Monday, Oct 22, 2018 at 23:15
Ron,
It is worth noting that lead acid batteries are also classed as hazardous cargo.
That NCBI article is a very academic study pertaining to aviation transport of lithium batteries. Its aim is to show that any risks associated with air transport of lithium batteries can be significantly reduced by transporting them in a discharged state. The thrust of the paper is not relevant to the use of lithium batteries in a land-based RV environment.
Nevertheless, it highlights the need for the batteries to be handled correctly and loaded and stored appropriately in an aircraft cargo hold. In Table 2, in the first two incidents there were fires near the batteries but it could not be determined that the fires were caused BY the batteries. In all the other incidents the fires were attributed to the batteries being mishandled, poorly packaged or being short circuited externally (presumably by something falling on them). It's not the batteries themselves that were the problem, it was what was done to them.
IMO the risks discussed in that article are not representative of the risks in recreational use we are talking about here on EO. We are not talking about pallet loads of batteries stacked amongst other cargo. We are talking about a single
battery or maybe two or three, restrained as you would a lead acid
battery bank, presumably in a closed compartment or otherwise separated from recreational paraphernalia, in service with an appropriate
battery management system.
Yes, there are risks, just as there are with big lead-acid
battery banks. Properly and appropriately mitigated with physical restraints, physical isolation, fusing, insulation, quality cabling and BMSs - what we do with any
battery installation - the risks in day to day use for each type (lead acid and LiFePO4) become as acceptable as any other recreational activity.
To that end I agree 100% with your points 1 to 5 in your opening post.
Cheers Frank
FollowupID:
894314