like2wheel
Well-known member
I've often wondered if this was the case.
Warning drill battery chargers fires
- Thread starter Jacko264
- Start date
I've often wondered if this was the case.
scofo
Well-known member
Might be worth setting up a parts washer basin type thing that has a fusible strut on the lid as a battery charging station. Fire starts, gets hot enough to melt fuse, lid slams shut helping prevent spread. I saw a new smaller bench top one a moment ago for $90. Hell you could put water in it and rig it where the pump turns on when the lid falls. Although I dont know if the water would kill the pump just sitting there?
I like the timer idea too but I suppose the fire could start at anytime during the process.
I like the timer idea too but I suppose the fire could start at anytime during the process.
Exactly! There are SO many knock off items on Amazon its not even funny. I even recently received counterfeit Tums. They tasted weird and the packaging was different than the previous bottle, so it's definitely smart to not purchase important things like batteries and electronics from Amazon.
For that matter, you could just install a pizza oven and charge your batteries in there. If it catches fire, oh well, lol. And if it doesn't, hey, you have a pizza oven!
duneslider
Well-known member
I would be pretty skeptical that it was a real makita charger and battery. I would be skeptical of any of the big three having an issue like this honestly. However, if something was damaged it could happen. I just rarely see this sort of thing happen with quality made products.
However, that doesn't preclude safety being exercised. I too use a timer on mine. I have several of the Kasa smart plugs and I use those with my chargers. I turn it on and it automatically turns off after 2 hours. I have had great luck with the Kasa smart switches and plugs. I have all my garage/shop lights set to automatically turn off at midnight in case I forget to shut them off, or someone else turns them on and doesn't turn them off. I used to use a mechanical Christmas light timer which was fine but not as quick to use.
However, that doesn't preclude safety being exercised. I too use a timer on mine. I have several of the Kasa smart plugs and I use those with my chargers. I turn it on and it automatically turns off after 2 hours. I have had great luck with the Kasa smart switches and plugs. I have all my garage/shop lights set to automatically turn off at midnight in case I forget to shut them off, or someone else turns them on and doesn't turn them off. I used to use a mechanical Christmas light timer which was fine but not as quick to use.
niget2002
Well-known member
Just mount one of these above your charging bench.
www.elidefire.fr
Here's a similar product
ElideFire® - The Product
www.elidefire.fr
Here's a similar product
My Old Tools
Well-known member
That's a Phillips Sonicare toothbrush melted down on our bathroom counter. They all do it.
kbuhagiar
Well-known member
Amazon is not the only source of counterfeit products. They are everywhere.
Any business that deals in online commerce is susceptible.
The solution is constant vigilance, critical thinking, and that time-tested old adage about things that are too good to be true.
Just mount one of these above your charging bench.
ElideFire® - The Product
Here's a similar product
I am skeptical of any product whose command of the English language produces this paragraph:
DID YOU KNOW? 90% ORDINARY PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW AN EXTINGUISHER. DO YOU MAKE PART OF THOSE WHO FEEL IMPREGNANT WHEN A FIRE EXTINGUISHER WAS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH ACTUAL SITUATIONS?
CraigStu
Well-known member
I found this;
www.target.com
It is so cheap I will look for a better one but this gives me an option. My other timers all replaced a toggle switch and somehow this type didn't register although I have probably seen tham.
GE Indoor Mechanical Timer 24hr with 1 Outlet: Light Timer, Timer for Outlet, UL Listed, White, Indoor Use, 15 Amps
Read reviews and buy GE Indoor Mechanical Timer 24hr with 1 Outlet: Light Timer, Timer for Outlet, UL Listed, White, Indoor Use, 15 Amps at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.
www.target.com
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Ive been leary of charging batteries unattended after came into a room years ago and smelt that typical hot smell abd saw my phone charger all melted out of shape still charging away. Seeing fires caused by batteries isn't unheard of so I'd rather play it safe.
CN Spots
Well-known member
Mine stays unplugged until they're needed and unplugged as soon as it's done charging. I've never stored a battery in a charger but I DO line batteries up on a shelf... Do the batteries themselves catch fire?
jonesg
Well-known member
I never leave them(Milwaukee) unattended on the charger or even in the tool, always remove and leave batteries on a stainless steel rack.
Keep away from wood and plastic anything.
Occasionally have left them on charge but with the charger and battery on the concrete floor.
