Updated Guidance on eBikes / Scooter charging

[dna]

London Fire brigade has posted this advice for us eBike owners

New record high of e-bike and e-scooter fires in London

By the end of August, crews had fought 104 e-bike fires along with 19 e-scooter blazes

www.london-fire.gov.uk

 

[scotjimland]

• Converting pedal bikes into e-bikes using DIY kits bought online can be very dangerous. They pose a higher risk of fire. Get a professional to carry out the conversion and make sure to buy a battery from a reputable seller and that it is not second-hand.

“Without urgent research into the causes of these battery fires and proper regulation that will help prevent people unknowingly purchasing dangerous products from online marketplaces, such as batteries and conversion kits, we fear we will continue seeing a high level of these types of fires in London.” 

there are many good DIY e-bike conversion kits available from reputable retailers .. using the same Panasonic batteries as used by "reputable" companies ..

as they say themselves, .. they need urgent research .. not just a blanket statement condemning all DIY kits..

 

[suavecarve]

That's one fire every 3 days and 1 in 40 chance of it being fatal in London.

Considering how many batteries there are in London's population of 10 millionish that is a very small percentage.

The coroner didn't have much choice but to ask for further safety measures.

Not all ebatteries are dodgy

 

[CAB96]

Domestic fires have been steadily decreasing due to the reduction in smoking.

Fatalities in domestic fires are also very rare.

These numbers are pretty significant.

 

[Guigsy]

Lots of cities are now crawling in food delivery cyclists. They aren't well paid, but they earn more the faster they go. So there's lots of incentive for them to hack-fit the cheapest conversion kits they can. So these kits aren't that well made, probably not that well fitted, and abused to hell in all weathers every day, only to be recharged with a dodgy charger ready for the next day. It's not surprising that the cells go poof occasionally... With bad consequences.

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[Brains]

No matter how good the manufacturer and battery, I'd be inclined to charge them in a place where a fire would only be a crisis rather than a disaster.

We even charge our mobile phones and tools in the scullery, where there is little to burn and a fire would only do damage and not engulf the house.

 

[dna]

No matter how good the manufacturer and battery, I'd be inclined to charge them in a place where a fire would only be a crisis rather than a disaster.

We even charge our mobile phones and tools in the scullery, where there is little to burn and a fire would only do damage and not engulf the house

I normally charge my bike outside both at home and when away in the motorhome. I also thought folks may want to reconsider storing ebikes in a van (especially the folding bikes lots of van lifers have).

There is always a risk in everything we do but are bargain folding ebikes a bit too risky to keep under your bed?

 

[scotjimland]

There is always a risk in everything we do but are bargain folding ebikes a bit too risky to keep under your bed?

they are only a 'risk' when being charged.. not stored, so I don't know a reason why not, but no doubt someone will have a different answer

 

[68c]

Can happen at any time, charging, riding, storing. But I think a very low risk especially when storing. I do charge mine inside the van but never leave it unatended while charging. I do carry a fire blanket for hob fires although, to be fair, I often forget I have one other than when cleaning out cupboards. I will now look at charging while lying the battery on the blanket as it may give me a better chance of picking it up onfire to throw out of the window. (Will throw less than six metres!)

 

[cyberyacht]

I fitted an additional socket in the moho garage to enable charging although I haven't had occasion to use it yet. I generally charge them whilst stood outside the van or, at home, in the garage.

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[Riverbankannie]

I often forget I have one other than when cleaning out cupboards.

Get it hung up in a visible and grab-able place!

 

[tacr2man]

posted this in another thread about evs but relevant to this one as well