Batteries, are yours safe to fly?

[Moneybox]

I'm told these LiFePO4 batteries are as safe as they get.

 

 

They don't come cheap but then what does when you are after quality?

 

 

Luckily I wasn't flying along when this happened.

 

 

This is my Hyundai camper. Fortunately it was parked and fully closed at the time so the fire could only exist until all the internal oxygen had been consumed.

 

 

The tempered glass survived the inferno but not much inside did.

 

 

There was virtually nothing close to the two Solar King batteries to support combustion but the intense heat reached to roof that has thermal insulation.

 

Do you really want to share your confined space with these type of batteries when several thousand feet above the earth. Even your parachute may have gone up in the inferno. My camper had been parked outside the mechanical workshop near Wongan Hills for the last week. If I'd been sleeping in there I most likely wouldn't be discussing this now.

[jackc]

That is why I use AGM batteries, Even Lithium  jump starter packs are bad, I have had 2 that nearly caused a disaster 🤢

[onetrack]

Well, that's one Hyundai you won't be fixing the engine on. Luckily it was high kms. Now comes the wrangle with the insurance company over the fine details in the PDS? Such as, only being covered when it's parked in your postcode?

[Moneybox]

22 minutes ago, onetrack said:

Well, that's one Hyundai you won't be fixing the engine on. Luckily it was high kms. Now comes the wrangle with the insurance company over the fine details in the PDS? Such as, only being covered when it's parked in your postcode?

Sometime within the last month Mrs M got the insurance renewal notice. She said "Do you still want comprehensive on this one?" I said "No it's not worth it", so there won't be any arguments with the insurance company. Come to think of it, it may still be covered because we always pay bills as they come in. Anyway it was not insured as a modified vehicle so the chance of a successful claim is about zero considering the lithium batteries are part of the camper conversion.

[onetrack]

If you've been a regular insurance cover holder, and haven't paid the renewal on the due date, most insurance companies give you a grace period, usually 14 days.

If you haven't advised them you've done a camper conversion and installed "non-standard" accessories or equipment, then your chances of making a successful claim, are indeed extremely low.

 

Most importantly, have you determined precisely how the fire started? Lithium batteries general only self destruct if they are charged incorrectly, such as using a non-original charger, or if they have endured some kind of physically destructive event.

There have been an increasing number of household lithium battery fires, usually starting from electric scooters, electric power tools, computer equipment, and mobility "go-fers" - but in nearly every case, faulty charging was the initiator. A few cases involved poor quality batteries.

I'm very alert to small chargers containing voltage transformers, such as phone chargers - these often run uncomfortably hot to my way of thinking, and I never leave them unattended.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-08/lithium-batteries-sparking-house-fires-wa/105629032

 

Edited yesterday at 10:59 AM by onetrack

[Moneybox]

19 minutes ago, onetrack said:

If you've been a regular insurance cover holder, and haven't paid the renewal on the due date, most insurance companies give you a grace period, usually 14 days.

If you haven't advised them you've done a camper conversion and installed "non-standard" accessories or equipment, then your chances of making a successful claim, are indeed extremely low.

 

Most importantly, have you determined precisely how the fire started? Lithium batteries general only self destruct if they are charged incorrectly, such as using a non-original charger, or if they have endured some kind of physically destructive event.

There have been an increasing number of household lithium battery fires, usually starting from electric scooters, electric power tools, computer equipment, and mobility "go-fers" - but in nearly every case, faulty charging was the initiator. A few cases involved poor quality batteries.

I'm very alert to small chargers containing voltage transformers, such as phone chargers - these often run uncomfortably hot to my way of thinking, and I never leave them unattended.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-08/lithium-batteries-sparking-house-fires-wa/105629032

 

 

From that article "The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) said almost a third of the fires in WA involved batteries which ignited when they were not charging. "

 

My batteries were not part of a cheap electrical appliance they were purchased here from Access 12 Volt Warehouse in Osborne Park Western Australia. They also have a battery management device that is supposed to protect the battery from overcharging. 

[BrendAn]

i thought there was no way they could burn unlike lithium iron which i thought you had at first.

Edited yesterday at 11:33 AM by BrendAn

[Moneybox]

Lithium-Iron-Phosphate (LiFePO4) vs Lithium-ion Batteries

The term “Lithium Batteries” is used interchangeably in the media when describing Lithium-Iron-Phosphate (LiFePO4) and Lithium-ion batteries. LiFePO4 batteries and Lithium-ion batteries each have different characteristics, such as energy density, voltage, and operating temperature, and because of this they are used differently. Lithium-ion batteries are typically used in electric vehicles and scooters. LiFePO4 batteries are the most common type of batteries used for off-grid mobile applications. But the key difference between the two types is safety. LiFePO4 batteries are significantly safer to use due their chemical structure. They are more chemically stable, resistant to damage from over charging or discharging, and perform excellently in a wide range of conditions. These characteristics, along with the additional protection of the Battery Management System (BMS), make them a perfect solution for a those seeking a safe, high performance battery.