Never chg cell phone as I sleep.
Keep away from wood and plastic anything.
Occasionally have left them on charge but with the charger and battery on the concrete floor.
Never chg cell phone as I sleep.
SweetD
Well-known member
I do the same. Good question. I also heard to never leave a battery attached to a tool.
PelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Yes... they can burst into flames.
jonesg
Well-known member
and if anyone asks how , recall the last time the drill fell off the ladder.
Dropped my old cellphone and the battery swelled up to the point I couldn't get the cover back on.
PelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Apparently ... temperature has something to do with it as well. HOT drained batteries are not supposed to be charged.
jonesg
Well-known member
the milwaukees I use will not charge hot, the charger blinks until they cool down then begin charging.
b-boy
Well-known member
I had a USB phone charger do this. Luckily I was nearby when it melted. I smelled the burning plastic and yanked it. It bubbled and molten plastic dripped onto the floor. I often think about what would have happened if I wasn't right there.
racecougar
Well-known member
Yes, they absolutely can.
I store mine in a sealed electrical enclosure. I only plug the charger in when I'm physically present in the shop.
CraigStu
Well-known member
Went to HD today to look at timers. All the small ones are set up to program a time to turn on and a time to turn off. I want to twist a dial. Then I saw an intermatic twist type on sale. No idea why but $29 down to $8.
Then I bought a 2 gang blue plastic box. I will run a 2 foot 3 wire w/ a male plug on the end into the box to supply the timer. Put an outlet on the other side powered by the timer w/ a couple of jumper leads. So I made myself a little 2 outlet + timer supply cord to plug my chargers into. Figure I stick a battery in the charger, twist the timer to 45-60 minutes, and never have to worry about it again. I bought an extra timer just to have on the shelf.
Intermatic 20 Amp 60-Minute Indoor In-Wall Spring Wound Countdown Timer, White SW60MWK - The Home Depot
Offer a stunning appeal to your living space by choosing this amazing Intermatic Indoor InWall Spring Wound Countdown Timer White.
www.homedepot.com
racecougar
Well-known member
I understand that placing the charger on a timer may reduce the risk to some extent, but it isn't a sure-fire guarantee that the battery won't burst into flames thirty minutes into a charge (or when it isn't even on the charger, for that matter).
PelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I have batteries that don't fully charge in 60 minutes.... I got the this timer. Lets see if I can find it ...Went to HD today to look at timers. All the small ones are set up to program a time to turn on and a time to turn off. I want to twist a dial. Then I saw an intermatic twist type on sale. No idea why but $29 down to $8.
Then I bought a 2 gang blue plastic box. I will run a 2 foot 3 wire w/ a male plug on the end into the box to supply the timer. Put an outlet on the other side powered by the timer w/ a couple of jumper leads. So I made myself a little 2 outlet + timer supply cord to plug my chargers into. Figure I stick a battery in the charger, twist the timer to 45-60 minutes, and never have to worry about it again. I bought an extra timer just to have on the shelf.Intermatic 20 Amp 60-Minute Indoor In-Wall Spring Wound Countdown Timer, White SW60MWK - The Home Depot
Offer a stunning appeal to your living space by choosing this amazing Intermatic Indoor InWall Spring Wound Countdown Timer White.www.homedepot.com
I mounted this switch along with a double outlet in a metal box on a sheet of plywood cut to hold all my chargers.
PelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
racecougar
Well-known member
Agreed. I was commenting on CraigStu's thought that with the charger on a timer there was no worry of a fire starting.
ez-duzit
Well-known member
How can a timer be of any possible use against the battery fire?
Yes, they absolutely can.
I store mine in a sealed electrical enclosure. I only plug the charger in when I'm physically present in the shop.
Is that box vented? Lithium ion batteries burn without external oxygen. If one goes up inside a sealed metal box then you have created a giant incendiary bomb.
racecougar
Well-known member
No. The lid doesn't get clamped down.
Farmall450
Well-known member
Until that thing catches on fireI found this;
It is so cheap I will look for a better one but this gives me an option. My other timers all replaced a toggle switch and somehow this type didn't register although I have probably seen tham.GE Indoor Mechanical Timer 24hr with 1 Outlet: Light Timer, Timer for Outlet, UL Listed, White, Indoor Use, 15 Amps
Read reviews and buy GE Indoor Mechanical Timer 24hr with 1 Outlet: Light Timer, Timer for Outlet, UL Listed, White, Indoor Use, 15 Amps at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.
cwescapexlt4x4
Member
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2015
- Messages
- 6
Thanks for the reminder, headed out to the garage to unplug the empty charger.
