Lithium-Ion Battery Safety
DISCLAIMER: This document is provided for general information purposes only and should not be relied upon as providing any advice or guidance to the recipient, whether as to the practices described in the document or the applicable legal requirements and regulations. Electric Bike Technology, Inc. expressly disclaims any responsibility for liability arising from or related to the use or misuse of any information in this document.
The following can help to alleviate any risks associated with handling lithium-ion batteries. To minimize the risk of fire, explosion, or personal injury, please follow these guidelines or click here to read and/or print these guidelines.
▶ ALWAYS follow the manufacturer’s instructions for charging and storage. Only use the original manufacturer’s battery, cord, and power equipment to charge the lithium-ion battery.
▶ ALWAYS plug the lithium-ion battery directly into a wall outlet. NEVER use power strips or extension cords to charge your lithium-ion batteries. DO NOT stack or cluster the lithium-ion batteries together while charging or storing. Charging multiple batteries with inadequate electrical support is a major safety hazard.
▶ ALWAYS charge the lithium-ion battery at room temperature. If the battery is still warm from usage, allow time for the battery to cool before charging. DO NOT charge the lithium-ion battery at temperatures below 32°F (0°C) or above 105°F (40°C).
– After riding in cold weather, bring the battery indoors to warm up for two hours at room temperature before charging.
▶ ALWAYS store your lithium-ion battery in a well-ventilated area that has a fire detection system. Avoid excessive sun exposure, water, humidity, and/or condensation. Keep the lithium-ion battery away from any heat source or anything flammable materials, such as paper, under or on a pillow, bed, or couch.
▶ ALWAYS monitor the battery and charger when charging; NEVER leave it unattended or overnight. Do not keep charging the lithium-ion battery after it is fully charged.*
▶ DO NOT use the battery or charger if your battery has been damaged, punctured, burned, been smoking, or has been on fire. Inspect the battery and charger before and after each use.
▶ NEVER block your exit from your home or a room with a charging lithium-ion battery. Always make sure that there’s a safe way to exit your home in the event that there’s an issue with a lithium-ion battery.
▶ NEVER try to modify or service your e-bike and/or trike’s battery system. Batteries are part of a larger system with the e-bike and/or trike. It’s not just the battery but also the sensors, motor, controller, and other components. Altering a component within the system can impact the safety of the system, which can result in severe injury and/or death.
▶ NEVER use a battery if it shows signs of physical or mechanical damage such as a change of shape, discoloration of the battery’s shell, leaking, odor, a sign of corrosion, odd noises, loose or damaged wires, and/or known conditions of use or misuse.
▶ NEVER place a lithium-ion battery in the trash or in a recycling bin; it is illegal. DO NOT put discarded batteries into piles. To properly dispose of lithium-ion batteries, take them to a battery recycling location or contact your local waste management service provider for disposal instructions.
TRANSPORT
▶ When transporting your electric bike and/or trike's battery, it SHOULD NOT be left on the bike and/or trike. The battery must be removed and placed inside your vehicle. It’s also important not to leave the battery inside a hot vehicle. These temperatures and weather conditions can result in poor charging ability and possibly cause a fire, explosion, injury, or death.
FIRES AND EMERGENCIES
▶ Fire Extinguishers do not work on lithium-ion batteries fires. If you observe a lithium-ion battery fire, leave the area, CLOSE the door, and CALL 911 immediately.
▶ Damaged or unstable batteries and improper charging, storage, or disposal can cause the batteries to overheat, leading to an explosive, aggressive fire that spreads rapidly, can reignite, and is challenging to extinguish.
▶ Lithium-Ion battery fires are very dangerous. Water may not prevent a battery from burning and spreading. Battery cells are known to explode and quickly spread to another battery. It can spread to other devices.
▶ These batteries may continue to generate heat even when there is no visible sign of fire. Once the heat reaches a certain level, fire may reignite on the battery and surrounding area.
▶ Reignition of lithium-ion batteries are common. Lithium-Ion batteries are known to unexpectedly reignite (without warning) minutes, hours, and even days after all visible fire has been put out.
▶ Lithium-Ion batteries can enter an uncontrollable, self-heating state. This can result in the release of gas, cause fire, and possibly explosion.
*UNLESS you are doing a battery balancing, you still must monitor the charging process for those additional hours.