E-bikes and e-scooters are indispensable in the street scene. But did you know that the batteries can be fire -hazardous if you incorrectly charge them? Fortunately, you can do a lot yourself to load safely! There are a lot Handy tips And firefighter Peter Schuurmans gives advice.
More and more people have an e-bike or e-scooter. There are also more Batteries at home. The number of home fires due to batteries rose from 2 to 6 percent. “We notice that we increasingly get out for fires created by a battery,” says firefighter Peter. “For example, the fire brigade had to evacuate eight homes in The Hague after an electric bicycle had caught fire.”
Here it goes wrong
Some people load their e-bike or bicycle battery in the living room, the stairwell or even in the bedroom. “We once came to a fire where someone loaded his electric bicycle in the bedroom. That whole room was burned out,” says Peter. “The escape routes are therefore less accessible and the poisonous smoke makes flights extra difficult.”
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Stay close
To prevent more fires through charging, the fire brigade has drawn up a number of tips. The first: stay close. “Charge when you get home. If you are on the couch, you can intervene quickly if something goes wrong,” Peter explains. “So don’t go to sleep or shopping while the battery is still on the charger.”
Hang a smoke detector
A smoke detector can save lives, Peter emphasizes. “If something goes wrong, the smoke detector goes immediately. Always hang one at the place where you load. This way you will be warned early and you can act faster in the event of a fire.”
Use the original charger
Always use the original charger that you received with your battery. “That ensures a safe way of charging,” says Peter. “Universal chargers can damage the battery. Also do not let your battery hang unnecessarily on the charger. More than one hundred percent does not go in. Is the battery full, pull the plug out.”
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Load in a safe place
Charging outside in a shed or garden is the safest. If that is not possible, choose a sturdy, non -combustible place in the house. “Never put your battery on a stack of newspapers or on the couch. Always choose a safe surface,” advises Peter.
If things go wrong anyway
Battery fires give toxic smoke and are difficult to stop. Is it going wrong? Then leave immediately, make sure you stay out of the smoke and call 112. That also applies to Chargers and batteries From your phone or other devices.
Check all tips
Fortunately, you can do safely for yourself! Do you want to view all the advice again clearly? On Ikaadacuraat Read how you can safely load all your batteries.