You have to tread carefully when you purchase large batteries for your home solar, UPS, or other personal equipment. Some of these energy storage systems contain a liquid electrolyte, and can catch fire if they overheat. There’s news of lithium-ion batteries in trouble again in Australia. We decided investigate, and relay what we found.
Which Lithium-Ion Batteries Are In Trouble This Time?
The troubled lithium-ion battery manufacturer founded in Korea in 1992, although it rebranded itself in 2020. It is one of the largest battery makers worldwide, alongside CATL, Panasonic, SK Innovation, and Samsung SDI according to Wikipedia.
Large manufacturing volumes increase the likelihood of defects slipping through quality control systems. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) published a proposed compulsory battery recall notice on February 5, 2024. This is
similar to an earlier one we link to below.
A grab sample of the batteries in the ACCC provisional notice indicates the offending items are probably all lithium-ion technology. The Commission’s concerns include the following issues:
- The home energy storage solar power batteries ‘are at risk of overheating’.
- Incidents involving these batteries ‘have led to significant property damage’
The ACCC has scheduled a conference with affected suppliers with interests in the matter for February 20, 2024. This meeting will influence the Commission’s decision whether to proceed with the recall or not.
I Have One Of Those Batteries, What Must I Do?
Mirage Business website advises there have been 13 incidents of property damage across Australia involving the subject batteries. The ACCC recommends homeowners with solar batteries proceed as follows:
- Check if you have installed a listed battery in the notice. If you have one, disconnect it immediately.
- Check any other storage batteries in your home. Disconnect them if you consider they are overheating, and contact the supplier.
The probability of a lithium battery fire is extremely low. However, these fires are difficult to extinguish, and require specialist skills and equipment beyond the reach the of average homeowner.
More Information
LG Solar Battery Recall in Australia
Gel Lead-Acid Batteries And Solar Panels
