LG RESU10H systems recalled

[foo1bar]

"Name of product:
LG Chem “RESU10H” Lithium-Ion Residential Energy Storage System Batteries

Hazard:
The home batteries can overheat, posing a risk of fire and emission of harmful smoke.":

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/LG-Energy-Solution-Michigan-Recalls-Home-Energy-Storage-Batteries-Due-to-Fire-Hazard-0

This recall:
The serial number of the recalled product begins with R15563P3

Previous recall:
The serial number of the recalled product begins with R15563P3SSEG

[robbyg]

LG is not having a lot of luck with that battery system.

[Mike90250]

Not just LG, Tesla too.

https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-megapack-battery-fire-burns-four-days-testing-australia-2021-8?op=1

https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/geelong-s-big-tesla-battery-fire-burns-over-weekend-20210801-p58etf

There's a learning curve ! Just like with steam boilers

Smoke billows from a fire at Victoria’s new Tesla Big Battery

TeslaMegapackFire_8-2021.jpg

[J.P.M.]

There's a learning curve ! Just like with steam boilers

Historic factoid FWIW: The A.S.M.E. was founded in 1880 but got its true sea legs and a major boost in 1905 as a result of the perceived need to develop boiler design technology and statutes with the goal of reducing the increasing number of boiler explosions occurring on as a result of rapid industrialization at that time.

Even if the will to do so existed today, I doubt such an effort could be made to deal with the upcoming surge and interest in energy storage technology.

[solardreamer]

This kind of problems will likely cause more AHJ's to require home battery systems to be located away from the home structure. It never made much sense to me why large battery systems would be installed in attached garages that can easily get very hot in many regions.

[peakbagger]

I have been involved with a Tesla commercial installation and our firm has assisted on another Tesla Commercial project and a co worker was PM for another Tesla Commercial installation. In all cases the local Fire departments were poorly educated early on in the projects and as they learn more they are far more cautious. about allowing them to be installed.

One major issue is Tesla reportedly has zero recommendations on how to make the smouldering remnants of a battery safe. The FD approach is apparently protect surrounding buildings and just flood the battery for several days until its at ambient. The problem is Tesla reportedly has no interest in being involved with the dismantling, cleanup and disposal. My guess is it goes into Hazmat barrels and shipped to some Hazmat landfill at hefty cost.

[robbyg]

This kind of problems will likely cause more AHJ's to require home battery systems to be located away from the home structure. It never made much sense to me why large battery systems would be installed in attached garages that can easily get very hot in many regions.

I honestly don't know how people sleep well at night with systems like that. One of my first criteria when designing my system was that it had to be away from my house and be enclosed in a reinforced concrete room. If my baby goes up in flames it should be contained to that one electrical room. I said "should" because you just never know with 100% certainty what will happen.

[Ampster]

I honestly don't know how people sleep well at night with systems like that...........

For several years I had a system powered by a used Nissan Leaf pack. I slept well at night because I had a robust BMS and monitoring system that reduced the risk of fire. I understand that a BMS cannot prevent or put out a fire but I was confident that if the pack was used within conservative settings the risk of a runaway module was reduced.

Two years ago, when I was considering significantly increasing the size of the pack, I switched to LFP chemistry which is inherently more safe than the Cobalt Manganese ingredients of the Nissan Leaf, LG Chem and Tesla modules and batteries.
EDIT: I still use a BMS and understand that it will just give me info about the health of my pack including temperatures of different sections of the pack. I am primarily relying on the relative safety of LFP cells compared to LMNC.

[robbyg]

For several years I had a system powered by a used Nissan Leaf pack. I slept well at night because I had a robust BMS and monitoring system that reduced the risk of fire. I understand that a BMS cannot prevent or put out a fire but I was confident that if the pack was used within conservative settings the risk of a runaway module was reduced.

Two years ago, when I was considering significantly increasing the size of the pack, I switched to LFP chemistry which is inherently more safe than the Cobalt Manganese ingredients of the Nissan Leaf, LG Chem and Tesla modules and batteries.

So long as people understand that not even a good BMS is going to save you if a cell decides to go south then I guess it's up to them. Personally I am not willing to take the chance with batteries in or next to my house or garage, not even FLP which I trust a 1000% more than LI.
Going LFP was the main reason I chose Fortress batteries over LG.

[scrambler]

What about the container inside which the battery is placed?
My 11kWh Panasonic solar battery is inside a large heavy steel box. I am wondering if that would contain the fire, or if the box would be blown to pieces...
I cant find much information on Lithium battery containers and what they can resist.

[Mike90250]

What about the container inside which the battery is placed?
My 11kWh Panasonic solar battery is inside a large heavy steel box. I am wondering if that would contain the fire, or if the box would be blown to pieces...
I cant find much information on Lithium battery containers and what they can resist.

It takes a very heavy / strong container to contain a Li battery fire. It's very hot, toxic, and you basically wait hours for it to burn out.
I doubt a GI ammo can is strong enough to resist a Li fire if it was only half full of batteries.
Fires started by lighting a Li battery on fire externally are not really battery fires. When the battery has an internal flaw, cooks for hours and then goes boom,
those are the hard to put out fires.