 

My batteries were LiFePO4, safe.... They'll tell you anything to promote their product however you just have to look at the statistics and make your own judgements. Your life may depend on it. Is a 2kg weight saving on a small aircraft battery worth the risk?

[BrendAn]

6 hours ago, Moneybox said:

Lithium-Iron-Phosphate (LiFePO4) vs Lithium-ion Batteries

The term “Lithium Batteries” is used interchangeably in the media when describing Lithium-Iron-Phosphate (LiFePO4) and Lithium-ion batteries. LiFePO4 batteries and Lithium-ion batteries each have different characteristics, such as energy density, voltage, and operating temperature, and because of this they are used differently. Lithium-ion batteries are typically used in electric vehicles and scooters. LiFePO4 batteries are the most common type of batteries used for off-grid mobile applications. But the key difference between the two types is safety. LiFePO4 batteries are significantly safer to use due their chemical structure. They are more chemically stable, resistant to damage from over charging or discharging, and perform excellently in a wide range of conditions. These characteristics, along with the additional protection of the Battery Management System (BMS), make them a perfect solution for a those seeking a safe, high performance battery.

 

My batteries were LiFePO4, safe.... They'll tell you anything to promote their product however you just have to look at the statistics and make your own judgements. Your life may depend on it. Is a 2kg weight saving on a small aircraft battery worth the risk?

There are lots of earth X lifepo4 batteries in aircraft 

 I haven't heard of any problems with them. But they are certified aircraft batteries.

I have an AGM .  

[KRviator]

That's the first instance I've read or seen about a LiFePo4 battery having an issue. I used a Shorai successfully for several years in the RV and only replaced it with a SLA after not being able to get a lithium in Aus at the time - and am installing a pair of EarthX 1600's to replace the original (single) Concorde in the new project.

Did the fire actually start within the battery? I ask as it the damage looks confined to only one end and it doesn't appear to have bulged outwards or anything suggesting it might have been a victim, not the cause of, the fire.

[Thruster88]

The earth X battery has two fire proof vent tubes that are plumbed to the out side of the aircraft. 

 

Moneybox, is it possible there was a fault in the wiring or solar regulator etc?

 

Certified aircraft have a two piece master switch that disconnects the battery AND alternator from ALL wiring in the event of smoke in the cockpit. Sport aircraft, not so much.

[Moneybox]

2 hours ago, Thruster88 said:

The earth X battery has two fire proof vent tubes that are plumbed to the out side of the aircraft. 

 

Moneybox, is it possible there was a fault in the wiring or solar regulator etc?

 

Certified aircraft have a two piece master switch that disconnects the battery AND alternator from ALL wiring in the event of smoke in the cockpit. Sport aircraft, not so much.

Yes quite possibly an electrical fault even though the vehicle had been stationary for a week but it’s the result that is more important. 

[Moneybox]

2 hours ago, KRviator said:

That's the first instance I've read or seen about a LiFePo4 battery having an issue. I used a Shorai successfully for several years in the RV and only replaced it with a SLA after not being able to get a lithium in Aus at the time - and am installing a pair of EarthX 1600's to replace the original (single) Concorde in the new project.

Did the fire actually start within the battery? I ask as it the damage looks confined to only one end and it doesn't appear to have bulged outwards or anything suggesting it might have been a victim, not the cause of, the fire.

I haven’t seen the vehicle yet but the only flammable item close is/was a portapotty and I doubt it exploded first.

[BurnieM]

Maybe it hit the fan ?

 

[BrendAn]

21 hours ago, jackc said:

That is why I use AGM batteries, Even Lithium  jump starter packs are bad, I have had 2 that nearly caused a disaster 🤢

the xair has to use an agm because that 6.5 kg is positioned on the fuse tube to set the w&b.  when you fit lithium you have to add counterweights because of the 5 kg difference.

[KRviator]

3 minutes ago, BrendAn said:

the xair has to use an agm because that 6.5 kg is positioned on the fuse tube to set the w&b.  when you fit lithium you have to add counterweights because of the 5 kg difference.

That's an important point people need to consider if making the switch. 

In the RV with the lithium, I'd put full flap out, trim full nose up, and she'd mosey down final almost spot on 65KIAS. Now, with the SLA, I need to hold a smidgen of backstick even with full nose up trim dialed in. Battery changes can have a significant effect on your W&B

[facthunter]

I'd be shocked if People didn't KNOW that. Nev