It’s happening more and more. A battery of a tablet or electric scooter that explodes and catches fire. On Saturday it was also hit in Eindhoven where an electric scooter and tablet caught fire when charging. Omroep Brabant investigated what you can do best to safely charge your batteries.
One of the most common causes of house fires is electrical appliances. Think of washing machines, dryers, electric bicycles, tablets and, for example, e-steps. Often things go wrong with charging a device because this is done in the wrong way.
Louise Schneider is from the Central and West Brabant Safety Region and has tips on how to safely charge batteries. This prevents a fire from breaking out in the house.
Not in bed or on the couch
“Nowadays you often see young people taking their phone or tablet into the bedroom and then charging it while they are lying in bed. If they then put that thing under their pillow, it is much too hot. It may cause overheating, which means there is a chance that the device will burn.”
“We therefore advise you to put the device on your bedside table if you still want to charge it at night. Charging a tablet while it is lying on the couch is also risky. Make sure you have a hard surface, such as a table or put it on the floor. The couch is soft, and if the device gets too hot for whatever reason, the chance of a fire starting is greater because of that soft surface.”
Charge during the day
“Charge your device when you can see it. Many people do that at night. But when you sleep, you don’t notice that your mobile phone is fully charged, and that you have to pull the plug out of the socket.”
Use the original charger
“Why is it important that the plug is pulled out of the socket? Because the original plug is not always used. As a result, the ‘match’ between the charger and the device is not always optimal. Cheap cables do not always deliver the correct voltage. If you are sleeping, and something happens in that charger, you cannot react in time.”
Charger from the wall socket
“Then remember to also unplug the charger. If you leave it there, there is a risk that the charger will become warm or even overheat.”
Do not use extension cords
“What also often happens: first plug an extension cord into the socket towards the couch, so that you can continue to use your mobile phone. Sometimes an extra extension cord is added for a bit more length. The charger is then plugged in and then your telephone, laptop or tablet. That is not an ideal combination. The power is sent from the socket through the extension cable to a new connection point, then to another extension cord and then the power goes to the charger and the device. nearby. As soon as something goes wrong, you signal it immediately and you can pull things loose.”
Household appliances with electric battery stations are used more and more intensively and more are being added, says Schneider. “Think of solar panels, the electric bicycle, a hoverboard and electric car.” The washing machine and dryer are major causes of fire. In the kitchen, the oven, deep fryer and microwave are often the culprit.
The fire brigade also has a tip for charging, which is especially useful for e-bikes and e-steps. The most important thing is to always charge it outside on a flat surface. This drastically reduces the risk of a house fire in the event of a fire. More information about fire safety and charging a battery can be found at the website of the fire department.
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