- Safebatterycharging.com
- Gansoord 80, 2165 BD Lisserbroek
- +31(0)252 420 384
- sales@lo-minck.nl
© 2024 Lo Minck Group - All rights reserved
Safebatterycharging.com is part of Lo Minck Mobility B.V.
Safe Battery Charging
Electric bikes are becoming increasingly popular among both the young and old! Although electric bikes make cycling much more comfortable, spontaneously combusting bike batteries are increasingly causing problems. Fire Service Netherlands, the Salvage Foundation, and insurers report that there are approximately 8-10 battery fires weekly. These are only the incidents that are reported. There are plenty of battery fire incidents where the fire department is not involved.
A bike battery is made up of multiple cells, usually lithium-ion cells. Lithium-ion cells are known for their high energy density and long lifespan, but are at the same time sensitive to being discharged too deeply and charged too much. Although a bike battery is equipped with a battery management system, which is supposed to prevent deep discharging and overcharging, this system can fail due to vibrations or the bike falling. This can result in dangerous situations.
The cells in a bike battery are also not resistant to high temperatures, which can cause the separator in the cell to melt. The separator is a membrane that separates the cathode (positive) and anode (negative) of the battery. If the separator melts, this will lead to an internal short circuit.
The charging cells in a bike battery contain chemicals that include lithium. These chemicals are unstable and can decompose easily. The decomposition process can be initiated in several ways:
During the decomposition of these chemical substances, many dangerous gases (including hydrogen fluoride, lithium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid) are released, which are harmful to humans and the environment.
A lithium-ion fire is not a metal fire but a chemical decomposition reaction that releases a lot of energy. This results in a significant amount of heat, which further spreads the decomposition reaction within the cell and can also trigger the decomposition reaction in adjacent cells. This is also known as a ‘’thermal runaway’’. During a thermal runaway, the pressure and temperature in the cell rise significantly, causing the cell to burst open and eject burning fragments. This can lead to a rapid spread of fire. The peak temperature can reach up to 1,200 degrees Celsius. A battery often contains more than 40 cells, which together hold so much energy that they are almost impossible to extinguish. It can even take several days for the decomposition reaction to stop. The decomposition reaction can also resume later. Example: A lithium-ion battery started smoking and generating heat again three weeks after it had been on fire.
A bicycle battery fire is unpredictable. If a battery is damaged or has a manufacturing defect, this is often not visible from the outside. Therefore, it is impossible to predict when a decomposition reaction of the chemical substances in the battery will start.
Due to the many problems with bicycle batteries and the increasing fire damage they cause, the VDMA guidelines have been established. These guidelines set fire safety requirements for indoor charging cabinets where bicycle batteries are charged. The VDMA guidelines were published in August 2024 and are expected to be gradually implemented in the course of 2025. The goal is for the VDMA guidelines to eventually be accepted and enforced as a European standard. For the indoor storage and charging of bicycle batteries, insurance companies will increasingly require that charging cabinets comply with the VDMA guidelines. These policy conditions initially apply to locations where a relatively large number of bicycle batteries are stored, such as bike shops, delivery services, contractors, rental companies, and gardeners. However, it is expected that VDMA cabinets will eventually become a standard requirement for indoor battery storage.
Lo Minck Mobility offers a high-quality range of charging cabinets for bicycle batteries, suitable for both small-scale and large-scale/professional charging situations.
We understand the crucial need for safety when charging bicycle batteries. Our range of product solutions is specifically designed to meet this need. From the advanced BatteryBox, which not only effectively contain fires but also ensure the removal of toxic gases, to custom storage solutions such as the BatteryChargingLocker that offer both flexibility and safety in professional environments such as bike shops and schools.
The BatteryChargingLocker is a compact, stainless steel cabinet in which bicycle batteries are charged and/or stored in individual compartments.
The BatteryChargingLocker can both indoors and outdoors Are placed and is easily accessible to everyone with the PIN code lock. Although the charging locker definitely has fire-reducing properties due to the compartmentalization and modular configuration, it is not a fire safety cabinet and therefore not VDMA Guidelines.
The BatteryBox is a patented and VDMA-certified fire safety box that effectively contains battery fires and ensures the safety of users and their surroundings. The BatteryBox was developed based on years of research, contains the fire, and ensures that the toxic and corrosive smoke gases are vented. The BatteryBox is geschikt voor het opladen van maximaal 2.000Wh. de BatteryBoxXL zelfs tot 3.700Wh. een gemiddelde fietsaccu heeft een vermogen van circa 500Wh.
The charger and the battery are separated from each other.
BatteryBox offers a fire-safe indoor solution for professional users and/or situations where relatively large quantities of batteries are charged simultaneously, such as in bike shops, (food) delivery services, schools, etc.
Then feel free to contact us!
English 
Nederlands 
Deutsch