Prostituting one's licence.

[Isetech]

The lithium batteries we install are IP 65, the cells are sealed in a metal enclosure which must have some form of fire rating, which would suffocate a fire before it could even start. (been trying to get the fire rating from Sunsynk, IP 65 5.1 kwh, let me know if you have any joy)

It has a built in BMS with all the safety features to prevent over charging, overheating and all the safety stuff.

Sunsynk web page has a lithium battery installed under a stairwell in a cupboard, so it cant be that dangerous, so why all the fuss in SA? Educate us, we are all waiting.

https://www.sunsynk.org/

I am yet to hear of a court case where the power that be have tried to challenge people who install batteries in cupboard and occupied areas.

Worse case scenario, the terminals might burn due to loose connections if the installer doesn't crimp the lugs properly, but that would happen if the battery was installed in the garage, house or office.

I would say this whole lithium battery frenzy is a scam, a way for installers to rip a bigger whole in the customer bank account due to all the extra cost involved in running cables all the way to a garage and back, creating another challenge, volt drop. If you look at most inverter installations the installer use cables rated for the inverter, for example a 5 kw with 2.5 mm and maybe a 4 mm wire. If you start looking at the distance from the meter box to the main DB, then all the way out to the garage AC bypass DB and all the way back to the main DB. Start derating the wire in the hot roof space and under the ground in conduits. The engineers (if they know what they are doing) are going to be laughing at the installers when they try register the systems. Who is going to lose a lot of money again, yip you guessed right, the public.

You think there is a problem with shady installer now, wait till the registration process start gaining momentum, you gonna see them dropping like flies, disappearing into never never land. not just the shady ones.

You know what else is coming, summer baby, lets see how these badly installed units handle the 35-40 degree temperatures

Agreed - The batteries being brought into the country by reputable importers are all LiFePO4 which have a very low to no fire risk

[GCE]

I am busy with the Lithium conversation and trying to get practice notes put out but there is division

I have spoken to importers and downloaded MSDS certificates along with articles

LiFePO4 batteries on all accounts are stable and even if punctured cannot catch fire - We have mandated the guys to talk to manufacturers

Have attached a MSDS cert and even under fire fighting measures it is a standard CO2 fire extinguisher vs the noise on social media about special fire extinguishes

The guys create panic through google articles instead of using cold facts , data sheets .
Most fire articles that have been shoved down me throat durng the discussions are worded as " may be the result of battery " is being investigated and " could be " - Not one has said the batteries started the fire

Pasted sections from the MSDS and most I have downloaded say the same thing



Fire Fighting Measures
Extinguishing Media : A carbon dioxide (CO2); Dry chemical powder (DCP)
Specific Hazards : Cells or batteries that are damaged, opened or
exposed to excessive heat/fire may flame or leak
potentially hazardous organic vapours.

Personal Precautions : Under a normal condition of use, a battery is
hermetically sealed and not hazardous. Leakage or
release of hazardous materials contained within a
battery would be possible under abusive conditions

Stability : The batteries are stable under normal operation and
storage conditions.
Conditions to avoid : Short-circuiting, disassembling, heating over the
operation temperature range of the product.

[Isetech]

Apparently the boating industry (large luxury yachts) have done extensive research into lithium battery safety on the vessels.

[Isetech]

Yet people feel it safe to install these batteries in a garage below 1.2 m in font or side of where the vehicle is parked, with no ceiling which will create a much hotter environment for the batteries.

Not forgetting the excessive volt drop running the under rated cables being installed through extremely hot roof spaces and down into conduit buried in the ground, which also requires derating.

You can see there has been a lot of thought put into this industry designs

Do you still think its a waste of time using engineers to design and approve solar installations ?





or thermal abuse. Warning: the cells/batteries should not be punctured, or incinerated, crushed, immersed in water, over-charged, or exposed to a temperature above the declared operation temperature range of the cell or battery Should the cell/battery be subjected to a different Process or use, such as dismantling for recycling, or destruction, a different safety data sheet would be required. Please contact Freedom Won