On a solar installation with Multiplus 48/5000 and 12 kw lithium battery, I would like to secure my installation which is located in the basement of my house.
Just above the multiplus and the battery a smoke and temperature sensor is connected to a Vanderbilt SPS fire alarm system.
To date I only have one information (alarm, sms) in case of a problem.
I would like to connect a fire extinguisher automatically or manually.
Do you have any advice on the appropriate AVD extinguisher (Aqueous Vermiculite Dispersion)?
Hi Michael, have a read of the link below but having them housed in a fireproof cabinet or box is one recommendation and a water extinguisher. (Fighting lithium battery fires)
and some Lithium Ion Battery Extinguishers - Fire Safety - AVD Fire
Are your batteries LiFePO4 (LFP) chemistry, or something else (e.g.NMC, NCO)?
LFP are much less prone to fires than the other “lithium-ion” batteries, which are what is used in most portable appliances and EVs and have caused quite a lot of fires, some of them fatal.
AFAIK there have been very few (maybe no?) fires caused by LFP batteries, and no special fire precautions are needed for them.
I have seen the aftermath of a few installation fires.
The first step to preventing total disaster is good installation.
The cells themsleves had no fires. But were damaged by fire.
Where the fire and smoke came from wiring, bms, electronics and plastic housings.etc.
What kept the fire going was the sheer amount heat and from stored energy in the battery/cells. Ultimatey if there is a fire two methods need to be used.
A way to stop energy moving (so disconnects emergency stop etc).
It is one of the resons why i don’t like daisy chain or series batteries as they can feed into one another and continue making problems even if the rest if the system is disconnected.
A way to cool down and extinguish what has already started.
Absolutely – but that’s true of all electrical installations with large battery banks (including lead-acid), isn’t it? Proper installation and fault protection is essential in anything which is high-power/current/energy, if something goes wrong things like cables/equipment can easily catch fire.
My point was that there’s no special extra worry/precautions needed with LFP batteries on top of this, unlike other “lithium-ion” chemistries like NMC and NCO – which are the ones responsible for “lithium battery” fires, including multiple fatal ones, because they burn very hot and fast, and are very difficult to extinguish because they release oxygen.
There is pretty much nothing you can do once that is happening no.
Well there is but as a homeowner it is a bit ridiculous.
Even throwing the battery in a swimming pool (because thats possible when it is on fire ) it takes a while for things to calm down.
That being said I do agree with your viewpoint most new actual lifepo4 cells on the market just vent and that’s the end of it. So a bit of a hazard there to remember, not that anything from an electrical fire is good to breathe in any case.
) it takes a while for things to calm down.