bike, with some stiff protectors on it.

 

[Boyntonstu]

My plan is a flat blade shovel, and the door is right next to the fireplace. Flip that thing out the door. It's already inside an ammo can, but with the top open. The can just to contain the fire up, so I can shovel it without a 10' handle shovel. Up is towards the fireplace flue, but I still want it out the door asap.

Once that shit is outside, I have fire extinguishers to deal with the rest of the fire. No way I charge anything and leave the house, or sleep.

From what I see, your stuff is zip tied to the bike, with some stiff protectors on it.

My batteries never leave the bike.

In the video about 90% of the fire extinguishing liquid is wasted.

If contained in a fire retarding pouch surrounding the batteries, and triggered at 100*C, the flooded pouch should prevent a fire.

No way would I keep a battery that was exposed to 100*C.

I don't think that I am capable of heaving my bike out the door. lol

 

[Punx0r]

Preventing a fire in the first place by using high-quality cells in a well designed pack is better than trying to manage a fire from a bad one.

 

[docw009]

I saw a youtube video where they lined a box with 1/2" drywall for a charging station. They tested it and it seemed to work on a small battery.

I was going to line some tool boxes I have with drywall, but it occurred to me that 8" cinder blocks would work for my batteries. I could use them as legs for a low table in my garage too. Will have to check at Home Depot. $1.25/block.

 

[dogman dan]

Better approach than a wood table covered with last weeks newspapers, next to the can of gas and the spray paint.

the reason I want to heave it out the door, is to limit the smoke damage to $1000, vs $10,000.

I'm not saying the fire is likely,, just that I'm ready for one.

FWIW,, in the vid you clearly see the battery fire continues after he hoses it down with a few gallons of water. And, that's a teeny tiny lipo fire.

What we are talking about is this fire.

 

[Boyntonstu]

In my OP video, 90% of the stuff is wasted.

If the battery was placed in a fish tank (pouch) and he sprayed the stuff into the tank, the battery would be fully immersed in the stuff.

I doubt that any fire would occur if a 100*C temperature triggered the event..

 

[Drunkskunk]

I doubt that any fire would occur if a 100*C temperature triggered the event..

Well, sounds like you have a valid hypothesis. Time for you to set up an experiment and see if it works.

 

[Boyntonstu]

I doubt that any fire would occur if a 100*C temperature triggered the event..

Well, sounds like you have a valid hypothesis. Time for you to set up an experiment and see if it works.

Do you know of other fire extinguishers that will put out a LiPo fire?

A good test would be to puncture a LiPo with a nail and drop it into a tank of the stuff.

 

[dogman dan]

Doesn't a venting lithium battery vent hydrogen gas? Or is it just the solvent that is so flammable?

Enough sand to completely smother it seems to be the best. Halogen would do er, but that's illegal now.

Not sure about anything liquid on a big pack. one cell going off,, hey, lets short out the whole pack and make it better.

Liquid nitrogen would do er. That would cool it right down.

 

[Boyntonstu]

Doesn't a venting lithium battery vent hydrogen gas? Or is it just the solvent that is so flammable?

Enough sand to completely smother it seems to be the best. Halogen would do er, but that's illegal now.

Not sure about anything liquid on a big pack. one cell going off,, hey, lets short out the whole pack and make it better.

Liquid nitrogen would do er. That would cool it right down.

Not to be carried. Remember the guys with extinguishers standing by when they fired up prop planes in case of a fire?

This standby idea is for charging and storage only.


Another thought is to uses baby diaper material and water under pressure. It saves home from forest fires.

http://firegel.com/

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB105632614488443300

 

[Hillhater]

Does anyone know exactly what was the liquid used in that extinguisher ?
Some magic new space age thermo retardant shit ?...or just water with hope and pray additives ?

 

[Boyntonstu]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pendent-Sid...009933?hash=item1eaa68bdcd:g:L7cAAOSwuYVWoka9

A garden hose and one of these mounted close and over your LiPo's may protect your house.

A 5 gallon water jug might be even better,