I try to remember to do this, but i have to go look to make sure now
I try to remember to do this, but i have to go look to make sure now
PelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Leaving a battery in a "LIVE" charger can overheat the battery if the battery is damaged... repeated HEATING... can cause a fire. Limiting the LIVE time of a charger... Limits the chances.
In other words... leaving something plugged in "LIVE"... can cause a fire if there is a malfunction.
If you unplug a bomb... it's less likely to complete it's cycle to explode.
Metal-Marc
Well-known member
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zak77
Well-known member
It's not just a battery charger in your house, it's every single electrical component in the house that could burn it down. I've been to house fires where the cause was an appliance on the kitchen counter, lightning, improperly disposed of ashes, woodstoves, main panels, electrical outlets, fireplaces, or sometimes they just can't pinpoint it. In my eyes there's no point trying to cover all the potential issues because there's always something that could start a fire, and that's why we have insurance. If my houses catches fire, i'd prefer it burns to the ground so the insurance company cant nickel and dime me to death, which happens all the time.
PelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
We had an issue with a plug in "deodorizer" that took bottles of lemon scent. We had one plugged into an outlet in the hall... right under a wired smoke detector. Bad part it was my shore house... and I was up north. It arc'd... it turned black... it melted a bit... it scorched the wall (about a foot up)... then stopped. No clue of the smoke detector went off. Cost me a pint of paint, outlet, outlet cover. Had an electrician check the wires in the wall... nothing was wrong. Damage was limited to the plug itself. I kept it for years as a reminder... but tossed it a few years ago. Hard to say what would have happened if it was in a room with curtains or something that could tinder near by.
I remember sending a strongly worded email to that company that made that deodorizer... they sent me a coupon for a free one.
I remember sending a strongly worded email to that company that made that deodorizer... they sent me a coupon for a free one.
duneslider
Well-known member
I definitely wasn't talking about small consumer electronics. I don't know a lot about the sonicare tooth brushes but I do know the big three power tool makers have a number of protections built into their batteries. Yes, it is possible to have an issue with those batteries also but it is much less common due to their built in protections. One mentioned above is the over temp protection, if the temps get to a certain point it will limit/stop charging. Makita even has a fan in their charger to help cool the batteries. They have over voltage, under voltage, and under temp protections just to name a few. It is possible that the bms malfunctions but again pretty uncommon on quality batteries. I have no idea what protections are built into a sonicare toothbrush. Until recently, pretty much all drill batteries were the spiral wound which have a durable exterior shell which does a better job of protecting the batteries than the pouches you find in most consumer electronics like phones. I have seen a lot less of the round batteries go thermal compared to pouches which seem to be easily damaged. The larger batteries also have a safety release valve to help release pressure if there is a problem. I don't know if smaller batteries all have that built in. A short circuit is another leading cause of the batteries that go thermal.
A lot can obviously go wrong but not leaving a battery on the charger for long periods of time reduces those risks greatly. Just by statistics it reduces the chances a lot. If you drop your batteries a lot I would be a lot more weary of them being unattended.
PelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I blame Benjamin Franklin for inventing electricity... yea... discovering... whatever.
CraigStu
Well-known member
It will not be. But if the battery is sitting on a charger that ran for 60 minutes and then it's source power is cut by the timer, I think that should make a fire a lot less likely. I have 2 Makita drills and a light and 4 of their 3 Amp batteries. Until yesterday there was always a battery sitting on the charger. When one of the batteries in use got weak I grabbed the one off the charger, and put the weak one on the charger. It might sit there for a week or several months. Charger was always plugged into the wall. Chargers are sitting on top of my toolbox which has a cork flooring top. They are also under a cabinet that is made from mdf. So I will go a little further w/ this and get some stainless steel to make heat shields for the cork and mdf cabinet. Or possibly some sticky back automotive heat insulator.
andrew61987
Member
I have all my power tool batteries and chargers in the top shelf of my Husky tool chest where the power strip is. It gets closed (and locked) when I'm not around. I can't say this is the reason I did that, but this is definitely the reason I'll keep doing that.